The War God Returns to Conquer

Chapter 6

The following morning, Leon was still in bed when his phone began to ring. Amara's name flashed across the screen.

He answered at once.

"Good morning, sweetheart!" Amara greeted him excitedly. "I finally spoke to my old classmate. She's agreed to help us, and she's even arranged a meeting with Marcus Vancs, the chairman of CentralFinancialBank."

Leon remained silent as she continued.

"Where are you right now? We should head to their office as soon as possible. Once we secure this contract, Grandpa will have no reason to look down on you again!"

Amara sounded so pleased with herself that Leon couldn't help smiling.

"Stay where you are. I'll come and pick you up."

He ended the call, got out of bed, and quickly got ready for the day.

By the time he stepped outside, Knox was already standing beside the waiting vehicle.

"Where to, sir?" Knox asked, opening the car door for him.

"Amara's house."

Knox nodded. "Understood, sir."

The drive didn't take long. They arrived at Amara's residence and parked outside to wait for her.

A few minutes later, she came out.

She had clearly spent time choosing what to wear. Her fitted dress suited her figure, while her long black hair rested neatly over her shoulders. She looked elegant and confident, nothing like the woman who had spent years avoiding public attention.

"Leon!"

The moment she spotted their vehicle, her face lit up. She hurried over and opened the door.

"My classmate has really helped us out," she announced as she settled inside. "She has arranged everything. We only need to go to the company and meet the chairman."

Leon gave her a small smile.

He knew the appointment hadn't come about because of her classmate. He had already spoken with Marcus Vance himself. Without that conversation, there would have been no meeting.

Still, he wasn't going to take away her excitement.

"That's good news. I knew you could handle it."

Amara beamed.

"Don't put too much pressure on me," she said playfully.

"I'm serious. If you fail to secure the contract, I'll have to find someone else to do the job."

She immediately turned to him.

"Then you better prepare to keep me around. I'm not coming back without that contract."

Leon chuckled.

Although Amara still knew very little about his true identity, she had seen where he lived. The Royal Crest Residence was one of the most expensive properties in Westbridge. It wasn't somewhere an ordinary person could simply walk into and claim as their own.

That alone had convinced her that her husband was far from ordinary.

She wanted to prove that she could stand beside him. For years, people had treated her like someone who had nothing to offer. But she had never stopped learning. While others assumed she had wasted her time at home, she had continued studying and improving herself.

Now she finally had an opportunity to show what she could do.

"Let's get going," Amara said.

Leon turned to Knox. "Take us to Central Financial Bank."

Knox nodded and started the engine.

As the vehicle pulled away from the estate, Amara shifted closer to Leon.

"There's something I heard last night," she began. "Richard Sterling was murdered."

Leon turned his gaze towards her, waiting for her to continue.

"The head of the Sterling family?"

She nodded.

Richard Sterling was one of the most influential men in Westbridge. As the leader of the Sterling family, he commanded enormous respect, and his name was familiar to almost everyone in the city.

His death had become the biggest topic of discussion.

The previous evening, the Sterling family had hosted a grand celebration to mark their partnership with Novacorp Group and Richard's Seventy-five birthday. The agreement with Central Financial Group was expected to give Novacorp Group priority in receiving major business contracts. It was a deal that would further strengthen the Sterling family's position.

But the celebration had ended in blood.

A masked stranger had appeared at the venue carrying a coffin. Before anyone could understand what was happening, he had attacked Warren Sterling and taken his head.

The news had spread throughout Westbridge within hours.

The authorities were already investigating, but nobody had been able to identify the killer or explain how he had managed to escape.

Leon acted as though he was hearing the story for the first time.

"That's terrible. I went home and went straight to sleep yesterday. I haven't heard anything about it. The Sterling family belongs to the Great Four, doesn't it?"

"Yes," Amara replied.

She began explaining what she knew.

"The Sterling family is considered the most powerful among the Great Four. Their businesses cover almost every major industry. Just Novacorp Group is worth more than all the companies owned by the Clarke family put together. And that's only one part of their wealth."

There was a hint of admiration in her voice.

"Many women in Westbridge dream of marrying into a family like theirs. They believe life would be much easier if they married a wealthy heir."

Leon glanced at her.

"You could have had that opportunity yesterday. You only needed to divorce me."

Amara rolled her eyes.

"Here you go again."

She shifted closer and rested her head against his shoulder.

"Money isn't everything. I've spent too many years being mocked and treated badly because of how I looked. I know what it feels like when people only care about what someone can offer them. I would rather stay with someone who genuinely loves me than marry into a wealthy family just for comfort."

She lifted her head and smiled at him.

"Besides, I already have a rich husband."

Leon gently took her hand.

He was pleased with her answer.

Knox remained focused on the road, leaving the couple to their conversation. Before long, they arrived at their destination.

Central Financial Group's headquarters stood prominently in the business district. The company had international operations, and its owners, the Vance family, were originally from the capital.

The building had eight floors, with a modern exterior that made it stand out from the surrounding offices.

Leon and Amara got out of the vehicle.

Amara looked up at the building. Her confidence began to fade as she considered the people she was about to meet.

For more than ten years, she had lived a quiet life, rarely going anywhere unless necessary. But that had never meant she wanted to remain confined to that life forever.

She had always been curious about the world beyond her home. Her determination to study had come from the desire to become independent and build something of her own.

Today was a chance to take another step towards that dream.

She brought out her phone and called Sarah.

They waited for roughly twenty minutes before a woman approached the entrance.

She wore a fitted office skirt and had applied enough makeup to make her appearance stand out. The moment she noticed Amara, she slowed down.

Sarah Byers had heard about Amara's restored appearance. She had even received a photograph, but seeing it on a phone screen hadn't prepared her for the real thing.

The woman standing before her looked completely different from the person she remembered.

Sarah couldn't hide the surprise on her face.

"Amara?"

Amara immediately recognized her and walked forward with a smile.

"Sarah! It's been so long."

She held Sarah's hands.

"Look at you. You've become a department head at Central Financial Group. I'm really happy for you."

Sarah smiled, although her expression carried a touch of pride.

"Well, I've worked hard to get here. But if you want to meet the chairman, there's still a procedure to follow. The general manager has to approve your visit first. Come with me."

Amara's smile slowly disappeared.

She had been expecting Sarah to take them straight to the chairman. During their conversation the previous day, Sarah had assured her that the appointment with Marcus Vance was already settled.

Before Amara could ask anything, Sarah leaned closer.

"Getting a contract from Central Financial Group isn't as simple as you think. There are certain things you need to do if you want to secure it."

She lowered her voice and explained what she expected Amara to agree to, whispering to Amara

Amara's expression changed immediately.

"No. I won't do that."

Sarah stared at her.

"Think carefully before you reject it. I already showed your photograph to the general manager. He likes what he saw. All you have to do is spend a night with him, and he'll arrange the contract for you. There's no need to trouble yourself with meeting the chairman."

Amara pulled her hands away.

"Sarah, I thought you were helping me because we were friends. Is this really what you brought me here for?"

Sarah's friendly expression immediately vanished.

"Don't act surprised. You came here asking for a business deal, but you don't want to do what's necessary to get it. Do you think companies hand out contracts because someone asks nicely?"

"I came here to discuss business, not to sell myself."

"Then you won't get anything from this meeting."

Jane turned away.

"Think about it. If you change your mind, you know where to find me."

Her heels struck the floor as she walked back towards the building.

Amara remained where she was. Her eyes began to sting, and she struggled to hold back her disappointment.

She turned towards Leon.

"Maybe I'm just not capable of doing anything right."

Leon looked at her.

"Don't say that. You haven't done anything wrong."

He gave her hand a reassuring squeeze.

"Why don't you go directly to Marcus Vance? You came here to meet him, so there's no reason to give up because of one person's attitude. Go inside. I'll wait here."

Amara hesitated.

Leon gently encouraged her to move towards the entrance.

Just then, Sarah reappeared.

This time, she wasn't alone.

A middle-aged man walked beside her. He wore an expensive suit, and his confident manner suggested that he was accustomed to getting his way.

Sarah held his arm as they approached.

"Amara, I want you to meet Mr. Damien Bennett. He oversees the company's business partnerships and has the final say on which companies receive our contracts."

Amara looked at him without much interest.

She didn't know that Sarah's position had come through her relationship with Damien. The two had been involved for some time, and Sarah was effectively his mistress.

The previous night, Sarah had sent him Amara's photograph.

Damien had immediately become interested.

He promised to move Sarah into the deputy department manager position if she could arrange a meeting with Amara and persuade her to spend a night with him.

Now that he was standing in front of her, his interest had only grown stronger.

Amara's beauty was even more striking in person than it had been in the photograph.

Damien looked her over, making no effort to hide his intentions. He had already decided that he wanted her, and he was prepared to use his position to get what he wanted.

He stepped forward with a self-assured smile.

"You're Amara Clarke, aren't you? Sarah has told me quite a bit about you."

His gaze lingered on her.

"It's rather warm outside. We could continue this conversation somewhere more comfortable. How about a hotel? You won't need to worry about the contract afterward. I'll personally make sure your company receives the order."

He paused before adding,

"And I'll make it worth your while. sixty million dollars. What do you say?"