Chapter 11 A Gift For The Life

The morning sky was just beginning to turn a light gray when Ares walked up the long driveway of the Sterling mansion.

The air was cold and damp from the dew, and the high trees around the property were completely still.

His body felt a little tired from the long night, but his internal energy was flowing smoothly. In his right hand, he carried a heavy canvas duffel bag packed to the top with the wealth Natasha Romanov had delivered to him.

He unlocked the front door quietly, stepping into the massive main lobby. He expected the house to be dark and silent, but a warm yellow light was coming from the small living room.

He stopped in front of the doorway and looked inside.

Vivienne was sitting on the edge of a long white couch, wearing a dark robe with her hair tied up loosely.

Her face looked incredibly pale under the lamp, and there were faint lines of worry around her eyes. A cold cup of tea sat untouched on the small table in front of her.

The moment his boots made a faint sound against the floor, her head snapped up.

For a split second, a wave of pure relief washed over her face, and her shoulders dropped. But she quickly caught herself.

She tightened her jaw, her expression turning into a cold mask as she stood up from the couch.

"Where have you been?" Vivienne asked, her voice tight and demanding. "Do you have any idea what time it is? It is nearly six in the morning."

"I had some business to attend to in the city," Ares said, his voice calm and level. He kept the duffel bag right by his side.

"Business?" Vivienne let out a short, angry breath, crossing her arms tightly over her chest. "You disappear for the entire night right after throwing Julian Vane out of my boardroom. The entire Vane family is furious, Ares. They are threatening to crush my shipping lines by tomorrow afternoon."

"Let them try," Ares said flatly.

"This is not a game!" Vivienne shouted softly, her voice trembling. "I stayed up all night thinking Julian had his men grab you in some alley. I thought you were dead because of what you did for me yesterday. You could have at least told me you were alive."

Ares looked down at her face, noticing the slight tremble in her lower lip. She was trying hard to sound angry, like a boss annoyed by a troublesome partner.

But his divine vision allowed him to see the rapid pulse against her neck. She had been genuinely terrified for his safety all night, even if her pride refused to let her admit it.

"Are you worried about me, Vivienne?" Ares asked softly, a faint smile touching his lips.

Vivienne's face flushed a bright red, and she quickly looked away.

"Do not flatter yourself. I am worried about my company. If my new husband gets murdered twenty-four hours after our wedding, the stocks will drop to zero. That is all."

"I see," Ares said, completely unbothered by her lie.

He walked past her into the center of the living room. With a lazy swing of his arm, he tossed the heavy canvas duffel bag onto the low table.

The bag landed with a heavy thud, making her cold cup of tea rattle against its plate.

Vivienne frowned, turning around to stare at the bulky bag. "What is that?"

"Open it," Ares said, leaning against the edge of the desk and folding his arms.

She hesitated for a second. Slowly, she walked over to the table, reached down, and pulled back the metal zipper.

The moment the bag split open, Vivienne froze completely. Her breath hitched, and her eyes widened in pure shock. Inside the bag, stacked in neat, tight rows, were hundreds of bundles of crisp, green hundred-dollar bills.

The clean smell of fresh paper money instantly filled the room.

"This... what is this?" Vivienne whispered, her voice shaking. She reached a trembling hand inside, touching the top stack. "Ares... how much money is in here?"

"Ten million dollars," Ares said simply. "Cash."

Vivienne snapped her head up, staring at him as if he were a complete stranger.

"Ten million? In cash? Ares, where did you get this kind of money? Did you rob a bank? Did you do something illegal with Julian’s people?"

Panic twisted her features, and she took a step back from the table. "If the police follow you here, my family’s name will be completely ruined. We cannot use this money, Ares."

Ares stepped forward, grabbing her by her shoulders gently but firmly to stop her from pacing. He looked directly into her frantic eyes, his voice steady and solid.

"Listen to me, Vivienne. The money is completely clean. The police are not coming, and no one is tracking it to this house. It is mine to give, and it is yours to use."

"But how?" she pleaded, her eyes searching his. "Yesterday you were a man with millions in gambling debts. Today you carry a treasury in a duffel bag. It does not make sense. Who gave this to you?"

"I told you before, Vivienne," Ares said, releasing her shoulders and stepping back.

"You do not need to worry about where the storm comes from. You just need to focus on your job. Take this money to the office today.

Buy back your falling stocks, pay off your most dangerous partners, and fund your next corporate move."

Vivienne stared down at the green bundles, her heart pounding fast.

She was a brilliant businesswoman, and she knew exactly what ten million dollars could do for her failing company right now.

It was enough to save her father's legacy from Julian's grasp. It was the exact miracle she had been praying for.

She looked back up at him, a strange mixture of awe and growing warmth swelling in her chest.

She realized she did not know this man at all. He was mysterious, dangerous, and completely beyond her understanding.

Yet, every time she was on the verge of falling, he appeared with absolute power to lift her up.

"Why are you doing this for me?" she asked softly, her voice dropping to a whisper. "We only married because of a contract."

"We are partners now, Vivienne," Ares said, turning around and walking toward the hallway to head up to his room.

"And I do not allow my partners to lose. Go get dressed. We have a long week ahead of us."

He walked away into the shadows of the corridor, leaving her standing alone in the morning light, staring at the wealth that would change her life forever.