Dark Lord Seduction System: Taming Wives, Daughters, Aunts, and CEOs - Chapter 579

Chapter 579: Price and Revenge
But – and this was crucial – their individual holdings remained separate. Patricia owned shares in her hospital and university. Those shares were managed by Liberation Holdings, but they didn’t become communal property just because Patricia was part of the collective.

Think of it like a trust fund structure mixed with a venture capital firm.

Liberation Holdings managed and grew everyone’s assets. If Patricia owned a medical practice, Liberation Holdings would help expand it, protect it legally, optimize it financially. But Sofia didn’t automatically own part of Patricia’s practice just because they were both in Liberation Holdings.

The collective benefited from collective investments. Individual assets remained individual but got institutional-level management and protection.

For women like Emma, Sofia, Isabella, Luna – who didn’t own major businesses yet – this built wealth from nothing.

For women like Charlotte, Madison, Patricia, Catherine, Celeste, Anastasia and others – who already had wealth – this made them exponentially wealthier.

Every day I added more women, I needed to work even harder to ensure Liberation Holdings grew fast enough to justify their trust.

No pressure.

Reyna shifted against my chest, snuggling deeper into the warmth, pulling me back to the present moment.

ARIA order my suit delivery here.

“Yes, Master.”

I couldn’t believe myself. Here I was, lying in bed with a gorgeous woman who’d spent the night thoroughly exhausting us both, and I was thinking about destroying billion-dollar hotel empires instead of appreciating what was right in front of me.

Dude, get in the game. Don’t be one of those billionaires who ignores hot women to obsess over spreadsheets.

But today was important. The auction. Celestial Grand Hotel.

And I had an invitation now.

Well, technically Madison had the invitation. As Torres Developments heiress, she moved in circles where auctions for luxury hotels were just another Tuesday. She was bringing her plus-twos: me and Amanda, the latter representing Liberation Holdings.

Why Amanda and not Madison?

Because Madison was too visible as Torres heir. If she bought the hotel through Liberation Holdings, people would assume it was Torres money, Torres strategy, Torres expansion. Questions would be asked about why the heiress was using a holding company instead of her family’s established development firm.

Amanda was different. Wells family money, yes, but she’d run from that life. Anyone who bothered to dig (and Edward Sterling absolutely would dig) would find a rich girl who’d escaped a controlling family and rebuilt herself independently. Her representing a holding company made perfect sense.

And Edward Sterling had no idea that when I bought those 4% Sterling Hotels shares, Liberation Holdings was the actual owner.

ARIA had made the paperwork impenetrable. Edward’s lawyers had reviewed it, found nothing suspicious, and approved the sale without even meeting the buyer himself in person.

They’d invited the wolf into their house and asked him to make himself comfortable.

Thursday’s acquisition meant I now owned a piece of Edward Sterling’s empire before even meeting him at the auction.

Strategic positioning at its finest.

Reyna’s breathing had evened out into sleep’s rhythm. The morning light was filtering through the curtains of her studio room, painting everything in soft gold.

I should probably get up. Shower. Prepare for the auction. Put on the kind of suit that screamed “legitimate investor” while hiding “avenging son protecting his mother.”

But for a few more minutes, I let myself just exist in this moment. Worn bed of a beautiful woman. The quiet satisfaction of knowing I’d just outmaneuvered a man who thought bringing bodyguards to threaten my mother made him powerful.

Edward Sterling called Mom a slut who sold herself to own a Mercedez GLE.

Edward Sterling made Linda Carter cry in her own home.

And now Edward Sterling had just sold me a piece of his company without realizing who I was.

Revenge is a dish best served with proper legal documentation and a smile.

My watch buzzed on the nightstand. Madison.

Madison: Morning, Love

Me: Morning my Queen

Madison: You know what today is, right?

Me: I thought, you’d start with “I miss you” but yeah I know. Ready to end a Sterling

Madison: That’s my man. Amanda and I will pick you up at 10. Wear the charcoal suit. The one that makes you look like you could buy souls and still have change left over

Me: Specific

Madison: I know what I want. And today, I want Edward Sterling to look at you and not realize you’re the kid he tried to destroy. Not until it’s too late

I smiled at the text. Madison understood the game better than anyone.

Me: See you at 10

Reyna stirred, her eyes opening slowly. “Morning,” she mumbled, voice thick with sleep.

“Morning.” I kissed her forehead. “I need to get ready for a business thing, sorry, honey.”

“Mmm. Billionaire stuff?”

“Something like that.”

She smiled, stretching like a cat. “Go make your money. I’ll make coffee and try to figure out why I keep sleeping with someone who thinks about corporate takeovers during sex.”

“I don’t think about corporate takeovers during sex,” I protested.

“You literally finished thinking aloud your stock portfolio while I was trying to sleep on your chest.”

Shit. Had I been talking out loud?

“In my defense, it’s a very interesting portfolio.”

“You’re lucky you’re hot.” She pushed me toward the bathroom. “Go shower. I’ll make breakfast. You can tell me about your evil billionaire plans over eggs.”

Evil billionaire plans. If only she knew.

Today was going to be a very good day.

I finished my shower, dried off, and walked back into the bedroom where Reyna had already disappeared downstairs. The smell of coffee and bacon drifted up.

My phone buzzed again. This time, ARIA.

“Master. Final confirmation that all Liberation Holdings paperwork is sealed. Sterling Hotels board has no visibility into actual ownership structure. Edward Sterling believes Eros Velmior Desiderion is an independent investor from your portfolio connections working under Ashby.”

Perfect. What about the Celestial Grand Hotel research?

“Complete analysis ready. Could be valued at $800 million after today’s auction if it goes as I expect. Edward Sterling has been pursuing acquisition for eight months. It would be his flagship property and major prestige addition to Sterling Hotels portfolio. Losing it would be… emotionally devastating.”

Good. What’s my bidding ceiling?

“I recommend not exceeding $1.1 billion. Any higher and the purchase becomes difficult to justify financially, even for psychological warfare purposes.”

Agreed. Anything else?

“Yes. Edward Sterling’s brother will also be at the auction. And based on communication intercepts, they’re planning to bid aggressively. They see Celestial Grand as their statement property – proof that Sterling Hotels belongs among the elite hospitality brands.”

I smiled.

Then let’s make sure they go home disappointed.

“With pleasure, Master.”

I got dressed. The charcoal suit – Tom Ford, perfectly tailored, the kind of suit that cost more than most people’s cars. It fit like it was grown on my body, every line precise.

The man looking back at me in the mirror wasn’t the kid Edward Sterling had threatened with bodyguards. This was the new Peter and beneath was Eros Velmior Desiderion, investor, strategist, the man who’d just bought into Sterling Hotels without Edward realizing he’d invited his own destruction.

Let’s go buy a hotel and ruin a Sterling’s day.

“You look like you’re about to declare war.”

“Just business,” I said, kissing her cheek and stealing a piece of bacon.

“Business that involves destroying someone?”

“Maybe a little.”

She laughed. “I don’t know what you’re really up to, Peter Carter. But I hope whoever you’re going after deserves it.”

He called my mother a slut. He made MOM cry.

“He does,” I said simply. “He really does.”