The CEO's Contractual Wife

Chapter 5

Alexander

I parked my car in the circular driveway of my parent’s estate, taking a moment to prepare myself for the inevitable Carter family dynamics.

Sunday dinner at the Carter mansion, a tradition as old as the oak trees lining the property, was something I both dreaded and looked forward to.

The mansion stood like a monument to old money, with stone façades and manicured gardens that screamed, “We’ve had wealth for generations.”

My phone buzzed with an email from work, but I ignored it. Work could wait, but family obligations couldn’t, espe- cially when Grandfather Harold was involved.

I straightened my tie and headed inside, where Martha, our longtime housekeeper, greeted me with a warm smile.

“Mr. Alexander, everyone’s waiting in the drawing room. Your grandfather arrived early.”

That was never a good sign. Grandfather arriving early meant he had an agenda.

“Is Victoria here?” I asked, handing Martha my coat.

“Yes, sir. With her husband. They arrived about an hour ago.”

Perfect. My cousin Victoria and her investment banker husband Thomas, the power couple who never let anyone for- get how perfect their life was.

The drawing room buzzed with conversation that stopped when I entered. Mother rose from her seat, elegant as al- ways in her pearl necklace and tailored dress.

“Alexander, darling. We were beginning to worry.”

I kissed her cheek. “Traffic was terrible. Sorry, I’m late.”

Father nodded from his armchair, whiskey in hand. “Son.”

That was Father, a man of few words unless discussing business or golf.

Victoria sat perched on the antique sofa, her husband’s arm draped around her shoulder in that possessive way I found irritating. My sister Valentina was there, too, scrolling through her phone.

But it was Grandfather Harold who commanded the room from his wheelchair. At seventy-eight, he might have lost some mobility but none of his mental sharpness or business acumen.

“Alexander,” he barked. “Sit down. We need to talk.”

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16:41

I took a seat across from him. “Good to see you too, Grandfather”

get smart with me, boy. I’ve been

“Some of us manage to arrive on time,

about? I thought

hand dismissively. “Dinner can wait. This is about

the company’s future, everyone paid attention. He’d built Carter Enterprises from a small family business into a corporate empire and, at seventy-eight, still held the

updating my will,”

softly. Father

affairs in order. And I’ve made some

stake in the company, but Grandfather’s controlling shares would even-

steely gaze on me. “You’ve done well as CEO. Profits are up. The board

quarter was our best in five

cane on the floor. “I’m talking about family.

husband coughed discreetly. Victoria’s smile

are you

to inherit my

gasped again. Father actually put down his drink. Valentina looked up from her phone.

him. “You

“Carter Enterprises has

to the

not to anything or anyone else.” Grandfather shook his head. “You’re thirty-three, Alexander. Your relationships last shorter than some

“Oh, this is priceless. Is Alexander getting married? He can’t even keep a

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16:41

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Victoria,” I said, forcing a smile. “Always a

chuckled from the corner of the room. “The boy does have a

a perfectly suitable woman for

my tie

continued, addressing the room like I

Langford? Such a lovely girl and from a good family. What

for

phone. “He didn’t like her. Said she reminded him

for sharing that, Val,” I

sister shrugged and went back to her phone.

The terms are simple. Alexander marries within six

her champagne in excitement. “Really, Grandfather? You’d give me

straightened his posture, dollar signs

dismantled by your husband’s investment firm,” Grandfa- ther snapped at

pacing the Persian rug. “This is absurd. You’re reducing the future of our family business