The Contract With Her Father's Billionaire Rival-Chapter 25. The Shadiest Man.

"Are you just going to avoid me?" Clara yelled, her voice echoing in Alaric’s reception area, her heels clicking against the tiled floor.

Alaric groaned as he made his way to his office. His mother had been yelling behind him, saying things—things he had already zoned out from.

He didn’t need this right now. He just needed Nicolette safe and back under his protection.

"Alaric?" Richard nudged him, snapping him out of his thoughts.

He turned to Richard, blinking in confusion. "What?"

"I said you should reply to your mother," Richard said, tilting his head toward Clara.

His brow furrowed and he shook head. "No." Then he stepped forward.

Clara was still shouting behind him, and Violet trailed after her like a puppet.

Alaric entered his office and went straight to his chair, his jaw tightening at the racket his mother was making. Clara didn’t give him the chance to think of his next plan to find Nicolette, and that angered him.

Just as he sat down, Clara stormed in, her mouth twisted into a deep frown.

"I think you’ve humiliated me enough!" she snapped, slamming her hands on his desk. "You don’t listen! You’re always about yourself!"

Alaric clenched his jaw but he didn’t say anything.

Richard turned to Clara, his voice soft. "Aunt Clara, you need to take it easy."

She turned to Richard sharply, her eyes burning with fury. "Take it easy?! Why don’t you tell your cousin to take it easy on me? I am his mother, for heaven’s sake! And he’s ignoring me... because of that—" her lips curled in disgust "—that riffraff!"

The way she described Nicolette, the pure disdain in her tone, sent a wave of anger through Alaric, and he flared, springing to his feet.

"See!" he snapped, his voice trembling with rage. "How can you call my wife such a name and expect me not to react?"

"Your wife?" Clara scoffed, raising her voice to match his. "I do not accept the marriage."

"Then I have nothing to say to you."

The air grew thick with tension as both of them stared at each other in silence, their chest rising and falling.

"Guys..." Richard said, stepping forward, attempting to be the peacemaker. "Let’s just take a breather."

Alaric sighed, shaking off the anger tightening his chest. He never wanted to yell at his mother, he just hated the fact that she liked to impose her will on him.

She never saw him as competent. To her, every decision he made was pointless. And while that angered him, more than anything, it hurt.

She was the only one in the world who could hurt him with her words. And she knew that.

Yet, she carried on with no care about his feelings.

Well, enough is enough.

He wasn’t going to allow her to disrespect Nicolette the same way.

Clara stepped closer, her eyes softening. "I... I just want the best for you, Alaric. I’m not fighting you."

"And I know what’s best for me," he replied, sitting down back. "I’m not fighting you either."

"You could have picked anybody else. Anybody. See Violet," she said, gesturing to Violet who was blushing furiously. "She’s beautiful, presentable. You know her very well, I like her. She wouldn’t embarrass our family by looking so... tattered, like a disgrace to our name." Her tone rose with disgust.

Alaric clenched his fists under the table. He looked at Richard, who gave him a silent warning with his eyes.

"Alaric dear," Violet said, moving closer. "Your mother is just looking out for you. Your father worked so hard to build this reputation, you don’t want her destroying everything."

"Exactly!" Clara spat. "What if the press had caught her looking like that? She was insufferable! I’m sure even her father is ashamed of her."

Alaric’s chest tightened with anger.

God, his mother had no idea what Nicolette had been through. And the more she talked about it, the more she showed her disapproval of it, the more he felt anger, sorrow, and guilt swirling inside him.

"You don’t understand anything," he said, his voice low. "And I don’t think I want to start explaining myself."

"I know what I see. I see a gold-digging, good-for-nothing girl who has dug her fingers into your brain! She’s bewitched you, and you’re blind, Alaric!" Clara shouted.

That was the last straw.

Alaric inhaled sharply, forcing himself to stay calm. When he was sure he had control, he stood, keeping his voice firm.

"I think you need to leave."

Clara gasped. Violet threw a hand over her mouth. Richard just shook his head.

Clara stepped forward, her face red with anger. "You’re absurd! You hear me? You’re pathetic! Your father will hear of this nonsense!"

Alaric didn’t react, he just gestured toward the door.

Violet’s eyes widened. "Alaric, that’s... harsh!"

He shot her look, and she cowered behind his mother. "Have a nice day," he said flatly before sitting back down.

The action made Clara even more mad, and she opened her mouth to yell again, but Richard quickly got in between her and the desk.

"Let’s just... calm down," he said softly. "Go home, Aunt Clara. We’ll have this conversation another time—when we’re not all worked up." He shot Alaric a pointed look.

Clara shook off Richard’s touch. "We are—"

"Shouting won’t solve anything, please," Richard interrupted, guiding her to the door. "Let’s do this again. Tomorrow? Dinner at your house? I’ll ask my father to attend as well."

Clara’s eyes softened slightly, and after a moment, she nodded. "Fine. Tomorrow at 8 PM."

"Great," Richard said with a grin. "Let me see you off. Come, Violet. Let’s go."

Once Richard took the women out, Alaric finally relaxed. He leaned back in his chair, the tension in his chest easing out.

His mother had been too much, and now, he couldn’t even think straight about how to find Nicolette.

He sighed, spinning his chair to calm himself. But the nerves were still working up to his chest.

He stood and decided to pace. Maybe that would help.

A moment later, Richard returned.

"Thank you for that," Alaric muttered, exhaling.

"That was intense, but you’re welcome," Richard said, pulling out a chair. "You should take it easy on her. She’s just looking out for you."

"I know," Alaric admitted, perching on the edge of his desk. "She just has a weird way of getting her point across."

"I get you," Richard replied with a nod. "Would you be joining us for dinner tomorrow?"

Alaric narrowed his eyes, lost in thought. "I don’t know."

Nicolette was his top priority, and until he found her, nothing else mattered.

Before Richard could say more, a knock sounded on the door.

Alaric straightened. "Come in."

The door opened, and Stelle walked in. "You have a call from Le Rez Hotel, on line one, sir."

Alaric’s heart instantly fluttered, but he kept his voice calm.

Was Suzie alright?

"Thank you, Stelle."

When Stelle left, he picked up the phone. "Hello,"

"Mr Allens." Suzie’s voice was sharp. "How are you?"

"Good," he replied just as Richard leaned forward, his face filled with curiosity. "I hope there is no problem?" 𝗳𝚛𝗲𝕖𝕨𝕖𝗯𝚗𝚘𝕧𝕖𝗹.𝗰𝗼𝕞

"Lettie’s neighbor just called me. He said Lettie was home, but some men whisked her away."

Relief first surged through Alaric—only to be replaced by panic.

They had found her.

Ronald had found her.

He tapped his forehead in frustration. "How long has it been?"

"Barely two minutes since the call," Suzie said, her voice shaking.

What was he going to do now?

"Her neighbor mentioned a name," Suzie continued. "He said Craig Walsh’s men came to take her away. Do you know him?"

Alaric froze.

At that point, Nicolette getting taken by her father sounded like a better option.

His stomach stirred and he clenched his fist. "Yes," he replied sternly.

Of all the shadiest men in New Orleans, Craig Walsh was the one not to be fucked with.