was too white, too

rt attack had been massive but not fatal-not yet. The emergency team had stabilized him within minutes of

h w

sixty-two, she was still elegant, still composed, her silver hair styled perf

et and the expression doctors wore when delivering news no one wanted to

tightened. "

e. "The heart attack was a symptom, not the primary issue. The scans

tightened o

ued quietly. "Stage four. It's aggressiv

to contract ar

ard demanded, his voice s

rapy to manage symptoms and potentially extend your time, but I need to be ho

na's voice was

, possibly a year. Maybe slightly more if you respond well, but..." H

dy beeping, indifferent to the de

jecting the information even as he absorbed it. A year. Maybe less.

e alone with my wi

the oncology team come by later to discuss treatmen

osed softly

ng silence broken only by the monitors a

lly said, her voice c

errupted. "Don'

ng down her face anyway. "A ye

be m

s hand harder. "This can't be

ld enough to slow down? When I should have retired years ag

ng to the window, arms wrapped around hers

t y

"Not yet? Richard, they're you

" Richard's tone left no room for argument

se slightly. "You're dyi

wincing at the movement. "Everything I've built-the company, the fortune, the l

tting heavily. "Damien and Adrian

akened state. "One of them needs to lead. One needs t

matter ri

ths-maybe a year if I'm lucky-to make the most important decision of my lif

egacy. This is about our family. Our sons.

expression hardened. "And what I give the

e both

competent? There's a difference, Elena. A vast difference

she'd loved for forty years, now drawn and

nking that men prove themselves through pressure. Through compe

ice held warning. "Don't

know what I

actly what you're thinking. You're going to turn you

ze steadily. "Woul

They've always been close, always supported each other despite your constant pushing f

ch one deserves eve

rve it! They're

g. "Elena, I need to know. Before I die, I need to know which one will

oking every one of her sixty-two years. "An

ifted-calculating, dete

fraid

blood. About family continuing. About g

dened. "No. Ric

and becomes CEO," Richard said, his voice gaining strength. "The other gets

oke. "It's manipulative and cr

rected. "Their true natures. Their

on them again

t strong enough

ss that had built an empire-and recognizing that s

ispered. "Please

ckered in his eyes. "I'm dying, Elena. I have months. Maybe

our sons. Both o

it needs one leader." He paused. "I've

ing down her face again

th absolute certainty

she knew that expression on his face. She'd seen

n Richard decided something, nothing i

d quietly. "When w

nce I'm strong enough." He met her eyes

't a qu

an who'd given her everything and was about

hen this destroys our family, when our sons e

his face towa

rice," he said quie