All Chapters of His Dead Wife: No Longer the Surrogate Bride: Chapter 281 - Chapter 290

The war room was loud and intense.It was the kind of noise made by intelligent men trying desperately to solve a puzzle with half its pieces missing.Papers covered the table as well as walls.Maps of the Valtieri Estate are by Dominic’s reach as well as security reports, board member profiles, corporate structures that he managed to get from those that are secretly loyal to his father.Sebastian stood near the large whiteboard with a marker in hand.He wrote names, crossing out possibilities, building connections but then destroying them minutes later while letting out curses.Antonio sat with both feet propped on another chair, gripping his third coffee while Vincent beside him is reviewing financial reports.Roberto is on a secure phone, calling old contacts while Ulysses sat quietly, reading historical council records.Michael had arrived half an hour earlier and was now examining Valtieri Holdings' organizational charts with August beside him, commenting from time to time when h

Dominic had always hated towers.It was not because he was afraid of heights or disliked architecture since ironically, it has been his love. He hated towers because for him, towers are like symbols.Symbols of power.Symbols of wealth.Symbols of men who wanted the world to look up at them.Dominic remembered that his father hated them too.Alessandro once told him something like that when Dominic was around ten."Men who build towers are either trying to leave a legacy or trying to hide something."At that age, Dominic hadn't understood.But now, he understood perfectly.Especially today.The Valtieri Holdings Office Tower rose in the center of the financial district.Forty-eight floors.Glass.Steel.Stone.Elegant.Cold.Intimidating.It had always been the headquarters of all the Valtieri patriarchs. It once belonged to his father for a short time before Luca had taken over.Now it belonged to Matteo.Or at least, Matteo was pretending it did.Dominic sat in the backseat of the c

Blackstone was unusually quiet which usually happens when the entire is thinking instead of resting or sleeping.Thinking.The lights remained on throughout the western wing and the security teams continued to move about their usual routines.Staff members spoke in hushed voices.Even the air itself felt different.Heavy.As though the estate had sensed something had changed because something had.The moment Dominic entered the front doors; he realized one thing.Matteo wasn't bluffing and that bothered him.Not because Matteo had taken Valtieri Holdings.But because of the confidence and his absolute certainty. His uncle wasn't behaving like someone who had stolen power. He’s behaving like a man who had finally arrived at a destination.And that is dangerous.Dominic handed his coat to one of the staff members while Enzo walked beside him.Both men remained silent for several moments."You, okay, boss?" Enzo finally asked him.Dominic exhaled."No." He answered bitterly.Enzo nodded.

The locker room’s large and private toilet sat empty and quiet as Althea entered and walked towards the lavatory counter. She placed her toiletries gently and for a few minutes sat on the bench provided, breathing in and out slowly and deeply.After twenty minutes, Althea finally stood up and started to wash her face, feeling the cold water on her face, refreshing her face and then gently pressing her knuckles on her closed eyes, massaging them.Once she had freshened herself up, she changed into comfortable clothes, brushed and retied her hair.Her body still felt heavy but her mind is heavier.She reached for her bag, turned and then stopped immediately.She stiffened, gripping her fist because something changed. She had still lived with the instinct of knowing something had shifted in her surroundings.The air.A feeling.Someone’s here. She thought tightly and every instinct she possessed awakened instantly.The room no longer felt empty and she slowly turned the knob of the door

Thirty minutes later, Althea finally finished telling them everything that happened between her and Matteo.She was silently glad that nobody interrupted, spoke nor moved when she was talking.The entire room listened to every detail she spoke.The locker room.The encounter.His words.His smile.His offer.His confidence.His knowledge about the vault.His attempt to recruit her.When she finished, nobody said anything for almost a minute.Then Antonio stood up immediately, with a look of anger on his face."I'm going to f8cking kill him." He growled angrily.Enzo grabbed his arm."No!” He countered evenly. “You’ll only make it worse!”Antonio pointed toward Althea, his anger starting to get the better of him. “That f8cking lunatic intentionally cornered her!” He shouted furiously. “How dare he talked to her and had the balls to recruit her.”"He—.""No, Antonio." Enzo repeated hardly. “Get that f8cking temper down, man.”Antonio looked genuinely angry."Why the hell not?""Because