Chapter 13 - Ryan’s New Smile
Security refused to let Ryan past the gate until Julian gave permission.
I almost told him not to.
Then I remembered all the years Ryan had controlled conversations simply because everyone else wanted to avoid conflict.
Not anymore.
“Let him in,” I said.
Julian studied me.
“You’re sure?”
“Yes.”
Ryan entered the library ten minutes later.
He looked different.
The expensive suits were gone.
So were the diamond cufflinks and the carefully styled arrogance.
He wore a simple navy suit and a white shirt without a tie.
He had lost weight.
But his smile was familiar.
That same dangerous smile that said he believed he knew something nobody else did.
“Clare.”
“Ryan.”
His eyes moved to Julian.
“Brother.”
Julian remained standing.
“You have five minutes.”
Ryan chuckled.
“Still dramatic.”
“You came to my home uninvited.”
“Our home,” Ryan corrected softly, looking around at the library. “Or have you forgotten who grew up here too?”
Julian’s expression didn’t move.
Ryan looked at me.
“I assume you got the photograph.”
“You sent it?”
“No.”
“Then who?”
“Eleanor.”
That surprised both of us.
Ryan noticed.
“Interesting. Julian hasn’t told you everything.”
“He told me enough.”
“Did he tell you Eleanor has documents bearing his signature?”
Julian’s voice hardened.
“Those documents are financing agreements.”
Ryan shrugged.
“Some lawyers disagree.”
I stepped forward.
“What do you want?”
Ryan studied me.
For one brief moment, something almost human crossed his face.
Regret.
Then it disappeared.
“I came to give you an opportunity.”
I laughed.
“You always did like offering people things that belonged to them already.”
His jaw tightened.
“Vale Capital files suit Monday morning. They’re going to ask a New York court to invalidate the transfer provisions triggered by your marriage.”
“Good luck.”
“They don’t need to invalidate the marriage itself,” Ryan said. “Only the trust benefits attached to it.”
Julian narrowed his eyes.
“What did you give them?”
Ryan smiled.
“Everything.”
Julian crossed the space between them so quickly I barely saw him move.
He stopped inches from Ryan.
“If you forged anything—”
“I didn’t need to.”
Ryan looked past him toward me.
“Grandfather kept correspondence. Letters. Memoranda. Notes from family council meetings. I knew where the archived duplicates were stored.”
My blood chilled.
“You stole family records.”
“I recovered records Father intended to destroy.”
“And handed them to a corporate raider.”
Ryan’s mouth twisted.
“You handed my life to Julian. Consider us even.”
The words told me everything.
This wasn’t business.
Ryan still believed that my decision to leave him had been something done to him.
He had learned nothing.
“You lost your life because you betrayed everyone who trusted you,” I said.
Ryan’s expression flickered.
“You think Julian is different?”
“Yes.”
“You’re certain?”
“Yes.”
He looked genuinely angry at that.
“Then you’re a bigger fool than I was.”
Julian opened the library door.
“Get out.”
Ryan started walking.
At the threshold, he stopped.
“One more thing, Clare.”
I said nothing.
He glanced back.
“Adrian Vale doesn’t actually want Whitmore Group.”
“What does he want?”
Ryan smiled.
May you like
“You.”
Then he walked away.
