“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 laughescaping 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.
EPILOGUE
Danielle
Three Months Later
My breath caughtas the music started and Allison appeared at the end of the makeshift aisle. She was radiant. The dress she’d asked me to make for her had turned out perfectly—a sparkly off-the-shoulder number that glinted in the afternoon sunlight. But the dress had nothing on the happiness that emanated from her. I could see it in her smile, in her eyes, in the way it overtook her aura and left no room for any other emotions.
I glanced back at the wooden archway where Zeb stood, his eyes locked on his bride.
It was still a little strange to see him looking like a man in his fifties rather than the twenty-year-old I’d met in the hospital the day Hayden almost died. As angels, we could look any age we wanted to as long as we’d actually matured to that point already. As soon as the deal had been made with my brothers, Zeb had switched hisappearance to look like he was Allison’s age. In a way, the change in his appearance made it easier for me. He no longer looked like the Fallen who’d blackmailed me. It was almost possible to believe he was a completely different person.
