THE DISABLED HEIRESS, MY EX-HUSBAND WOULD PAY DEARLY.
Chapter 53

Chapter 53: Chapter 53

At that moment, Cora calmly turned to Williams, her expression steady and resolute. She held his gaze firmly, making sure her message was unmistakably clear.

"Well, Williams," she began, her tone gentle yet firm, "when I first asked for the contract to be awarded to James, it was for a specific reason. But that reason no longer exists. Things have changed—drastically. So now, the decision about that contract doesn’t concern me anymore. Feel free to hand it over to whoever you deem worthy. Do whatever due diligence you need to do; it’s your choice now."

She paused briefly, drawing in a slow breath, and then continued even more decisively, "Honestly, I couldn’t care less who gets it now. The person I trusted messed up—badly. So, it’s no longer my business or my concern. I’d prefer to step away completely."

Williams opened his mouth as if to interject, but Cora quickly raised her hand to signal the conversation’s definitive end. "This discussion is over, Williams. I really must be going now."

Without another word or even a glance in Oliver’s direction, Cora turned gracefully and walked out the door, her posture tall and poised, leaving a lingering silence in the room.

In the heavy quiet that followed her departure, Oliver slowly turned to face his brother. His eyes were narrowed, a simmering anger still evident in his clenched jaw and tense posture. Williams met Oliver’s eyes calmly, almost arrogantly, unfazed by the tension.

Oliver stepped closer, keeping his voice low yet sharply accusatory. "You know what you just did, right? You know it was completely uncalled for, completely inappropriate. Why would you go this far? Why would you stalk me to this restaurant—to deliberately ruin the evening I planned?"

Williams tilted his head slightly, a cold smirk playing on his lips, but Oliver’s voice hardened even more, cutting him off before he could speak. "If you’re this desperate to win Cora’s attention, try impressing her on your own merits, Williams—not by stalking me and paying for our meal. You’ve crossed a line, and it’s honestly pathetic."

For a moment, Williams didn’t respond. He stood there calmly, absorbing Oliver’s anger with an almost amused expression. Then he finally spoke, his tone casual yet tinged with challenge:

"Well, Oliver, since you’ve made it abundantly clear you’re not interested in her, I don’t think you’re in any position to judge my approach—or my strategies." He paused, stepping slightly closer to Oliver, lowering his voice deliberately. "So, you keep playing the good boy. Keep pretending you’re just friends. But as for me? I’ll keep pushing—I’ll do whatever it takes—until I’m the one married to her."

At that moment, Oliver’s expression shifted abruptly, a spark of defiance appearing in his eyes. He took a step closer to Williams, the air around them thickening with tension.

"I’m not stopping you from doing anything," Oliver said slowly, clearly emphasizing each word. "Chase after whoever you want, William. Pursue your desires however you please. But this attitude you just showed, what you just did in there—do not repeat it. Don’t ever try something like this again."

His voice was quiet, steady, and filled with unmistakable resolve. "This should be the last time you belittle me in front of anyone—especially someone important to me. Do not make the mistake of thinking you can treat me as worthless or insignificant again. Consider this the last warning I’ll ever give you."

William’s jaw tightened, his eyes flashing with anger. He took a sharp breath, stepping even closer so that the brothers were nearly nose-to-nose. "Are you threatening me, little brother?" he hissed, anger trembling in his voice. "You actually dare to threaten me?"

Oliver shook his head slowly, his gaze unwavering. "No. I’m not threatening you, Williams. I’m simply giving you advice. Take it as guidance from your little brother—because what you just did might cost you everything. If you keep acting this way, trying to belittle me, trying to undermine me, Cora will see through it. She’ll see the person you truly are. She’ll never respect someone who tries to make others seem worthless to lift himself up."

Oliver paused, letting the words settle in the tense silence between them. "But of course," he continued calmly, stepping back slightly, "it’s your choice whether you accept this advice or not."

William’s fists tightened at his sides, anger and frustration evident on his face. But after a brief, tense silence, he forced out the words through gritted teeth, his tone bitter and dismissive. "Fine. Just go, Oliver. She’s waiting for you anyway."

With one last hard look at his older brother, Oliver turned and walked out, heading to where he knew Cora was waiting.

**

Outside, in the dimly lit parking lot, Cora stood quietly near Oliver’s car, checking the time every few moments, her patience beginning to fray slightly. She guessed Oliver was probably confronting Williams—though about what, exactly, she wasn’t entirely sure. Still, she trusted Oliver to handle it appropriately.

Just as she was about to check her watch again, she suddenly heard a voice—familiar, unwanted, chillingly smooth—coming from directly behind her.

"What a surprise seeing you here," the voice said with mock warmth. "Honestly, I never imagined running into you like this. Especially not all alone."

The voice paused, a slight chuckle floating through the air, laced with arrogance and mockery. "By the way, where’s Malisa? Isn’t she always trailing after you? And what exactly are you doing here, standing all alone?"

At that moment, Cora felt her heart clench in instinctive annoyance and unease. She didn’t need to turn around to confirm who it was. She knew exactly whose voice that.

Then Cora turned around slowly, her expression falling into a flat, drained stare the moment her eyes landed on him.

Her eyebrows drew together, not in anger—no, in something deeper. Disbelief mixed with weariness. That tired kind of look that told the whole world she had absolutely no patience for this right now.

"Samuel," she muttered, her tone clipped. "What are you doing here?"