Married To The Ruthless Billionaire For Revenge-Chapter 37: A Fathers Declaration Of War

Chapter 37 — A FATHER’S DECLARATION OF WAR

The Kane mansion had always been cold, but never in the way it felt now—as if the very walls had drawn in a sharp breath, waiting for the first strike in a battle already brewing beneath the surface.

Elena stood behind Adrian, his hand locked around hers like an anchor in a storm. But the storm had a name—Alexander Kane. Adrian’s father. A man whose presence could silence an entire boardroom, end careers with a glance, and destroy reputations with a single phone call.

His eyes were fixed on Elena with a kind of calculated interest, the kind a hawk gave to a rabbit seconds before the kill.

Adrian’s voice sliced through the tension.

"You need to leave."

His father smiled—a chilling, patronizing smile that said he was already ten steps ahead.

"You will not dismiss me in my own estate," Alexander Kane said calmly. "I built this house. I built this empire. You merely inherited it."

Adrian stepped forward, shielding Elena fully behind his frame. "And I am telling you—you’re not welcome here."

Alexander sighed, as if bored. As if this confrontation was beneath him.

"You’re behaving emotionally, Adrian. A weakness I thought I trained out of you." His gaze slid toward Elena again, sharp as a knife. "But I see now where it comes from."

Elena felt the insult like a slap, but Adrian reacted before she could breathe.

"Careful," he growled. "You don’t talk about her."

Alexander raised a brow. "Why? Has she become untouchable? Uncriticizable?" His smile widened. "That is dangerous, son. Attachment—"

"Don’t use that word," Adrian snapped.

Lydia flinched. Somewhere down the hallway, a maid quietly backed away, terrified of witnessing what was unfolding.

Alexander Kane clasped his hands behind his back and walked slowly, deliberately, toward them.

"Let us be men, Adrian," he said. "Let us speak plainly." 𝐟𝐫𝕖𝗲𝘄𝚎𝗯𝕟𝐨𝕧𝐞𝚕.𝕔𝕠𝐦

He paused.

"End this marriage. Immediately."

Elena’s heartbeat stumbled.

Adrian didn’t hesitate. "No."

Alexander’s eyes narrowed. "Do you think your refusal matters? I can dismantle this marriage in less than a week. You have provided me with all the necessary grounds."

Adrian stiffened. "What grounds?"

"Instability. Compromise of company image. And," he said, tilting his head toward Elena, "your wife’s... questionable background."

Elena’s stomach twisted.

Adrian’s voice dropped into deadly calm. "What do you know about her background?"

Alexander smirked. "Everything."

Elena froze.

Adrian’s jaw locked. "You looked into her?"

"Of course." Alexander tapped his cane lightly on the marble tiles. The sound echoed ominously. "You married a woman without my approval. Without consultation. Without contract verification."

He turned slightly.

"I had to see what kind of... person... you allowed into the family."

Elena felt nausea rise.

She had nothing to hide—nothing—but the way he spoke made her feel dirty. Small. Exposed.

"What did you find?" Adrian demanded.

Alexander’s shrug was casual. Too casual.

"Nothing interesting. Nothing scandalous. But that, too, is a problem."

Adrian frowned. "What does that mean?"

"It means she has no power. No wealth. No political value. No strategic benefit."

Alexander fixed a cold stare on Elena.

"She brings nothing into this marriage. She is disposable."

Elena inhaled sharply.

Adrian moved so fast Elena barely registered it—one second he was beside her, the next he was inches from his father, voice low and lethal.

"Say that again."

Alexander didn’t blink. "She. Is. Disposable."

The air snapped like a wire pulled too tight.

Adrian’s fist slammed into the wall beside his father’s head.

Lydia let out a gasp.

Several guards startled.

Elena flinched—but not from fear of Adrian. From fear of how far this was going to spiral.

Alexander didn’t move. He didn’t even look at the fist buried in the wall.

"Emotion," he murmured. "The great weakness of men."

Adrian exhaled sharply, stepping back before he lost control completely.

"You’re not touching her," he said, voice rough.

"You think you can stop me?" Alexander asked quietly. "I created everything you own. Everything you control. Even your name isn’t yours—it’s mine."

Adrian’s hands clenched.

"And your wife?" Alexander continued. "She is a threat."

Elena’s eyes widened. "A threat? To what?"

Alexander finally looked at her as though acknowledging a child who had spoken out of turn.

"To the future of this family. To the alliances I’ve been building for decades. To the reputation that must be preserved."

Elena swallowed. "I’m not trying to ruin anything."

"But you already have."

His gaze sharpened.

"Adrian no longer thinks clearly. You distract him. You soften him. You reduce his potential."

Adrian’s voice turned scathing. "You mean I stopped becoming a replica of you."

"It is the only way to lead," Alexander snapped.

"No," Adrian said. "It’s the only way to destroy everything around you."

Alexander’s nostrils flared. "Enough."

His voice dropped, cold and final.

"This marriage ends. With or without your consent."

Elena shook her head, a wave of cold dread washing through her. "Why do you hate me? Because I’m not rich? Because I don’t fit your society?"

Alexander looked at her as though answering was a waste of time.

"You’re irrelevant."

The word cut deeper than an insult ever could.

Elena felt something inside her crack—not out of weakness, but out of a growing fire she’d never realized she carried.

She stepped forward before Adrian could stop her.

"You think I’m irrelevant?" she said quietly. "Then why are you so afraid of me?"

Alexander’s eyes flickered.

Adrian looked at her sharply—surprised, proud, terrified for her all at once.

"You’ve been interfering with Adrian’s life because you see something you can’t control," Elena continued, her voice low but steady. "You think you can walk in here and break us with a signature? Shame me because I’m not wealthy? Threaten me because I don’t come from your world?"

Alexander’s jaw tightened—but he didn’t speak.

Elena stepped even closer.

"You underestimate the wrong woman."

Adrian’s eyes blazed with a new kind of intensity.

Alexander stared at her for a long, cold moment.

Then he smiled—slow, dangerous, venomous.

"So the rabbit has teeth."

"She’s not prey," Adrian growled.

"No," Alexander said, eyes never leaving Elena.

"She’s a test."

Elena blinked. "A test?"

"A test," he repeated calmly, "of whether you deserve the empire you were meant to inherit."

Adrian stiffened.

"What are you planning?" he demanded.

Alexander tapped his cane once more—a sharp, commanding sound.

"You will see."

He turned and began walking toward the front doors, guards parting instantly.

But before leaving, he paused.

Without looking back, he said—

"Prepare yourselves. The real fight begins now."

The door closed behind him with a soft, deadly click.

Silence dropped over the mansion like a heavy blanket.

Lydia stood frozen, face drained of color.

Adrian exhaled shakily, muscles still locked with tension.

Elena stared at the door, breath uneven, heart still hammering.

Then Adrian turned to her.

"Elena," he said softly, voice strained from holding back rage and something deeper—fear. "You shouldn’t have confronted him."

She expected anger.

She expected scolding.

She expected him to push her away for challenging Alexander.

Instead—

Adrian stepped toward her, cupping her cheeks with trembling hands.

"You could have been hurt," he said.

His voice cracked.

"I can’t lose you."

Her breath stopped.

He pulled her into his chest, holding her as though the world outside was collapsing—and maybe it was.

Elena closed her eyes, tightening her arms around him.

"Adrian," she whispered. "What do we do now?"

His answer was quiet.

"We prepare. For war."

End of Chapter 37