“You’re entitled to an executive position, Mira. You’ve put in the hours. Otto never gave you enough credit or let you shine to your full potential. Tell me what you want.”
“I don’t even know anymore,” she said with a strain in her voice. “I thought I did, for about a minute.” She threw him an ironic smile. “It’s so true to form that he didn’t even give me the fight I wanted.” Her gaze turned agonize, but curious. “What’s she like?”
“Takes after her mother, one presumes, since she has a big heart.” He was being facetious but also sincere. “She dances. Beautifully. She’s very passionate about it. She’s funny. Gutsy when she needs to be.” He was saying too much and set his teeth together.
“You sound like you like her a lot. Did he?” Mira asked with a scathing edge on her tone.
“No,” Axel said flatly. “He was furious that I married her without telling him. He took it out on her. I never should have brought her here. It was cruel.”
“You mean he was.”
Not just Otto. All Axel had wanted was this company, certain Joy’s participation in their marriage could be bought for the right price.
I don’t want things from you.
She had wanted more than assets from Otto, too. Acceptance. Welcome. Love.
“I knew how he would behave and I brought her here anyway.” Like a lamb to the slaughter. He had hoped that she was confusing lovemaking and love again, but guilt was rising in him like a tide. She loved him, and he was hurting her as badly as Otto had.
All of this for something he was going to get anyway.
I helped her, though. She’s dancing again.Surely that counted for something?
“I think his death is my fault,” Mira whispered, face crumpling with repentance. “I knew he was taking blood thinners. When I saw you’d married her, I knew he would be angry about it. I sent him flowers congratulating him on his daughter’s marriage. Vile, right?”
“Don’t do that to yourself.” Before learning compassion from his wife, it wouldn’t have occurred to Axel to stand and draw Mira into a hug, but he couldn’t let her wallow in blame.
“I—” She was startled. They’d never been affectionate with each other, but she let him hug her and briefly rested her head on his chest. He heard her take a shaken breath.
“I did my share of pulling his supports,” Axel acknowledged. “I publicly shamed him. Let’s remember that he was reaping what he sowed.”
“I suppose.” She drew back, mouth pouted with sadness, and patted his lapel. “Thank you. I… Can I just say…” She lifted a crooked smile to him. “Our marriage never would have worked. This feels like I’m hugging my brother.”
“Agreed,” he said wryly and cupped her shoulder so he could set a very brotherly kiss on her brow. “We’ll see a lot of each other over the next few days, but call me anytime.”
“I will. And don’t feel guilty about getting the company, Axel. You put in the time, too. I’ve always known you were the best person to run it.”
* * *
Axel didn’t come home until well after the dinner hour. He had a five o’clock shadow and his tie was over his arm with his jacket. His shirt sleeves were rolled up, his shirt open at the throat. He looked exhausted. He went straight to the sideboard to pour a drink.
“I’ve been in meetings with Gerard and some people with Vorstoben, getting out a press release.” He sighed wearily. “Otto has some distant cousins, but the funeral arrangements seem to have fallen onto Mira and me. We agree that it’s best to hold a service as soon as possible.”
“Is there anything I can do?” Joy felt sick every time she thought about the fact she’d only met Otto once. Now her birth father was gone, and she would never have another chance at a relationship with him. Not that she was sure she would have wanted one, but it felt so final to know she never could.
“Heskel is taking lead with one of Otto’s assistants.” Axel threw back his drink in one go, then hissed out a breath. “Umberto said Otto’s most recent will leaves the company to me. Everything else was joint property with Mira’s mother, so it’s going to her. If we accept this will, I can start pulling Vorstoben out of its nosedive immediately. Every day counts at this point. But you have the option of suing for what Otto promised to you in the marriage contract.” He turned to face her.
She blinked. Then released a husky chuckle that held no humor. “Wouldn’t that mean using your money to sue you for half of a company that you would run anyway? And wouldn’t I have to wait until we completed our year of marriage?”
“Yes. But you said this was never about the money,” he reminded her in a challenging tone.
“It’s not.” She tried not to be insulted by his assertive tone, remembering he was still processing all of this himself, but she still felt superfluous. Pushed away. “I’ve never felt I had a right to things that Mira believed were hers,” she added in a murmur.
“Good. I need to make some calls.” He walked into his office and closed the door.
That was it? Decision made?
She stood there for a few minutes, wondering if she had made a huge mistake in letting go of her option to sue. Her reasons for marrying Axel had never been about getting anything from Otto, but Axel had made certain promises to convince her to marry him.
