The Contract Said No Strings Attached (Charlotte) novel Chapter 130

Samuel was the first to break the silence, his tone icy. “Dylan, what exactly do you want from me today?”

For years, Dylan had been overseas, undergoing treatment for his leg, which meant Samuel had heard his name often enough but had never actually met the man.

Now, as Samuel studied Dylan’s features, he couldn’t help but think of the four little ones back home. There was something eerily familiar about Dylan’s face—could it be that he actually resembled the kids?

Before Samuel could dwell on it, Dylan’s expression darkened. “Mr. Thomson, let’s not beat around the bush. You had someone attack my company—hacked our systems, and caused the Austin Group a huge loss. How do you plan to settle this?”

Samuel stared at him in disbelief. “You think I ordered an attack on your company?”

Dylan let out a cold, humorless laugh. “So you’re saying GigglesBub isn’t your guy?”

Samuel’s brows knit together. GigglesBub? Wasn’t that Noah’s handle?

He genuinely had no idea Noah had gone behind his back, hacked into Dylan’s company, and sabotaged the Austin Group’s computers. But Dylan was clearly here to hold someone accountable, and Samuel wasn’t about to let Noah take the fall for a move this big.

With that in mind, Samuel replied, voice steely, “So what if I did? Your people went after my nephew. Or am I not allowed to hit back? No one messes with a Thomson kid and gets away with it. You mess with my family, you answer to me.”

Dylan actually laughed, though his eyes were blazing. “Mr. Thomson, that’s a pretty flimsy excuse. You’re telling me you launched a full-scale cyberattack on my company over something so petty? Do you have any idea how much damage you’ve caused?”

Samuel didn’t flinch, meeting Dylan’s gaze head-on. “Doesn’t matter. No one lays a finger on my family. Not ever. And frankly, I doubt things are as simple as you say.”

The two of them locked eyes, neither backing down. The tension in the office was thick as gunpowder, ready to ignite.

Suddenly, Dylan gave a short, almost amused laugh. “Forget it, Samuel. I didn’t come here just to argue. What’s done is done. We’re family, after all—I can handle the loss.”

Samuel’s smile was cold. “So what did you come for, then? A warning?”

Dylan’s eyes narrowed, a dangerous glint flashing in them. “You’re a smart man, Samuel. I’ll let this slide once, but there won’t be a second time. I suggest you make sure nothing like this ever happens again. For the sake of both our families.”

The warning hung in the air, chilling the room. The hostility between them had only grown, and the atmosphere had turned to ice.