The Billionaire's Bought Bride and Instant Mom Chapter 98

Orion

The past days had been a relentless marathon of corporate warfare and criminal logistics. Between coordinating the manhunt for Dwayne and playing chess with Devan in the boardroom, I'd barely had time to sleep, let alone think about anything else.

Devan was proving to be a more formidable opponent than I'd anticipated. His decades of experience within the company had earned him loyalties that ran deep, and he was leveraging every relationship he'd ever cultivated to turn the board against me. We couldn't move openly against each other yet—too much of the company's stability depended on maintaining the illusion of family unity—but the shadow war was intensifying daily.

Every lunch meeting, every casual conversation in the hallways, every seemingly innocent invitation to drinks was actually a recruitment effort. Both of us were quietly building coalitions, testing loyalties, and preparing for the inevitable moment when this cold war would turn hot.

The only bright spot in this exhausting week had been the email that appeared in my personal inbox three days ago.

*Finally,* I'd thought when I saw the subject line. *The mysterious wife wants to meet.*

I'd been so relieved to have one less complication in my life that I'd immediately replied with a simple "Received. I'll be there." and sent it off without much thought.

But as the days passed and I'd had time to actually digest the content of her message, my initial relief had curdled into irritation.

*I'm quite flexible when it comes to expediting this process.*

*Should you have any specific requirements or conditions regarding our divorce proceedings, we can certainly discuss them in person.*

The more I thought about those particular phrases, the angrier I became. She was clearly trying to buy me off, assuming that like every other problem in her life, this one could be solved with the right amount of money.

*Six years of marriage, and now she thinks she can negotiate her way out with some kind of financial settlement?*

The presumption was insulting. Did she really think I was the type of man who could be purchased? That I needed her money?

By this morning, I'd worked myself into a state of righteous indignation. This woman—whoever she was—needed to understand exactly who she was dealing with. If she wanted to play games about money and conditions, I'd make sure she knew she was completely outclassed.

I picked up my phone and dialed Aveline's number, already planning my strategy.

The phone rang several times before she answered, and when she did, her voice carried a distinct note of wariness.

"What do you want, Orion?"

Straight to the point, as always. No pleasantries, no small talk. Just that direct, no-nonsense tone that had become so familiar.

"I need to buy some gifts," I said, trying to inject some warmth into my tone. "For a woman I'm... well, I'm meeting with someone soon for a... a date." The word felt strange coming out of my mouth, and I immediately regretted saying it. "Someone who... well, let's just say I need to make an impression. Laurent seems like he'd be the right person to consult for something that will really make a statement."

"Gifts?" There was a sharp intake of breath, almost like she'd been startled. "For someone you're... dating?"

I could almost hear the shift in her breathing, the way her tone had warmed despite herself.

"Someone I want to show my best side to," I said, thinking of my mystery wife and how I wanted to demonstrate exactly what kind of man she was dealing with—someone with taste, sophistication, and resources beyond her wildest dreams. "I want to find something that really showcases who I am, what I can offer. Something that will leave a lasting impression."

The silence that followed was different now—warmer, expectant.

"Oh," she said finally, and there was definitely something pleased in her voice. "Well... that's actually quite thoughtful. I suppose when you put it like that..." She paused, and when she spoke again, her tone was almost gentle. "Gifts like that should be meaningful, shouldn't they? Something that really shows how much you value her."

"Exactly," I said, encouraged by the warmth creeping back into her voice but still puzzled by her sudden change in attitude. "That's why I need Laurent. This has to make the right impression."

"I'll text you his number right away," she said, and now she actually sounded happy to help. "And Orion? I think it's wonderful that you're doing this for her. She's very lucky."

*Lucky?* Something about the way she said that struck me as odd. There was a warmth in her voice that seemed... personal somehow. As if she was genuinely happy for me, not just being polite. But why would she care so much about gifts for some woman she'd never met?