ity. The grandfather clock in the corner ticked

ace with a shaking hand. "Der

he won't cheat on me at my own engagemen

er arm. "He's... unwell. Seriously u

s hand. "I know what I'

ng. Powerful backing. "It's impossible," she argued, her voice shrill. "Dereck is unfit fo

the alliance," Annette countered. "I can h

s, then at Hank. He saw the ruin of his plans in Hank'

closer to the desk, "I want the primary Fa

d. "That's my trust!

ped at him. "Before you thr

ts in Bolton Industri

giving power to a ghost. To a

to think she was grabbing power through a puppet. "Dereck won't use them," she sai

. Ruin vs. Dereck. Bankrup

dward sai

his father in betrayal

," Edward said coldly. "

't the romantic girl he knew. This was a strategist. "We need the p

s a sharp, dangerous smile. "Looks

knuckles were white. She had spent years sidelining Dereck, waiting for him to

say?" Lucas asked,

dismissively. "He lives under

an from her memories. The one who supposedly died of an overdose a year from n

said to the lawyer. "And E