The Villains Must Win-Chapter 55: Alexander Vale 5

Celeste huffed out a soft laugh, tilting her chin up. "True. But I am a fan of good taste. And you, Mr. Vale, seem to have plenty of it."

Alexander leaned back slightly, amusement flickering in those golden eyes. "Flattery, Miss Hart?"

Celeste flashed him a grin. "Just an observation."

The air between them hummed with unspoken tension.

Villain or not—this man was very charismatic indeed.

And not just in the world-dominating, corporate-takeover kind of way.

No—Alexander Vale was dangerous to any woman’s sanity.

Celeste mentally smacked herself.

Focus.

She had come here with a goal, and she wasn’t about let some absurdly attractive villain throw her off track.

Time to get to work.

"What do you want with me, Celeste Hart?"

Alexander Vale’s voice was deep—the kind of voice that belonged in late-night radio shows, lulling people into dangerous thoughts.

Damn.

Celeste nearly forgot why she was here. For a second, all she could think about was how absurdly attractive this man was. She had seen good-looking men before, but Alexander Vale was something else.

It wasn’t just the sharp angles of his face or the way his suit fit him just right. It was the power he exuded. The confidence. The presence.

This was a man who didn’t need to demand attention—it simply gravitated toward him.

Celeste swallowed, forcing herself to remember her actual reason for being here. Clearing her throat, she crossed her legs and leaned forward slightly, resting her hands on his desk.

"I’m sure you’ve already heard from your guards," she began, flashing him a knowing smile. "But let me start from the beginning. Do you want to get Riley Evans back?"

Alexander tilted his head slightly, his amber eyes glinting with something unreadable.

Of course, he did. He had wanted Riley since college. He had spent years chasing after her, only for her to slip through his fingers and land right into Ethan Carter’s lap again. And now, she had willingly applied as Ethan’s secretary.

Was she really that devoted to Carter?

And if so, then what about him? What was he when they were together?

A dark, possessive feeling stirred deep in Alexander’s chest, but he pushed it down.

Before he could respond, Celeste smirked.

"I think you do," she mused, eyeing the slight tightness of his jaw. "And I want Ethan back. So . . . how about we work together?"

One of Alexander’s brows arched. Intriguing.

"And what exactly are you proposing?"

Celeste’s smile widened.

"Let’s get into a relationship," she said smoothly. "And make them jealous."

For a brief moment, silence filled the room.

Then—

Alexander let out a low chuckle.

"You think that’s enough to bring Riley back?" His tone was amused, but his gaze remained sharp, assessing.

"Are you so sure it won’t work?" Celeste shot back.

Alexander’s smirk faded slightly.

He wasn’t.

She took that as her cue to continue.

"If I may, Mr. Vale," she said, crossing her legs in a slow, deliberate movement, "Ethan and I have history. I know exactly what will rattle him. And besides . . ." She leaned forward just enough to emphasize her assets. "You’ll never find another woman like me. Not to brag, but I’m beautiful, charming, and incredibly capable of making other women jealous."

Alexander’s gaze flickered downward for a fraction of a second—his amber eyes darkening as they briefly lingered on her cleavage.

The reaction was instant.

It was only for a moment, but Celeste caught it.

When his gaze lifted back to hers, his expression was unreadable, but something in his demeanor had shifted—his amusement replaced by something far more dangerous. frёewebnoѵēl.com

"You certainly have . . . assets," he admitted, voice smooth as silk. "But can you guarantee I’ll get Riley back if I go along with this little plan of yours?"

Celeste leaned back in her chair, exuding confidence.

"Of course."

Alexander steepled his fingers, watching her carefully.

"And if this plan doesn’t work?" he asked, voice lowering slightly. "What do I get in return for wasting my time with you?"

Celeste blinked.

". . . What?"

Alexander’s smirk returned, slow and deliberate.

"Surely you don’t expect me to enter a deal without a fallback, Miss Hart." He gestured around the room lazily. "I’m a businessman. I don’t do risky transactions."

Celeste resisted the urge to roll her eyes.

Risky? Seriously?

It wasn’t like she was asking him to follow her into the Amazon jungle on some doomed expedition.

Still, a deal was a deal.

"Well, if my plan doesn’t work," she said, "then I’ll do one thing you ask. Anything within my capabilities, of course. As long as it’s not dangerous."

Alexander hummed in thought, his fingers tapping against the desk.

Then, after a long pause—

"Alright," he finally said.

Celeste exhaled, relieved. Phase one—complete.

She was about to smirk in triumph when Alexander’s voice cut through her thoughts.

"Be prepared to do anything if this fails," he warned. "You have six months to bring Riley back to me."

Celeste’s eyes widened. "Six months?"

"You can’t?" he asked, feigning disappointment.

Celeste scoffed. "Of course I can. But we need to move fast. And for starters—" she leaned forward, "I want to be your secretary."

Alexander raised a brow. "Secretary?"

She nodded. "That’s right. If I’m your secretary, I’ll be around you most of the time, and I need a job anyway."

Alexander leaned back in his chair, watching her with amusement.

He was about to respond when his current secretary entered the room.

"Mr. Vale, you have an appointment with Mr. Hale at one," Judith announced, her voice sultry. She adjusted her already-too-short skirt and subtly arched her back, revealing just enough of her bra’s lace fabric to be noticed.

Celeste’s lips twitched.

She turned to Alexander, one brow raised. "So this is your current secretary?"

Judith turned and glared at her, but Celeste only smirked in return.

"Well," Celeste mused, tilting her head. "If this is what you’re looking for in a secretary, I can do better."

Alexander’s shoulders shook slightly as he chuckled, shaking his head. "I haven’t even seen your résumé."