Caldwe

n and struck the brass s

n the study looked

saw me, his body stiffened, and his first instinct was to take a step back, angling his broa

ive gesture. He truly belie

ckly, and dropped to her knees on the Persian rug.

"I know you hate me. I know you think I stole him from you last night. If you want to punish someone, punish me! Ruin my reputation, te

ticulously smudged, giving her the appe

ff, and screamed at her to stop acting. And Hudson would have immediat

l my coat back. I simply looked at her

to me, his eyes blazing with cold reprimand. "Are you proud of yourself, Emerson? Look at what you've

three years, this was his method of handling our disputes:

l

k echoed thr

he seventy-year-old patriarch stood up, his face flushed with anger,

speak to Emerson like that! In this house, she is your fiancée and the daughter of the man who saved my li

o his old knee injuries from the fire. He walked straight to me,

isten to them. I built this company, and nobody can take Hudson's position unless I allow it. If he

face. The lines around his eyes w

ery. When I had nightmares, he sat by my bed reading fairy tales until I fell asleep. When Hudson and I were teenagers, Ernesto would

's love for Hudson's love, believing that because the father owed

tude cannot be inherited, and love

placed my hand over Erne

alm. "I didn't come here to complain about Hudson. A

small. "Then why did Director Vance ask Hudso

etely, keeping my e

ly return the engagement ring

went de

is brow furrowed in irritation. "Emerson, enough! Stop using the e

, turning my head to look at him calm

desperate. "No, child, you can't! Is it because of this woman? I will ban her from New York! I will send Huds

ilt on obligation is a prison for both people. My father died to give you a full life, not to turn your son into a hostage. Hudso

truction once. I wou

tiny, triumphant smirk flickering across the corner of he

ten seconds. He heard the finality in my voice. It wasn't the screaming of a

a heavy, ragged sigh

If, after seven days, you still want to leave... I will sign whatever papers you want, and I will set up an

who had raised me. I could n

rnesto," I agreed q

heel, and walked out of the study wi