Ch. 16..20: OMG My Crippled Husband is a Hot Powerful CEO Chapter 16-20
Chapter 16: Chapter 16 – Alex is a gentleman
So, Alex, you dated my woman and left her for my ex? Hahaha," Logan laughed mockingly. "I always thought you were never interested in women, so this only means you did it for the CEO position, didn’t you?"
Those at the table all had their skeletons, so they kept their negative thoughts to themselves, not voicing them out.
At this point, Grandpa wanted them to voice their concerns so he could give a fair judgment.
"Is that what she told you? That I left her?" Alex asked in a sarcastic tone that made Fiona sweat. About to say more, she quickly cut in.
"Logan, please let’s forget about it. Alex and I were never married. We only dated for a few months."
The ’s’ at the end of the month upset Logan even more, making him feel that Alex had been involved with his woman but then, it meant she also cheated on him, just as he did her.
"Months are not nothing like you say. What if you are pregnant for him?" Logan asked, trying to complicate issues, but Fiona explained.
"Alex is a gentleman. He never believed in premarital sex." That was a fact. Before the accident, she had tried because Alex had the looks and she always wanted to taste him but he never gave her that chance, no matter how close they got.
A sarcastic laughter echoed through the dining room. "So, I’m the brute, right?"
Fiona did not debunk the statement, which angered Logan even more. He gulped down a full glass of wine, and the maids poured him more.
"If I was a brute, I would have slept with Joanna when we were dating too, right?"
Joanna scoffed and broke his confidence.
"The only reason you never had me was because I didn’t give you a chance. I doubt it’s the same for these women, recalling how Violet was dressing in your room that morning. Your clothes were scattered everywhere, so what was that supposed to mean?"
"There’s another woman apart from these ones?" Grandpa’s voice cut in, making Logan feel that the more he tried to exonerate himself, the deeper hole he fell into.
"Grandpa, it’s not what you think. This woman here proposed to marry me because her father refused to give her shares to her. I couldn’t be her tool for revenge, and I believe it’s the same thing she did to my brother."
Logan knew how much the old man hated the feud between him and his brother so in his presence, Logan tried to act as a peace maker and from this level, he was satisfied with the looks on the faces of Joanna and Alex.
’How are you going to get out of this, big brother and my sweet little ex?’ He thought to himself.
Grandpa’s gaze on Alex and Joanna spoke volumes. He needed answers so Joanna swallowed tightly, determined to reveal everything.
"It’s true. I was the one who proposed to Alex because..."
"We loved each other at first sight," Alex cut in.
If the truth behind their marriage was exposed, he surely wouldn’t get the position he worked so hard for. "Fiona was the woman I wanted to marry, but after proposing, she showed me her true colors. I will never forget that slap and her insults."
The revelation turned everything against Fiona, as Joanna sighed with relief. That was a narrow escape but Fiona saw it as a great opportunity to get back her man, after realizing his relationship with grandpa.
For a moment, she had forgotten her reason for rejecting him, being that he was a cripple.
"Come on, Alex, your proposal took me by surprise. I mean, I was expecting you to get better, and you just proposed. Besides, it was that time of the month. You know how PMS could be."
Alex chuckled, but bitterness coated every word he spoke.
"PMS, huh? If you loved me for who I was, my proposal would have brightened your mood and not dampened it. You told me to find another cripple to marry," he exposed her, and Fiona was sweating bullets when all gazes pinned on her.
Logan made it worse. "So, you were also cheating on me. If you dated my brother for months, then it meant you were indeed cheating. You wanted his money."
He knew he lost the battle because grandpa would never accept Fiona. Their relationship was already destroyed for the fact that she lacked good morals, just like himself but Fiona had something very important to say.
"Money? He never had any. I mean, his gifts were quite cheap."
"I’ll agree with her on that. Alex is just an IT officer," Joanna chimed in, and both Logan and Grandpa were lost for words.
"You call my first grandson, Alexander King, a mere IT officer? Don’t let the extended family hear this," Grandpa said softly, but everyone knew he was upset.
His softness was due to the fact that the words were coming from Joanna.
"What?" A lot of voices spoke together, including Mia, her mother, father, Fiona, and of course, Joanna herself.
"The news said he was paralyzed after the accident," Mia said with a pale face. If she had not tried to delay matters to find a way of ending the arrangement, he and Alex would have been married but her confidence was soon poked as well.
"Is that why you wanted me to take your place?" Joanna taunted and Alex was equally getting the hint.
"But we still ended up together," he sealed thoughtfully, Grandpa explained further.
"The arrangement was supposed to be between Alex and Adelaide. It was never that woman in the first place." He was referring to Mia and could not bring himself to call her by name.
The revelation caused a deafening silence, both Alexander and Joanna understanding that they both ended up together from what they were running away from.
"I told you that the woman I arranged for you is of good character and very beautiful. Her mother is who your father should have married, remember?"
Alex could not dispute his grandfather’s words anymore but was interested in knowing the last part.
"What do you mean her mother was who my father should have married?"
Everyone was interested in this bit, so no one interrupted, but the old man realized something. His first grandson might seem aloof to relationships, but he was not as naive about women as he thought. But seeing Fiona, he took his thoughts back.
Joanna had confessed to being the one to propose to Alex, and that was only possible after Fiona rejected his proposal.
This meant that should Fiona have accepted, then she would have been dating two brothers. What a shameless woman the old man would have had for a daughter-in-law.
"My late first son, Mathias, Alexander and Logan’s father..." the old man’s expression was grim, and his countenance cold. Even Logan’s mood changed at the remembrance of him but the old man found the courage to recount the events of the past.
Chapter 17: Chapter 17 – Awkward moments
"Mathias King was deeply in love with your mother, Monica, giving her that precious family loom but was ashamed of her background because of his status, even when I assured him to go after his heart," the old man explained to Joanna.
The understanding settled that her mother lied to her. The ring did not belong to her grandmother like her mother said but rather to the Kings.
Clearly, the old man would not lie about something like that and being oblivious to whatever was going on in Joanna’s mind, he continued to speak.
"The woman he married, being Alexander and Logan’s mother, better suited his status, but he was never happy and unable to get over his obsession with Monica."
He smiled bitterly, regretting not getting deeply involved in Mathias’s love life like he was doing with his grandchildren today.
"Monica was hurt, and that was how she ended up with Cole. Then the worst happened. She invested all she had when Cole decided to start a business and even got pregnant for him but instead of marrying her, he married that trash beside him."
The old man did not filter his words one bit and though pained, Cole and his wife Rene could not utter a word, being that they were hanging on a thin rope.
If the Kings withdrew their investment, the Bakers would go down the drain.
Grandpa Aristotle faced his Logan. "Your mother was not the angel she portrayed herself to be and your father endured it for a long time. When he could not endure it anymore, he tried to get Monica back but she was in labor with Cole’s child."
Grandpa’s ugly glare met that of Cole. "You were not even there for her and she had no insurance. The hospitals were not willing to attend to her until she made a down payment which she didn’t have."
Cole was so ashamed that his head lowered, unable to meet the old man’s cold glare.
"Mathias paid for the hospital bill and demanded for Monica to name his daughter Adelaide because that was the name of my late wife’s mother and she had been good to him."
"Mathias wanted to name his daughter Adelaide but was only blessed with boys so that was his only chance. I had no idea that Monica changed Adelaide’s name later. She was also nowhere to be found after Mathias insisted that Alex should marry Adelaide when they were old enough."
Joanna was in a daze but recalled something. "There is an A in my name but it has always been abbreviated so I never cared for it or used it in my documents. I have to ask my mom about it."
She hoped her mother would remember but this revelation made her uneasy because she did not intend to be with Alex after the six months, and the old man was complicating things for her.
"That is the name. Your birthmark is proof enough and you are the reason we went into an agreement with the Bakers. Every help offered to the Bakers was because of you."
Cole, his wife, and Mia were now perplexed, realizing they were nothing without their illegitimate daughter.
"Why did you help them without making sure that Joanna was benefiting from it?" Alex asked, remembering how Joanna could not even pay for her mother’s medical bills when her scam father was living a good life with her half-sister.
"A lot happened and I had no idea Cole had another daughter. He never mentioned it to me when I asked but I’m just realizing he kept mixing up Adelaide with that empty head," the old man said, Fiona could not help laughing.
Mia indeed looked like an empty head. Yet, Alex had more questions. "Grandpa, you said it yourself that the hospital bill was not even paid when Joanna was delivered so how could you assume that such a father would take good care of her?"
He had not forgotten what transpired at the Baker’s mansion and still had in mind to deal with them later.
Grandpa explained. "Mathias said he had everything arranged with Cole’s father before giving me the documents. You know how frustrated he was and how things turned out. Please don’t let me go into those details," he replied accusingly.
Of course, Alex did not want him to give the details as that would only make Joanna hate him. Until the issue about the CEO position was resolved, he needed her by his side but so did Logan.
"Grandpa, then you have not been fair to me. All along, you had a partner arranged for your favorite son and already planned to make him CEO so why put up the position being given to whoever marries first?" Logan asked accusingly.
The more he listened, the more he felt out of place in the whole transaction but the old man enlightened him.
"That’s because I wanted to be fair. The arrangement was made that way because he was the first child and everything I’ve said, were told me by your father when he gave copies of the Baker’s documents to me."
"I was not directly involved in any of these but seeing you both grow up after losing your parents, I knew Alex wouldn’t accept it so I brought up the CEO clause, but then, the accident happened."
The mention of the accident matter reminded Logan of something and he quickly interrupted. "I was coming to that. Why did he have to pretend to still be bedridden?"
The question was directed at the old man but the attack was against Alex and he was smart enough to counter.
"I did not pretend. How was it my fault that the media assumed I would never get better?" His gaze was dark.
Indeed, the news circulated no matter how the old man wanted to curb it and with no one knowing Alexander’s identity, they presumed it was permanent.
"So, when are you going to resume the use of your legs?" Logan asked mockingly.
With everyone’s attention on the both of them, Joanna was beginning to understand the familiarity she saw in Alex the first time they met.
There was a good amount of resemblance between him and Logan but it was not too much.
"I don’t know," Alex shrugged, Logan smiled menacingly. "Great, then you can’t be the CEO. It’s a great task and some things are confidential. Alex, you will always need someone to take you around."
A confident smile enhanced Alex’s attractive features as he responded, "I can handle myself quite well."
However, it was not enough to break Logan, as he had a lot planned for his elder brother. His gaze settled on the woman beside his elder brother and the information he gave was enough to cripple Alex the second time.
Chapter 18: Chapter 18 - Do you even love Joan?
"Joan, come back to me before it’s too late. Alex can never be the CEO because he can never give the family an heir. Grandpa forgot, so I thought to remind him."
Alex’s expression was cold, obviously affected by Logan’s words because he had been keeping himself for that woman.
Not having tested to see if he was indeed fertile, he could not help but fear a little, and the inquisitive gazes of the people in the dining room agitated him.
About to defend himself, Grandpa stopped him with a warning look. With Alex and Joanna’s marriage being sudden and not showing any form of affection between the two, the old man was eager to know Joanna’s stand.
Still, it was not Joanna but Fiona who seemed offended by the whole thing since she came in with Logan as his girlfriend.
The allegation against Alex was true, and she wanted to stand with the winning team.
"Logan, are you turning your back on me?" Fiona was upset, but remorse was far from Logan’s words.
"Wasn’t it obvious that you wanted my elder brother?" He questioned sarcastically, Fiona glanced apologetically at Alex, uttering,
"He’s crippled. I can never marry a cripple."
Alex did not seem offended, as it was not the first time he heard those mean words from her, but Grandpa was greatly angered yet remained silent.
No one expected it from Mia, but she was the next to speak, showing her disgust for Alex because he could never give the Kings an heir in his condition so surely, Grandpa would make Logan the CEO, and that would be a good way for her to become Mrs. Baker.
Joanna already was, but it wouldn’t be bad for two sisters to share the same surname, right?
"Yes. I’m glad I wasn’t the one supposed to marry him, but Logan, are you going to throw everything we had away just like that? We never broke up, remember?"
Logan felt like the ladies’ man he was. At first, Alex’s name dominated the media, though the old man hid his identity well, and every woman wanted to be with him, but only if they saw him for who he was now—a man incapable of using his legs.
"Joan, you are the lucky one. I can handle the divorce for you, and besides, he can’t satisfy you in bed," Logan smirked, but Joanna was rather irritated.
"How could you know?" She asked, earning a confused expression from Logan as she continued.
"Alex is very passionate in bed, and I won’t be surprised if I’m already pregnant. So you see, legs or not, Alex is the man you will never be."
For the first time, Joanna said something that caused Alex to smile. She was indeed the perfect candidate for this contract, and Grandpa was also impressed.
However, Logan was not ready to give up or make it easy for them, addressing the old man.
"Grandpa, I can prove to you that their marriage is fake," Logan declared from anger, and the atmosphere tensed up.
"Logan, I think you should relax," Grandpa said, but Logan was not ready to listen, feeling cheated.
"No, Grandpa, you have to listen this time." He did not hold back in recounting everything when his position as the CEO was at stake. It was a game of foul or fair means.
"Joan begged me to marry her to take her shares from her father, and she confessed to being the same person to propose to Alex, most probably because he was in a vulnerable situation after Fiona broke his heart. Can’t you see there hasn’t been any form of affection between them?" He asked, leaving the rest for the old man.
As all gazes settled on Alex and Joanna, Alex scoffed. "Do you expect me to make love to my wife in front of all these people? I’m not a dog. And you tell me, what shows that you and Fiona are even dating? You never showed her any form of affection either," he pointed out, but Logan had more in store for them.
"Great. Let me ask you one question. Do you even love Joan?"
"Our meeting was love at first sight, so how could I not love her?" Alex asked in return, but there was no emotion on his face and sadly, he fell into the trap.
"If you really loved her, then why marry her in secret? It’s not as if we Kings are broke."
Joanna stepped in this time. "He proposed a wedding, but Cole gave me three days to marry, and after you cheated on me on our wedding day, I had to make it happen."
"It was my request, and he granted it because of the love we have for each other, unlike you who can never settle down because you are looking for whose pants to remove next."
She regretted it when her gaze met that of Grandpa. "I’m so sorry, Grandpa, I didn’t mean to act uncivilized."
"No need to apologize. I should be the one apologizing on behalf of my grandson. What he did to all those women is unpardonable," the old man said softly, Logan was almost in tears.
"Grandpa, you still believe her over me?"
"I was talking about your immoral ways and disrespect towards women and not about their marriage. Now, how do you want them to prove that their marriage is genuine?" He asked. Logan smiled for the first time.
"Since they claim to be in love and we Kings are not broke, they should meet the extended family and plan a real wedding."
He watched with satisfaction as the color slowly drain from Joanna’s face and smiled with great pride. If he could not have her back, then he would just ruin their relationship.
"The world must know about my elder brother’s wedding, don’t you think?" He asked the old man with a cunning smile. Alex’s expression darkened even more.
A big wedding would put him into trouble, and Joanna equally did not want him because of all the lies and mysteries surrounding him. Then again, she felt no love for him, never seeing him as someone she would spend the rest of her life with.
The silence in the room was once again deafening, and Grandpa was ready with his verdict. "Alright, we can solve this matter one way..."
Chapter 19: Chapter 19 – Don’t Forget the First Rule, Joan
It was obvious that the old man was going to declare for them to get married the King’s way, but Joanna could not accept living the rest of her life with a man she felt nothing for except pity for the condition of his legs.
"Grandpa, I don’t like crowds. A small wedding has always been my dream."
"Lies," Logan countered, directly exposing her. Joanna must have forgotten, but he hadn’t. "You told me before that you were saving up for a big wedding."
"That was before my mother was diagnosed with a brain tumor. Dreams change," Joanna shot back, the old man forced a smile.
If only she had known that Logan would be here and was indeed the younger brother of Alex, she would have prepared better. Grandpa was too smart not to know what was happening, making his declaration nonetheless.
"It’s true that the extended family will not accept a secret marriage. If you can’t sacrifice your preferences to marry the King’s way, then I’m afraid this marriage would not be accepted," he declared with a sad expression.
Before his first son, Mathias, was killed, he had made the promise to join Alex and Adelaide together when they were older.
It seemed to have happened by what he thought was fate, but judging from Logan’s words, this must be a marriage with great benefits and was not welcome.
Alex could not lose everything because of a flamboyant wedding. With the Bakers being on Grandpa’s sour side now, nothing would save them from his attack, and that would make Joanna happy.
"Grandpa, I would like to have a word with my wife, in private," Alex suddenly said. The old man beckoned to the guest room downstairs. "To save time, you can use that guest room."
Alex and Joanna left for the privacy of the guest room as Logan helped himself to more wine. Mia and Fiona did not know their stand, only wishing that the old man was not there.
His presence formed a cloud of protection over Joanna, who was pacing back and forth after wheeling Alex into the guest room. He was blunt with his words.
"Truth be told, I don’t want to marry you because I have someone else in mind I want to marry," Alex revealed. Joanna was shocked. Out of all the excuses, this was what he came up with.
"I thought Fiona was the woman you wanted to marry," she used the opportunity to ask, but Alex shook his head.
As hard as it was for him, he could not keep it from her anymore. "She was just a pawn, but I planned to reward her later."
Joanna could not believe she had fallen into a trap. Alex seemed to be up to something, was equally looking for a fake bride that day and decided to propose to his girlfriend, whom he had no intention of being with.
No wonder he easily accepted Joanna’s proposal. It was both scary but also relieving for Joanna that she was not going to be trapped in the marriage after, except for how the news would be broadcasted by the media if the divorce happens.
A sigh of relief escaped her. "If you have someone you have to marry, then can you tell me who she is and why you haven’t brought her?"
Alex’s expressions could not be defined. "I can’t say any more about her."
"Was it the woman in the photo frame?" Joanna asked. The question caused Alex to turn moody.
"Enough questions. I will compensate you after the six months contract is over, and I understand the media so you can relocate from here after. Trust me, even if you decide to never work again in your life, the compensation would be worth it."
Joanna was not surprised that he was trying to buy her with money. The only problem was, "I’m used to working for my money."
Alex scoffed, not believing her. "Don’t try to be difficult. You started it, and besides, your mom having a successful surgery does not mean there won’t be other health challenges."
His voice sounded threatening, and for a moment, he scared the life out of her. Before, she would have been surprised, but after knowing his identity, that was far-fetched.
The Kings have always been among the most dangerous and richest families in New York City. Joanna quickly recalled something and asked eagerly.
"Are you the one who paid for the surgery?"
It was not surprising that she guessed correctly. After his identity was revealed, he was indeed the only person who could have done so with so much authority. "Will you say yes if I admit it?"
Joanna felt like a fool, having told him she suspected someone else who was not him, but then again, something else was adding up.
"Are you also behind Dr. Colton’s transfer?"
Alex did not deny it. "Per our contract, isn’t it advisable for us to stay away from people of the opposite sex? You should be glad that I trust you enough to not have done worse."
Joanna’s heart dropped due to how he admitted it in addition to the subtle warning in his voice.
"Where did you transfer him to?"
"That is information his highly classified, but if you want to leverage on that to not agree to the King’s style wedding, I could make his life miserable, and also, I will demand that you pay up the money for the surgery right now. Oh, I forgot that you also have not secured your shares yet."
He knew they were going to have dinner together that night, and could not allow it to happen. Alex had to do what he had to do.
His expression was so neutral, even as he spoke the most painful things that she began to wonder if he was a demon.
Only if the clock could be reversed, she would have used other means and not proposed to him on impulse.
Well, six months was all it was, and there was already almost a week gone. "Alright, I will do it."
After the divorce, she could find Colton and apologize, though he lied by pretending to be the one who footed the bills, but what Alex said next got her mockingly amused.
"Don’t forget the first rule, Joan, never fall in love with me because I will never be able to return your love."
To fall for someone like Alex was a no-no for Joanna. "I mean no disrespect, Alex, but even if you weren’t in a wheelchair, you were never my type. You are too cold, secretive, and dangerous for my liking."
"Good," Alex smiled. He did not want any complications with this arrangement in the future, whereas Joanna had a request.
"But that ring. I want it back after the divorce."
The ring originally belonged to his family, as he just realized, which was the reason he unknowingly felt attracted to it in the first place.
"I will think about that."
They returned to the dining room, but Joanna was still lost in thought after all she just found out and wasn’t looking when she collided with one of the maids after settling Alex carefully by the dining table.
She lost her balance, but what happened next was a stun to everyone in the dining room.
Chapter 20: Chapter 20 – I care about Joan, more than you do
Logan saw what happened from his seat opposite Alex, rising to his feet and hastening to Joanna’s side.
However, the man in the wheelchair spread his arms, allowing her to fall right onto his lap, his right hand circling protectively around her, as his left hand balled, sending a painful punch to Logan’s face, causing him to bleed from the nose.
It was accompanied by a strong warning: "Don’t ever try to touch my wife again. I’m capable of protecting her, just as myself," Alex said coldly. Everyone except Grandpa was amazed by what had just happened.
Logan knew about Alex’s capabilities but thought he was limited by his condition. Turns out it was not so. He wiped his bleeding nose, and the sight of the blood awed him.
His elder brother was still as tough as ever, but what made the situation awkward was the embarrassment of being hit by a man in a wheelchair.
Joanna was uneasy and worried because of the condition of Alex’s legs. Once stabilized, she attempted to stand, but surprisingly, Alex’s hand around her waist only tightened as Logan raged.
"Alex, you have gone too far. I care about Joan more than you do."
Even if he had Violet, he knew that Joanna would have still been of greater value to him. Had he known and accepted her conditions, he would have been the one on grandpa’s favorite list.
"You have no right to care for her, and from this instant, I demand that you call her Mrs. King," Alex demanded, his aura dominating the atmosphere, causing even Joanna to shiver in his arms.
What at all has she gotten herself into?
Alex sounded upset and ready to throw another punch, but Logan was smart enough to leave a fair distance between them.
"I still don’t accept that you two are married yet," he pointed out. Alex made the expected announcement by asking,
"Even if I inform you that we have agreed to take up your challenge?" He watched as Logan’s expectant expression changed to that of disappointment.
He expected them to refuse, but it turns out the wedding was going to happen, and if that ensued, Alex would be more famous and greatly feared.
This was not the outcome he expected from the demand, turning to face Joanna.
"Joan, I was wrong to choose Violet over you, but think carefully. He has no legs. Do you want to stand in front of the whole world on national television to wed a man in a wheelchair?"
Logan was losing his mind. Joanna was grandpa’s favorite among all the women, so he needed her desperately, but it was just too late.
Joanna was about to respond when Cole added his voice. "Joanna, since you have the chance to be with Logan, isn’t he better than the one in the wheelchair? I can give back the shares if you at least choose the well-presentable one to save us from being a laughing stock."
He knew Alex was dangerous and would come after him, so Logan would be more suitable since he looked more approachable.
As soon as his voice ended, Fiona added hers. "Joanna, we might not know each other much, but once everyone finds out that Alex is the first heir of the Kings, they will know that you married him for his money. You can’t love him in his condition."
Joanna was worried for Alex’s legs, but since he showed no sign of discomfort, she adjusted herself properly with her hand circling around his neck.
"I made my choice the moment I decided to be his wife. If you can’t accept it, go burn the sea," she responded to the people discouraging her, reserving a special one for Logan.
"And as for you, Logan, what you don’t know is that having a crippled man who looks only at me is much more precious than a complete man whore, who can’t take his eyes off all women."
Logan’s face was covered with remorse, but Joanna already moved to the next person.
"As for you, Cole, you never accepted me as a part of your family, so what do you care? As for my shares, I will take everything to the last cent."
"About that," Grandpa added his voice. "If you refuse to sign off her shares, we the Kings would withdraw our support."
Alex had a smirk in the corner of his lips when he saw Joanna smile because of Grandpa’s stand, and the fear in Cole’s eyes was also satisfying.
"No, Grandpa Aristotle. There is another clause stating that Joanna must prove herself responsible after the marriage and be able to bring in a considerable amount of funds before receiving those shares."
Joanna remembered her mother saying there was more, and things were not so simple, but she did not have the privilege of seeing the document with her eyes.
"Where is that?" Joanna asked nervously, remembering those old foxes eager to lay with her before giving any form of partnership.
"Clause thirteen. If you agree to the terms, then you can have it, but sadly, you already got fired for gross misconduct," Cole reminded. Joanna refuted.
"I did nothing."
"You were caught harassing your boss," he revealed. Mia smiled smugly, but it was soon wiped by Joanna’s confident response.
"I have proof it’s rather the other way around. I will return to the company to prove it."
"You were fired," Cole reminded, not wanting her close to the company to ruin things for him. But Alex could not stand anyone bullying her when they still had a contract going on.
"She has every right to return because of her shares, Cole," he countered. Grandpa supported.
"Alex is right. Joanna would return to the company to prove herself, and if she succeeds, you won’t just give her shares but also the CEO position."
Alex smiled, loving the way his grandfather could complicate simple matters to the advantage of the one he liked.
"Grandpa Aristotle, Alex would certainly help her," Cole said bitterly. Alex refused.
"I won’t. My wife is more than capable, so will you take the challenge?" He might not help her directly but could make others do it on his behalf.
Cole did not know about his plans and agreed. "Yes." If he could present proof of Joanna’s misconduct, he would have a good reason to oust her from the company.
Having lost the battle, Logan had one last chip to bargain with. "Joan, what if I told you that Alex killed our father? Will you still marry him?"
The temperature in the dining room dropped to a very uncomfortable one. Joanna shivered from it, and Grandpa was upset, but Alex’s expression was most terrifying.