I sighed. “What now? If it’s not just about the money, what else is there? Principle? Pride? Because I’m not trying to be an asshole, but?—”
He finally lifted his eyes back to mine and the expression on his face had changed. It was more serious now, tighter than I’d ever seen it, and it made my pulse speed up.
“There’s something in the inheritance that makes it invaluable,” he finally said, his voice grave. “It’s a share of the company, Trent. If Gregory gains access to her inheritance, he gains control of her share.”
I frowned. “Charlotte has a share?”
“She will,” he corrected himself mildly. “Once her marriage is recognized by the board. That’s why Gregory is fighting this so viciously. That’s what he’s really after, the share. I strongly suspect the money is just window-dressing.”
My jaw clenched. “What does he want it for?”
“I don’t know, but it’d give him control. Leverage. Voting rights.” He shoved both his hands into his hair and slowly dragged them through it. “Gregory is saying she verbally agreed to the marriage. He’s calling it an implied contract. A verbal confirmation of the documents Dad already signed.”
My pulse jumped in my throat. “Except she didn’t agree. She ran.”
“He’s twisting every conversation they ever had,” Alex said. “Long story short, he’s presenting it like she intended to marry him before you intervened.”
My eyebrows shot up. “Are you blaming me?”
“No, but Gregory is,” he said. “It doesn’t sound like he’s plans on stopping with Charlotte, either. He’s saying he’s goingto sue you for everything you’re worth. That you coerced her. Influenced her. Maybe even groomed her.”
I laughed, but it wasn’t funny. “Groomed her? I got to know her five minutes before I married her.”
“He doesn’t care,” Alex said, his voice tightening. “He’s painting you as a predatory billionaire who swooped in and manipulated a young, emotionally compromised woman.”
“That’s really fucking rich coming from him,” I muttered.
Alex didn’t argue, but he didn’t relax either. “He knows every legal loophole, Trent. Because he’s done this before, he knows how to game the system. He’s pushed women into corners, used his family name and theirs, the law, and pretty much everything short of physical force. And he’s smart. Disgustingly so, actually.”
For the first time since I got here, something cold slid under my ribs. Alex wasn’t easily rattled. The man had been raised to rule over Chicago and the entire midwest’s financial world. I’d watched him negotiate with global board members twice his age and walk away the clear winner. Seeing him anxious? I didn’t like it one bit. And seeing him like this was contagious because I was started to feel his anxiety now myself.
“Then what do we do?” I asked.
He grimaced. “We may have to give him what he wants.”
My blood went hot, then ice cold, then hot again, but Alex still wasn’t done. “If we don’t, he’s going to try to take not only your ranch or my company, but Charlotte.”
“He won’t,” I said, my voice dangerously low. “He won’t touch her.” For a few seconds, all I heard was my pulse pounding in my ears. “I’m not giving him a damn thing. Not from her and not from me.”
Alex’s chin lifted. “Then we prepare for war.”
I stood, pushing back my chair and giving my head a firm shake. “I’ve been through worse, and I don’t lose when itmatters. Get me a meeting with him or a meeting with Douglas, but Gregory isn’t coming within five miles of my goddamn wife and he’s not taking what’s rightfully hers either.”
CHAPTER 41
CHARLOTTE
It was a perfect Chicago morning, with the sun shining on glass buildings, a gentle breeze threading through the streets, and people laughing over mimosas like the world wasn’t actively trying to unravel my life. I clutched my iced coffee like a talisman as Stella and I wove through the brunch crowd.
“I feel like I haven’t seen you in months,” she said, swinging our linked hands together. “How’s marriage been? You don’t look traumatized, at least.”
I laughed. “Yeah, it’s not bad.”
“It’s got to be more than justnot bad,” she said, giving me a sideways glance. “I think…”
Here we go.“What?”
“I think you like him.” Her eyes sparkled. “Like, really,reallylike him.”
