The Billionaire's Brat Wants Me-Chapter 247: An Uneasy Alliance

I waited a few minutes after her breathing settled—deep, even, the way it always sounded when she was fully asleep. Then I slowly slipped out of bed, careful not to shift the mattress too much. She didn't stir.

I stepped out of the room and into my home office, closing the door behind me with a soft click. My hands hovered over my phone for a moment before I finally tapped the number I'd stopped on earlier.

Charlie George Moreau.

My father-in-law.

My biggest critic.

The man who had never approved of me—dating Val, marrying her, or simply existing near her.

It rang once.

Twice.

Three times.

Then—

] "You have some nerve calling this number."

Straight to hostility. Of course.

"I didn't call to argue," I said, keeping my voice level.

Silence. Not acceptance—just silence. The kind that said he was deciding whether to hang up on me or let me talk.

I breathed out slowly. "I just want to help."

Another beat of silence… then a scoff.

"Help?" he echoed. "Are you implying I cannot handle my own company myself?"

Here we go.

"That's not what I said."

"But that's what you mean," he snapped. "When I was taking Moreau Dynamics to the next level, you were still a toddler."

My jaw tightened. "Charlie—"

"You think I'll let you come near my company?" he continued, voice rising. "What makes you believe you have the qualifications, the experience, or the—"

"Do you ever listen?" I snapped.

That shut him up.

I hadn't meant to raise my voice. But the man was impossible.

"You're being stubborn," I said, the frustration bleeding through my tone. "And you're acting like this is about pride when the company your daughter loves is in trouble."

"You—"

"No, listen to me."

I wasn't backing down. Not tonight.

"You think I'd ever consider joining hands with someone as proud and thick-headed as you unless it was absolutely necessary?" I continued. "Because trust me—I wouldn't."

There was a pause. A long one.

Then a sharp exhale.

"…Are you—?"

"Yes," I cut him off. "And it's obvious where Val gets her stubbornness from."

Silence.

A different kind this time. Heavy. Sharp.

Not anger—recognition.

He breathed out, long and slow.

"I'll probably regret this," he muttered, "but… what do you have in mind?"

Finally.

"Can we meet and talk tomorrow?" I asked. "Somewhere private. Val doesn't have to know yet."

"She doesn't," he said immediately. Then, after a moment, "Fine. I'll text you the address."

And just like that—he hung up.

No goodbye. No acknowledgment. Nothing surprising for a man like Charlie Moreau.

I stood there for a few seconds, letting the adrenaline ebb. Then I left the office, walked quietly back to our room, and slipped into bed beside the woman whose entire world was shaking—and who had no idea what I'd just done.

Val didn't move. She was still fast asleep, peaceful, unaware.

I stared at the ceiling, the weight of it all settling over me.

Whatever this turned into, however ugly it got… I was already in the middle of it.

--

I woke up earlier than usual—earlier than I ever would've on a normal morning. My eyes opened slowly, adjusting to the faint light slipping through the curtains. I turned…

And froze.

Val was already awake. Lying on her side. Staring straight at me.

Of course she woke up first.

Her voice was soft, warm, familiar. "Morning, husband."

"Morning," I murmured back.

She didn't look away. Didn't blink. Just stared. Long enough to make me shift a little.

"…What?" I asked.

She tilted her head. "Where did you go last night?"

My heart kicked hard once—just once—but enough.

She added, almost too casually, "You left the room around 11:16."

I blinked. She checked the time?

For a moment, everything stalled.

"I…" I cleared my throat. "Uhm… can I… tell you later?"

Her eyes narrowed slightly—not angrily, but in that sharp, intuitive way she had when she knew something was up but chose not to push yet.

> "Promise?"

I exhaled through a small smile. "Promise."

She watched me for another beat, then softened.

Somehow, over the years, we'd built this thing between us—a trust that didn't require explanations on the spot. A trust that said I'll tell you when I can, and you'll still be here.

She finally rolled out of bed, stretching a little before glancing back.

"Come on," she said lightly. "Let's go bathe."

I nodded and followed her into the bathroom.

Breakfast was quick too—quiet, but not tense. She moved with purpose, already mentally preparing for her day. I moved slower, replaying the late-night conversation with her dad over and over, knowing I had to see him before I told her anything.

And grateful—truly—that she didn't press me earlier.

Not because I wanted to hide anything… but because I needed answers before I gave her hope.

She finished tying her hair, grabbed her bag, and turned to me.

"Call me when you get to work," she said.

"I will."

We shared a brief kiss—brief, but grounding. She squeezed my hand once before stepping out.

I watched from the doorway as she walked to her car. Confident. Focused. Putting on her Moreau Dynamics face—the one she only dropped at home, with me.

She drove off toward the direction of the company.

I waited a few seconds before heading to my own car.

Then I started driving. Toward Gray & Milton... for exactly five minutes.

My hands tightened on the steering wheel as I exhaled, then made a slow U-turn.

I wasn't going to the office.

Not yet.

Not today.

I was heading to the location Charlie sent me.

A private place where whatever happened next—truce or explosion—I had to face it head-on.

For Val. Always for her.

---

Charlie was already seated by the time I stepped into the private lounge. He didn't look up right away—he just sat there, hands clasped, posture straight, the picture of a man who had been powerful for long enough that waiting no longer bothered him.

I approached the table, pulled out the chair opposite him, and sat.

"Morning, sir," I said.

Only then did Charlie lift his eyes to me. "You're late."

I resisted the urge to sigh. "Or maybe you're early."

A brief silence settled—thick, cold, neither comfortable nor confrontational. Just… tense enough to remind me that this wasn't a friendly chat. This was business. And family only complicated things.

Charlie broke the quiet first. "What do you want to talk about, Kai?"

I leaned back slightly, choosing my words. "Val already told me Benjamin Otavio has twenty-eight percent of Moreau Dynamics' shares."

"I already know that," Charlie cut in.

"With respect, sir—at least let me finish."

He gave a short, irritated exhale, then flicked his fingers. "Fine. Go ahead."

"Moreau Dynamics isn't a small company," I continued. "Acquiring twenty-eight percent of it isn't a casual investment. That scale of purchase takes time. And most importantly… a lot of money."

Charlie didn't react, but I saw his shoulders tense ever so slightly.

I pushed on. "Money a company like Vanguard Ark Investments shouldn't have."

That finally earned me a beat of silence. Charlie's eyes sharpened, a flicker of genuine interest lifting his brow.

"Where are you going with this, Kai?"

"If Otavio bought those shares himself, then he didn't do it with legitimately. But if his name on the paperwork is legal—"

Charlie's voice slid in, finishing the thought like it had just clicked. "Then the funds were acquired illegally."

I nodded. "Exactly."

He leaned back, and for a moment—just a moment—there was something in his eyes. Not approval. Not quite surprise either. More like… acknowledgment. A grudging recognition he didn't want to give, but couldn't deny.

"So," Charlie said quietly, "what do you suggest?"

I took a breath. "Benjamin Otavio probably already knows Moreau Dynamics is suspicious. He had to. Acquiring twenty-eight percent isn't subtle. Which means he likely has people inside your company. Maybe not high-ranking positions, but enough to intercept information. Enough to mislead or bury whatever you try to uncover."

Charlie nodded, finishing my thought again. "You're right. He'd definitely compromise any internal investigation before it even begins."

"Exactly my point. But…" I leaned forward slightly, lowering my voice. "But if an outsider leads the investigation—with his own people—Otavio won't see it coming. And even if he does, by the time he realizes what's going on, it'll already be too late."

Charlie stared at me long enough for me to hear my own heartbeat. His face was unreadable, but his eyes… sharply calculating.

When he finally spoke, his voice carried something new. Not softness. Not warmth. Just… sincerity, maybe.

"Are you," he said slowly, "suggesting you want to help my company?"

I exhaled through my nose. "You're Val's dad, sir. I don't exactly have a choice, do I?"

The corner of his mouth twitched—not a smile. More like he almost had one, but didn't let it surface.

Then Charlie let out a quiet breath. "I might have been wrong about you."

I blinked, and for the briefest moment, I felt something almost stupid—like pride, or relief, or whatever it is you feel when a man who has never wanted to acknowledge you finally lets a tiny crack show.

I didn't smile, but I came close.

Charlie stood. "Don't get too excited just yet." He straightened his suit jacket with a sharp tug. "I'm not saying I accept you. We're just… working together for a common goal. That's all."

I rose as well. "Of course."

"I'll send someone to give you everything you'll need to begin your investigation," he said.

I nodded. "I'll get started immediately, sir."

We stood there for a moment—just a second too long to be accidental. There was a heaviness between us, the kind that comes from two people who have been circling each other for years and have finally, reluctantly, met in the middle.

Then Charlie stepped back.

"I'll take my leave," he said.

"Yes, sir."

He turned and walked out, his steps firm, measured, purposeful—like a man who had just made a decision he wasn't entirely sure he liked, but knew he needed.

I didn't move until he disappeared around the corner.

When I finally headed toward the parking lot, the cool morning air hit my face. I breathed it in slowly, letting the tension drain out of my shoulders.

This wasn't what I expected when I woke up today.

A small shift. A tiny one. But a shift nonetheless.

Charlie Moreau hadn't accepted me—he made that painfully clear. And honestly, that wasn't the priority right now. Winning him over could wait.

Saving Moreau Dynamics couldn't.

As I reached my car and opened the door, my thoughts settled into something steady, something resolute.

Val's family was in danger. Her father's company, her future, everything tied to her name—someone was trying to crack it open from the inside.

And whether Charlie liked it or not…

I was stepping into the battlefield with him.

For her.

For us.

Acceptance could come later. After we stopped the man trying to break their empire.

Right now, there were bigger storms to face.

And I was ready.

---

To be continued...