Total pages in book: 93
Estimated words: 87996 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 440(@200wpm)___ 352(@250wpm)___ 293(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 87996 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 440(@200wpm)___ 352(@250wpm)___ 293(@300wpm)
“And, that is business. What does it have to do with my family or me?”
“It’s not just business. It’s business done in bad faith, and it makes DuBois, specifically Marksen, look like he doesn’t have his family’s cutting edge or business savvy. He appears incompetent, and as much as I hate to admit it, Marksen is many things but incompetent isn’t one of them. I think these moves are intentionally designed to make it look like the DuBois blood has run thin, and it’s time they cull the herd.”
“Like you did with the Montagues?”
CHAPTER 34
AMELIA
That caught my attention.
I had never really known what happened to that family.
One day they were throwing the best parties and considered the “it” family and the next they had vanished. Rumors swirled, of course, everything from embezzlement and prison, to just returning to their family estates in England. There was no telling what was and wasn’t true. The only thing people could agree on was that Ashley, the eldest son, had taken control of the family business which he then stripped down and sold for parts.
“Counselor, are you accusing me of something?” Luc asked, leveling a look at Harrison. The entire room became tense, and I had no idea what was happening.
“No, I am stating that what you did was illegal, unethical, and don’t fool yourself into thinking that I don’t know about it.” Harrison didn’t back down to Luc like most men did. He was just as intimidating and sitting at the same breakfast table with them made me feel small.
I was just a little girl sitting between two Titans ready to battle.
“Then arrest me, though you will never get those charges to stick. You don’t have any evidence.”
“I don’t have any evidence because I don’t need it.” Harrison narrowed his eyes. “The Montagues needed to be dealt with. One son, Rupert, was trafficking young women and children from Eastern Europe. I allowed you to do what you did so I could finish the job. But make no mistake, I know who you are and what your family does. Do not think for a second you got away with bullshitting me or pinning your crimes on my family. My sister’s love will only protect you from so much.”
Luc’s jaw clicked and his fingers flexed in mine. Those were the only outward signs of his frustration, and as quickly as they appeared they were gone.
“I am not the one going after Marksen. He hit me, I hit him back. As far as I was concerned, our feud was done.”
“I’m still not hearing what that has to do with me or my family.” Harrison’s posture relaxed, seemingly satisfied with Luc’s response as he grabbed a croissant from the basket on the table.
“The transactions are all done through shell companies that look like they are part of my holdings but aren’t.” Luc let go of my hand, picked up the plate in front of me, and started putting food on it. I was never a big breakfast person, but he liked to take care of me, and I liked to let him.
“What do you mean it looks like they are part of your holdings? Wouldn’t it be easy to tell?”
“Not necessarily,” responded Luc, placing the plate in front of me with a stern look as he handed me a silver fork.
Harrison sat back in the upholstered kitchen chair. “But again, none of this points to my family.”
“I followed the money to the shell companies that look like they’re part of Manwarring Enterprises, and they all lead back to shell companies in Tuxedo Park.” Luc stared at Harrison while he spoke, like he was trying to read his expression.
“Fuck.” Harrison ran his fingers through his hair, something I hadn’t seen him do since he was a child. He only ever indulged in nervous tics when he was frustrated.
“Still, that isn’t proof that this is someone in my family,” I said. “Yes, the Astrid estate developed and owns a good deal of Tuxedo Park but ...” I trailed off when I saw the look in Harrison’s eyes.
“It’s not just that, sweetheart.” Luc picked up my hand again and kissed it before lacing our fingers together and then picking up his coffee with his left hand.
“What is the rest of your evidence?” Harrison suddenly looked tired.
I had a feeling he was in the dark about what was happening, but he was starting to put it all together.
“I don’t have any other evidence, but I have theories. And I think you are coming to the same conclusions I am.”
“Well, can someone fill me in?” I asked.
“Why was your mother at our wedding breakfast?” Luc asked, facing me. “She said she wouldn’t celebrate our marriage and she wasn’t there for the wedding, but she still came to the breakfast?”
Luc was being kind. My mother had called me a few choice words when she said she wouldn’t attend our wedding.