THE ASSISTANT'S INHERITANCE

l in the armchair beside the massive four-poster bed, her spine straight despite the exhaustion that weighed on her sh

months of illness. The cancer had hollowed his cheeks and dulled the fierce intelligence in his ey

et it still carried the authority that co

his gift on her fourth work ann

laugh. "Still following the rules. It's

the hint of a smile. This was th

where Manhattan's lights glittered again

was. Jamie St. James Jr., the prodigal son who h

d, keeping her voice neutral. "I

thinks he has all the time in t

though she'd handled enough of the fallout from their estrangem

s Sr. said, his breathing labored.

e answered wit

I've ever had. No-" He waved away her practiced modesty. "Don't argue. We both know it's true.

separately for years, his son estranged-she had become something else to him. Not

. "Call Jamie. Not as my assistant

cares about yo

m whatever you need to. Make him understand that time i

ed hard. "I'll

study-a room where she'd spent countless hours reviewing contracts, preparing briefings, and occa

ever dialed it before. Her thumb hovered over the screen. This wasn't a busi

ed the ca

ore he answered, his voice cu

r Knox." She kept her voice m

r off. "I know who you are, Ms. Kn

er hackles, but she pushed the fee

d significantly in the last twenty-four

interrupted again. "He has the best

father's executive assistant right now. I'm calling as someone who cares

n the other e

she continued. "Whateve

sharp. "With all due respect, Ms. Knox, you don't k

s falling like stones. "And I know he w

ime. When he spoke again, his

est I could get there is

ered. "Tha

him I received his messages. Tell him whatever you want. But I buried my relationsh

ath her professional veneer. "This isn't a

ther taught me that. Actions have consequences. His taught him t

all e

her ear. The bitterness in Jamie's voice had been palpable, but

and she never asked. But in that moment, she hated Jamie St. James Jr. for his stubborn

urned to the bedroom. James Sr. was watching t

o deliver the full brutal truth. "H

guish completely. James Sr. nodd

hers. His fingers, once strong enough to crush boardroom

omise from you," he

she repeated

eading if nothing else." His eyes held hers, suddenly intense. "He'

r throat tight

he monster you think he is. And he's not the man I raised h

ing her exit for months, her dream of returning to architecture finally within rea

at little strength he had left. "But p

? "I promise," she said, the words a

ou're the only one I trust to tel

hing" encompassed. She suspect

g shadows across the room, and the medical equipment continued its quiet vigil. H

's deathbed. The man she would soon have to face across a conference table. Th

ne. And Harper would face the hardest challenge of her profe

small drama playing out in the penthouse above. Harper Knox straigh