Mated To My Obsessive Stepbrother

Chapter 23

KESTER.

"What in Selene's name did I just hear?" My father's voice thundered through the phone, sharp enough to cut through the mounting headache I'd been nursing all day.

I pinched the bridge of my nose, trying to keep my composure as the words came pouring out.

"Here we go,' I thought bitterly, bracing for the inevitable onslaught.

"Talk to me, Kes! The news is all over the place! How could you lower the price of one of the company's most valued products just to match Kex's games?"

I exhaled, staring out the window of my office at the city lights glittering below. My patience was wearing thin, and I had no interest in justifying myself to a man who acted like he would have single-handedly solved all the world's problems if he were still in charge.

"What would you have had me do, Dad?" My voice was laced with frustration. "Stand back and watch while Kex poached every single one of our clients? Let him tear Zamfort apart while I did nothing?"

"Over twenty-five purchases have been made in the last four hours, Kester!" he barked, ignoring my question entirely. "Do you even know how much of a loss that means for us?"

Of course, I knew. The cost of production for the Sentinel 12X Quantum Server was $61,279 per unit. I'd brought the price down to $56,000. Every sale was a $5,000 loss. But he refused to see the bigger picture: retaining our clients now meant long-term loyalty, and loyalty would always pay off.

And I couldn't let Kex have the last laugh. Not when I have more ways to recover my losses and make him pay up my sleeves.

I rolled my eyes toward the ceiling, biting back the retort sitting on my tongue. "Don't worry, dad. We'll recover our losses. I promise you," I said, picking up my briefcase, ready to step out of the office.

I looked at Kasmine, who seemed to choose closing hour as the best time to get busy with whatever she was After spending almost all her day in the restroom with that dimwit whom I'd kill soon.

doing.

She thinks I didn't know. Well, I'd let her think so for now. Soon, she'd be paying for every single lie she'd ever told me because of him.

Tonight would be a good time to start her punishment.

"Alpha Mellors is very upset with you. He has refused to help, even though he is in the best position to help us right now," My father said, ruining the mood I was already trying so hard to lighten.

fingers tightening around my phone, "What does he want

I asked, irritated, as I gol Kasmine's attention, signaling

My father snapped in disgust, "He doesn't like

the vein in my temple pulsing in rhythm with my rising anger. "I've been good to June," I bit out, "I let her visit whenever she wants -my house, my office. She comes and goes

commitment from you. This isn't just about personal feelings, Kester. This is about alliances, influence You need to

"And what exactly does he want? A ring

Chapter 23

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"That's exactly what he wants. And

been betrothed to June since you were twenty-three and she was

There was silence.

I gritted my teeth, "I do

world. If we want to survive Kex's onslaught, we need their support. Your personal preferences don't matter

the surface threatening to boil over. "I won't make June my

going to pick her up and bring her to your house. She'll spend a few days there. Take her shopping. Dinner. Lunch. Whatever it takes to win her heart again after

fist against the seat in front of me as I entered the car, "I'm not some puppet you can dangle in front of Mellors," I snapped. "In just three years of taking over from you as CEO and as the Alpha of our pack, I have had tremendous

years before bringing your company to the ground. Think about today, Kester. Tomorrow is a long time." With

at the seat before

chair, savoring the calm after dinner and a hot shower. The tension of the day hadn't fully dissolved, but the scent of sandalwood from my cologne lingered on

my stepmom. She did a great job cheering me up, and now,

she heeded my

all evening. Did she think it would save her from what was to come

in her room, pretending to be sick and

What was she doing? What was she wearing? How was she lying down? Was she fast asleep, like

a shot of blood down my lower region, and

sitting up in bed, her phone pressed to her ear. But something was off-this wasn't the phone I knew her to have. My fingers

leaned in closer, eyes narrowing as I turned up the

and hurried. "We'll talk tomorrow, I must go now. Please." She pleaded, looking

Chapter 23