Page 47 of Pretend Wife (Angels of the Secret Order #4)

THIRTY-FOUR

Hayden

Me

Are you on your way?

I was pacing the parking lot outside my father’s lawyer’s office, waiting for Danielle before I went inside to go over the will.

Apparently Dad had wanted it read to the two of us before the rest of the family.

I thought I had a good idea what it was going to say, but that did nothing to calm the restless energy running through me.

My phone buzzed in my hand, and I smiled at the name that appeared on the screen.

Wife

Five minutes away. Your mom wants to meet us afterward for coffee. Do you want to go?

Me

You know she asked you because she was hoping you’d say yes and make me come, right?

I’m sure, but it’s up to you. I’ll tell her no if you don’t want to go.

Is anyone else going to be there?

Your brother and sister.

I groaned. Mom probably wanted to talk about the funeral plans.

I’d have preferred she do whatever she wanted and just tell me where to be and when.

I didn’t want to make decisions about music and readings, and I definitely didn’t want to give a eulogy.

I was still coming to terms with how to feel about everything.

Supposedly, grief hit everyone differently, but I didn’t think I was supposed to feel so torn.

I wasn’t sure which emotion to settle on.

I’d been through sorrow, anger, relief, pain, fear.

It was all there, and I hated it. I didn’t want his death to have such a strong hold on me.

He was gone, and he was still capable of making me feel like shit.

Wife

Hayden? Are you okay?

Me

If we go out, will you do the talking for me?

I was only half joking. I’d been taking full advantage of Danielle’s ability to read my emotions over the past few days. She’d been my anchor and was the only reason I wasn’t locked in my room at the moment, ignoring the world.

Wife

*eye roll emoji*

Me

Is that a yes or a no?

Yes, but this offer is going to expire at some point. I’m not talking for you with your family forever.

I love you. *kiss emoji*

A silver Audi pulled into the parking lot, and a second later Danielle was running toward me a little faster than humanly possible.

She was a vision in a forest-green dress that was completely backless and dipped low between her breasts in the front.

The entire thing seemed to be held in place by two simple ties at her back, and I couldn’t wait to get her back home and undo those tempting strings.

“I love you too,” she said, rising on her toes to kiss my cheek. “Are you ready for this?”

“No, but I don’t think I really get a choice in the matter.”

“It’s going to be okay.” She took my hand in hers and squeezed. “Your dad loved you.”

“Yeah, but his way of showing love was to try to control me and make my life what he thought it should be.”

“You don’t have to do anything you don’t want to. Let’s just go listen. ”

She didn’t let go of my hand as we settled into the two chairs across from my father’s lawyer.

I wasn’t sure why I was so anxious. Dad had told me what he planned for the company shares and the rest of his wealth.

In theory, I knew what his will contained, but this was my father we were talking about.

I never knew how things were going to go when it came to him, and I’d come to expect that I wouldn’t like the outcome.

“Thank you both for joining me. Robert asked that I explain everything to you two before the family reading of the will. Hayden, according to the prenup your parents signed, Allison is entitled to half the assets acquired after their marriage in the case that they were still married at the time of Robert’s death.

The other half is split equally between you and Miles. ”

I nodded, happy to hear that Mom and Miles were each being left part of the inheritance. Dad hadn’t mentioned that when he’d given me his marriage ultimatum.

“As for the assets Robert had before the marriage or inherited from his own parents, he’s left most of it to you.

However, there is the matter of Blake Hotels.

” The lawyer shuffled papers around on the table between us.

“Robert owned sixty-five percent of the shares. He left thirty-four percent to you and thirty-one percent to your wife.”

Danielle stared at me, wide-eyed. We’d never considered that she’d be included in my father’s will, though I supposed I should have assumed as much since she was invited to this pre-reading of the will.

“Why would he do that?” she asked.

I did the math in my head, an incredulous laugh escaping when it became clear.

“To make decisions in the company, you need a majority of the shareholders to agree. Dad owned the majority, making him the ultimate decision-maker. Giving me only thirty-four percent means if I want to make any major changes in the company, I need either you or nearly half the other investors to agree. I can also be overruled if you side with our other investors against me.”

“I’m confused.”

I smirked at her. “Essentially, you have the power to screw me over, baby. This is basically as much your company as it is mine now.”

“But what’s the purpose of that?”

“If I had to guess, it’s Dad’s attempt to force me to stay married to you.”

“What the hell?”

I laughed. It was just like my father to pull something like this—one last attempt to control me from the grave.

“Can I give you my shares?”

“You can sell them within the Blake family,” the lawyer answered her.

“Okay, I’ll do that.”

“You don’t have to, Sunday School. I don’t mind sharing the company with you.”

“Well, I mind. I don’t want you staying married to me over money.”

I chuckled and lifted her hand to my lips. “Trust me, all the money in the world couldn’t convince me to leave you. You can have all the shares if you want them. I don’t care. Miles might, but he trusts you, so he probably wouldn’t mind. ”

“That’s not the point. I don’t want them.”

“Then don’t keep them. They’re yours to do with as you please.”

“Hayden.” Her tone grew serious.

“Danielle.”

She studied me, probably reading my emotions.

I hoped she was and that they would erase the little worried line between her eyebrows.

I really didn’t care what my father wanted to do with the inheritance.

I was going to give my shares to Miles as soon as he was ready to take them and go back to being an employee rather than an owner.

If Danielle wanted to stay part owner, she could do that.

If she wanted to give the shares to Miles, that was fine too. I trusted her.

“You’re really fine with this?”

“I really am.” I wasn’t going to pretend I was over all the bullshit my father had put me through, but this particular attempt at controlling me was a failure.

Danielle didn’t care about the company or the money it could make her.

She’d flat-out refused to take any money from me when we first came up with our temporary marriage deal.

Dad’s attempt to keep me married was useless.

I wouldn’t stay with my wife because of money.

I would stay with her because she was the person who made me feel whole. She was the owner of my heart, and that was worth so much more than thirty-one percent of my dad’s company.