Chapter 50 Terminating Contract
For a moment, nobody moved.
Only the sound of the sea crashing against the cliffs filled the thick, brittle silence as Samuel Cortez stood there, held by the guard, a mocking smile twisting across his bruised face.
Caelum was the first to speak, his voice low, lethal.
“What the hell are you doing here, Renard?”
Samuel chuckled, rolling his shoulders as the guard tightened his grip. “Relax, Caelum. I’m not here to for your sister. Again.”
Lucio scoffed. “You wouldn’t manage even in your dreams.”
Samuel raised a brow. “And yet your little sister somehow ends up where I am. Funny, isn’t it?”
Deborah flinched.
Ylmaz stepped forward immediately, as if to shield her. “Don’t drag her into your mess.”
Samuel’s gaze slid to Yılmaz, amused. “Oh, I’ll drag whoever I want. Starting with you.”
Luther stepped closer, fists curling. “Speak clearly, Renard, before I knock your teeth out.”
But Samuel only smirked. Perfect. Controlled. Infuriating.
“Trust me,” he said lightly, “you’ll want to hear what I have to say.”
Knight tilted his head, voice calm but sharp. “Very few things you say are worth hearing.” Samuel grinned wider.
“Oh, this one is.”
His eyes shifted to Caelum and the teasing in his expression vanished, replaced by something colder… more dangerous.
“Lysander and Aston disn’t answering their phone, right?”
Caelum’s jaw tightened. “They doesn’t need to answer to you.”
Samuel shrugged. “Oh, he will. Soon. After all—”
He leaned forward slightly, lips curling.
“—the Cortez family is officially pulling out of its contract with the Valmere Conglomerate.”
Silence slammed into the terrace like a physical blow.
Deborah gasped.
Lucio blinked.
Casper froze mid-breath.
Even Knight’s ever-calm expression cracked.
Caelum… didn’t move. Didn’t breathe. Didn’t blink.
He only whispered “Repeat that.”
Samuel’s smile sharpened. “Gladly.”
He lifted his chin in arrogant triumph. “As of this morning, the Cortez are terminating all joint ventures, investment agreements, and shared assets with Valmere Global.”
Lucio’s voice broke first. “That contract… is worth billions.”
“Try trillions,” Casper corrected, voice hollow. “Half our European expansion is tied to the Renards—”
Knight finished evenly, “—and our highest-earning subsidiaries operate under that partnership.”
Samuel clapped slowly. “I know. Impressive summary, gentlemens.”
Caelum finally moved, one slow, terrifying step forward.
“And why,” he said with the calm of a man seconds from violence, “is your family withdrawing?”
Samuel tilted his head toward Deborah.
“Because I want to do it, and I told you all that I like Deborah right? Didn't you tell her? About the meeting of our contract marriage? I'm pulling out because you are not having your words."
Deborah gasped, eyes widening. “What?! Samuel, that’s not—”
He raised a hand, silencing her effortlessly.
“Oh, it’s very simple, sweetheart. Your little escape made headlines in private circles. Investors got nervous. Rumors started. People noticed you fled with Ylmaz D’Arden, of all people—”
Ylmaz stiffened, eyes narrowing. “Watch your words.”
“Oh, please. Don’t act innocent,” Samuel sneered. “A Valmere disappearing with a D’Arden? That’s not a romance story. That’s a political disaster.”
Luther stepped forward, his voice icy. “And where do you come in? You’re not an investor.”
Samuel locked eyes with him, amused and disdainful at once.
“I’m the Cortez heir. Everything we sign, everything we break, passes through me.”
Casper inhaled sharply. “Your father would never authorize something so reckless.”
Samuel’s expression darkened. “My father,” he said quietly, “didn’t authorize anything.”
That made them all pause.
Knight’s eyes narrowed. “Meaning…?”
Samuel leaned back casually. “Meaning this is my decision.”
Lucio exploded. “Are you insane?! Pulling the contract will hit both families—”
“Oh, I’m aware,” Samuel said. “But the Valmeres will bleed more. And that makes me very, very happy.”
Deborah stared at him, horror settling in her chest.
“Samuel… this isn’t about business. It’s about your grudge with my family.”
He smirked. “Funny. Your family holds grudges too. Did you expect me to forget Caelum throwing me out of the airport? Or Lucio nearly breaking my ribs last month? Or Knight threatening to end Renard operations in Paris?And.... you all putting me to jail. Nice try.”
Caelum snarled, “You deserved every piece of it, you traitor.”
“Maybe,” Samuel admitted lightly.
“Which is why I’m delighted to return the favor.”
Ylmaz stepped forward. “So you’re risking both empires because of pride?”
Samuel tilted his head. “Oh no. I’m risking it because Deborah Valmere ran to another man the moment she felt trapped.”
The brothers’ expressions shattered into fury. Deborah’s chest tightened, breath catching painfully.
Ylmaz’s hands balled into fists.
Luther took one step forward, voice trembling with rage.
“Don’t you dare speak about her like that.”
Samuel grinned. “Oh, it bothers you, doesn’t it?
The idea that she chose someone else, instead of me.”
Luther lunged.
Knight grabbed his arm just in time. “Not now.”
Samuel laughed.
The sound was sharp. Cruel.
The sound of someone who enjoyed chaos far too much.
He looked at Caelum again, voice dropping.
“You want to know why the Cortez are really pulling out?”
Caelum didn’t answer. He didn’t need to.
Samuel leaned forward, eyes gleaming.
“Because losing your sister for a day made you panic.”
His voice softened with venom.
“So... . imagine losing everything else.”
A chill rippled through all of them.
Lucio froze.
Casper paled.
Knight inhaled sharply.
Caelum…Caelum looked like a man ready to commit murder.
Deborah felt tears sting her eyes, not from Samuel, but from the crushing weight of what her one impulsive decision had caused.
Samuel smiled at her slowly. Almost sweetly.
“You didn’t just run away, Deborah.” He paused. “You lit a fuse.”
Deborah opened her mouth to speak, but Samuel stepped closer, his final words slicing through the tension like a blade.
“Tell me, Valmere brothers… what will you lose next?”