a hand, dismi

ce his way-her gaze remained fixed on Magnus, as if Darius were nothing more than a piece of furniture

tmosphere shifted. The family drama was

d, corporate predator. The eyes that had been clouded m

gnus began, his voice hardening. "You can have your divorce. But

you made an investment. I'm prepared to be generous and return your

y, transforming a share

ement we signed is clear. I didn't give you a

. "Based on the current valuation, that stake is worth on

n't be greedy. You're an orphan from the Rust Belt. Five hundred million is

aponizing

ad just made a fatal mistake. He had shown her, with absolute clarity, exactly ho

stated evenly. "I'm entitled to eve

en hundred million. My final

n was gone. Or perhaps he had never existed at all. "It se

rned t

y before you do that. That initial five hundred million of yours... are y

he air. He was accusing

ident he had her cornered. "You know what happens when federal agencies star

g genuine and deeply chilling passed through her dark eyes-something almost like a smile. The money was cl

lity. That was what he believed, anyway. He had no

e froze when he saw the faint smil

rward, planting both hands flat on the polished wood, bringing her face

ou think you were intimidating some desperate housewife with empty threats? Not only will I get my one poi

leaving the patriarch of the Lloyd fam

eatened to expose her past. Fine. She would deliver him a war so total, so devastating, tha

abelle Stone had nev