Who cares if Rhys doesn’t want it? I’ll give it double the love to make up for the lack of a father figure.
I place a hand over my belly.Mommy will keep you safe and love you.
“You are a difficult woman to get a hold of.”
I raise my head. Trevor’s lawyer stands before me, as sleek and polished as before. Although his mouth is smiling, his eyes are dark with aggravation.
“What are you doing here? How did you get in?” I ask with all the fake sweetness I can manage, since this is my workplace and professionalism is required.
“I told the receptionist I had an appointment,” he says. “The usual.”
“But you don’t.”
“True, but it’s not for lack of trying. You blocked me everywhere.”
“I’m sure you’re a very smart man for having passed the bar and all that. But maybe you should study up a little bit on how to take a hint.”
His expression turns flat. “This is really not amusing. I’m here in good faith. There are things I need to discuss with you about your inheritance.” Then he lowers his voice, trying to be discreet. “That two billion dollars.”
“Is Trevor ready to beg? On his knees?”
“Look—”
I snap my fingers. “Darn it, he’s not. Guess I’ll just have to miss out, and you’ll have to go before I call security.”
“Come on.” Don runs a hand over his face. “I just want to make my mother proud. I’m up for promotion this year. And I have to get this done because it’s important.”
I glare at him. He must’ve realized from our lone interaction that I have a particular fondness for my mother—and likely people who treat their mothers well. “Don’t tell me your promotion depends on my agreeing to take Trevor’s money.”
“It kind of does, actually. He’s a very important client.”
“You havegotto be kidding. On the other hand, I can see why he might need a lot of legal service. Given how much of an asshole he is, he’s probably offended everyone, including the Pope and Dalai Lama.”
Don heaves an aggrieved sigh. He probably doesn’t want to bad-mouth his client behind his back with his estranged daughter. Besides, even if Don’s working for the devil, it really isn’t his fault. It was his inevitable destiny the moment he received a law degree.
“I’m not going to betray my mother,” I say tersely.
“You won’t have to. Your father’s about to divorce his wife.”
“Finally! Took him long enough.” I never understood Lily’s appeal. No class, no morals. Actually, that’s probably why he fell for her—birds of a feather.
“He wants to make sure she gets nothing.”
“And this impacts me…how? As far as I’m concerned, Trevor and Lily are both disgusting.”
“He wants you to get everything in a trust he set up. That way, Lily can’t touch a penny. Do you really want her and her son to bask in the luxurious life that two billion dollars can provide?”
Although I blame Trevor more for the pain Mom and I suffered, I hold Lily accountable as well. She knew he was married when she decided to climb into his bed.
“Besides, your career and money situation are great now, but there’s no guarantee they’ll be great forever. It’s wise to have a contingency plan,” Don adds.
“I’m not going to be magnanimous and understanding. And I’m certainlynotgoing to claim that what he did to my mother was justifiable.”
Don holds up a hand. “He’s not asking for that. He just wants some blood.”
I still want to say no, just to spite Trevor…but there’s the pregnancy. Although I don’t suppose Rhys would be cruel to me or the baby, I can’t make any assumptions. Don’s right about needing a contingency plan.
“All you have to do is sign this paperwork,” he says, pulling a thick stack of papers out of his briefcase and placing it on my desk, “and the trust will be yours, making you a newly minted billionaire.”
