Associates had told him to wait.

aggressively of lemon polish and fresh coffee. Across the room, a wall-mounted television was pl

eyes, he saw the boy. He saw the dark hair, the sharp

enior partner, a man in his late fifties with a perfectly tailored s

ur said, not offering

nto the corner office

ody hearing at noon. Elena Sterling is trying to have her fiancé adopt my

t down. He leaned back in his chair,

gal team this morning. They've put out a memo to every major firm in the city. Any lawyer

ened. "I'll pay yo

tired. "Your accounts are frozen. Your company is in receiv

Damian said, h

s," Arthur replied. He sighed and picked up

-

s mother's estate. The wipers scraped against the

ion and parked behind her Mercedes. He didn't bothe

ing a novel and drinking tea from a delicate porcelain cup. She looked up

look terrible

said. He stood in front of her, dripp

r cup down. "Do

teady. "I'm asking for a loan. Elena has a son. My son. She's trying to h

ong moment. Then, she laughed.

Damian, you threw that woman out in the middle of the night because

an said, his voice rising

ng to bankrupt us. I have already sold my shares of the company to Julian Vance. The money

r eyes was absolute. There was no matern

nster," Dami

her book. "Get out

e didn't slam the door. He

-

y for ten minutes. He couldn't feel his hands. The exha

uzzed in th

te clinic. He had given them a swab of his DN

d the at

y of Patern

es. He didn't cry. He was too tired to cry. He just sat there, the pho

r if he didn't have a lawyer. It did

n drive and head

-

dark glass. Damian parked his car illegally on the cu

him immediately. He was the man

e," one of the guards said

my way," D

rd the private executive elevator. He jammed his thumb against the button.

ed against the wall, breathing hard. He clutched the p

oors

e gone, probably at lunch. Damian walked down the long

bbed the brass handle a

g in the large office. "I have pro

died in hi

looked out over the city. Elena was standing by her de

sn't a

r. But he wasn't standing

et box. A massive diamond ring ca

nt complete

g in the doorway, his expression didn't change. He just l

f paper in his hand. For a fraction of a second, her face

he had legal rights. It meant her carefull

Elena. He smiled. It was

an said softl

t her eyes on Damian. The silence st

the front of her dress. The mask of the CEO

looked down at Julian, a beauti

and steady. "I will marry you. Let's mo

ned. He stood up an

drop out from under hi

Fine. But it won't matter. We are getting married tomorrow at noon. By tomorrow

ls clicking on the floor. She

said quietly. "Before I have

and on her shoulder. He looked at Damian, a

the lady,"

door and grabbed Damian by the arms,

t was Elena turning her back on him, leaning into Juli