Page 102

Story: Overruled

“It certainly didn’t look good when your mistress forgot her own ‘diagnosis’ that you’ve been helping her pay the bills for when they called her to the stand,” I remark dryly.

Lorenzo’s face turns blotchy and red. “If you had done a proper job, she would not have been on the stand at all.”

“It’s hard to continue to quash subpoenas on the grounds of confidential information when we can’t provide anything more than vague references and a fucking plastic surgeon instead of an actual primary care physician.”

“I told you that you should have scheduled more prepping,” Alexander grouses. “LeeAnn isn’t exactly what one would call quick on the uptake.”

“Do not speak of her that way,” Lorenzo snarls.

Alexander lifts his hands in apology. “I’m on your side, Lorenzo. But we need to get on top of this or you’re going to be shelling out millions to your wife.”

“Bianca thinks she can just take what’s mine,” Lorenzo huffs. “Her and that bitch of a little lawyer she employs. They make quite a pair.”

My fingers grip the arms of the chair I’m sitting in, and I’m struck with the strong desire to reach over and cave in Lorenzo’s teeth. The way his lip curls when he mentions Dani, calling her that…it’s enough to have my blood boiling.

“Bianca will take the stand this week,” I remind them both through clenched teeth.

“Where you will remind the court that she has pulled this move before,” Alexander says. “No one trusts a boy who cries wolf.”

“We have to assume that Da—” I cover my slip by clearing my throat. “That Ms. Pierce will have come up with a solid reasoning for why Bianca filed and then withdrew.”

Lorenzo crosses his arms. “We paint her as money hungry, yes?” He glances at Alexander. “Her trust took quite the hit that year.”

“Which Ms. Pierce will say is circumstantial,” I counter.

“He’s not wrong,” Alexander admits begrudgingly, resting his steepled fingers against his mouth. “Perhaps we should take a more unorthodox approach.”

My brow quirks. “Such as?”

“We tell the truth,” he tells me with a sly grin.

My confusion is evident by my frown. “What do you mean?”

“We cannot tell thetruth,” Lorenzo stutters. “I will not be the only one who suffers from the truth,” he goes on, voice rising. “You will also—”

“That isn’t what I meant,” Alexander says quickly, cutting him off.

Curiosity prickles in my brain at whatever Lorenzo was about to say. Is he implying Alexander has some connection to him? To Bianca? Alexander keeps going, not allowing me very much time to ponder the possibility.

“We tell the court that Bianca filed for divorce because she accused you of infidelity,” Alexander says simply.

Lorenzo reels. “Excuse me?”

“That seems…a little more than unorthodox,” I tellAlexander, secretly disgusted by the roundabout casual admission that heisa fucking cheater, even if I’ve known it all along.

“It’s perfect,” Alexander says confidently. “Because just like now…Bianca had no way to prove her allegations.”

Lorenzo still looks unconvinced. “So?”

“So,” Alexander stresses. “We convince the judge that Bianca has a tendency to…cry wolf when it suits her. This establishes a pattern. Not many women would change their mind if theyactuallybelieved their husband was cheating. The fact that she stayed only strengthens our point that this is all a ploy. Just a way to ruin Lorenzo for her own purposes.”

I can’t help but snort. “And you really think that anyone is going to buy that?”

“Why not?” Alexander leans back in his chair, looking smug. “They cannot prove otherwise, so does it really matter?”

Lorenzo looks thoughtful now, stroking his chin. “Itwouldbe very satisfying to see Bianca’s face when she hears this. If you truly think it will work.”

“Ezra willmakeit work,” Alexander tells him confidently. He shoots me a cold look. “Won’t you.”