The Royal Contract

"This is a surprise," Nick said as he opened the envelope handed to him by his secretary.

He was not expecting that Alex would include him in the list of guests. After all, he was the ex-fiancé of his current girlfriend. At the same time, a competitor in the business.

He suspected that Alex had a hidden agenda for inviting him since he recently discovered that Alex had been buying shares from his company. It was safe to assume that Alex was planning something against him.

"What surprise?" Cassie asked since she was also in the office that day. "What is that?"

She looked at him as she waited for him to tell her what was on his hands. She could feel the excitement of her partner with the news he just received. 

"An invitation to the grandest event this season." Nick waved the piece of colored cardboard in his hand and showed it to Cassie, who moved closer to him.

He felt that he should have thought of such an event to make a promotion of his company. Now, Alex had beaten him to it. It was a shame that his people were incompetent to come with this kind of gimmick.

But he would get Alex next time. He would give this one to him. However, he would guarantee that the next round would be his turn again. He would bring down Ethan and include Alex with him.

"That is perfect. Will Ethan be there?" She knew how much Nick wanted an audience with the king himself. 

If Ethan would be attending the event, then it would allow them to get near him. That would give her a chance to step up her own game. Maybe use Nick to work out her plans.

"Probably, because I am definite that Dani will be there." He said with a wide grin on his lips. "Chances are Ethan will not miss the opportunity to see his daughter."

Parties like this were an opportunity that he could not miss. Even if Alex did not give him an invitation, he would find a way to secure himself a spot inside that celebration.

He could already sense that everybody way up in the social circle would be present. While those who wanted to be anybody would strive to be part of the list.

"Then, why would Alex invite you, knowing that Ethan would be there? It just does not make any sense." Cassie expressed her confusion with the entire scenario. 

Unless Alex was planning something against Nick, she could not see any benefit for Alex to invite Nick to the event. All he did was fuel up the flame that was already blazing, and in the end, it just might backfire on him.

But who knew what Alex was thinking and planning. He was the dark horse that nobody saw coming. She certainly did not expect that Dani would end up with him.

"Who knew, but I don't go to battle unprepared. I am betting you a million bucks that he is up to something." He would not trust a man like Alex. He did not trust any man at all, not even a woman, especially Cassie.

He was canning, but he knew that the next man might be as well, and if he allowed his guard down, he might be caught unaware. That was how empires fell, and that was how he would make Ethan roll to the ground.

But a king would not just fell to his knees. Most of the time, he had allies to cover his ass. He needed to ensure that he would have enough weapons against him to secure victory against the king himself and those supporting him. 

On the other side of the city, Alex sat on his desk, contemplating if Nick already received his invitation. He knew that he was probably wondering why he invited him in the first place.

He could already guess that Nick was more than happy for the opportunity to be part of the celebration but was probably already planning his demise.

"Sir, you have a call from Mr. Ethan Hamilton." His secretary said, interrupting his musing of the possibilities.

"Connect him in," Alex told his secretary as he answered his future father-in-law. 

As soon as he answered, Ethan's voice boomed on the other line. "Did I hear it correctly? Did you invite Nick to the party?" He could not believe that Alex would do such a stupid thing.

Nick was not someone he could trust. It was a mistake not to follow his instinct about him and allowed his heart to dictate what he felt. Now, because of that mistake, it was his daughter who paid the price.

"Yes, and before you have a heart attack, it is all part of a plan." He spoke to the other line hoping that Ethan would heed his word. "Don't worry. I have this covered."

He was aware of the risk he was taking, playing a game with Nick. But it was a calculated risk that he had to do for Dani, Ethan, and his company. 

He could not let Nick get away with his handiwork without making him pay. Hearing what he did to Dani still made his blood boil. He could manage a business competition, even an underhanded one. 

But a slimebag like Nick should suffer for what he did to Dani. The humiliation, the heartbreak, and the emotional torture she had to suffer because of him. He just could not let him get away with it.

"I hope you know what you are doing because I don't want my daughter caught in any of this. She had been through enough." Ethan made sure that his voice contained enough warning to let Alex know that he was watching his moves, any false moved, and he would be going after him.

"I know. Rest assured that I am only doing this for Dani." Alex told Ethan with a calm tone that should assure him that he had everything under control.

"Well, if you would need any help. You just let me know." Ethan could feel Alex's determination to push through with his plans. 

He just hoped that Alex was not pure talk but a man with balls to back up his words. Although he had proven himself to him several times in terms of his business strategies and excellence in his people skills, still he had to see how he would handle a man like Nick.

"I will let you know if ever I do, but as of now. I am confident that I can take care of Nick alone." Alex confidently responded to Ethan, who was impressed with his tone.

"Then, I will let you be. I will see you at the event and take care of my daughter." He hanged up the phone without waiting for Alex's response.

"I..." But he already sensed that the talk was over.

He heard loud and clear Ethan's warning that he should heed before continuing with his plan. He was not ignoring it and taking every possible precaution.

On the other line, Ethan stared at the view outside his window. Suddenly, he remembered Nick, sitting next to him, feeding him with lies. He quickly shook Nick's image away from his thoughts.

If Alex could manage to pull this through and make Nick answerable for his wrongdoings to his daughter, then maybe, just maybe, he could finally believe that Alex deserved her daughter's hand in marriage.