Chapter 47
Adam’s POV
How did I ever let myself get into this situation? It would be so easy for me to blame everything on Fiona, and by extension, her father and mother. There is no doubt in my mind. that her parents are truely evil people. Now that the blinders are off, I see that Fiona is as bad
as her parents.
But I have to finally be honest with myself. I am where I am because of the choices I made. I chose to be with Fiona. I chose to listen to and believe her tale of woe. I chose to manipulate and try to f**k over Anna. What the hell was I thinking? How did I go four whole years working with her and not see how gorgeous she is? How kind she is. How freaking sexy she is? How
could I be such a blind i***t?
I could have had Anna and Fredericks Design Co. too. Now I find out that she’s not just a
millionaire, but a freaking billionaire, and getting richer by the second. If I had gone to Anna
and told her everything in the beginning, she would have seen me as her hero. I would have
been golden. I could have had it all, but what did I do? I threw it away for what? A lying,
cheating, manipulative woman who has nothing? The b*tch cheated on me, and is now
saying she’s pregnant with my baby. How would she know? If she thinks for one freaking
minute that I believe her, she better think again. I can’t have a kid with her if I’m trying to get
back wit Anna. F**k!
The messages Fiona has been sending me the past little while has got me to thinking. Maybe
I can fix this. Anna must have loved me at some point before I royally screwed up. Maybe she
still has a spark of feeling for me. Maybe I can fan that spark into flames, and she’ll forgive
me and take me back. It’s worth a chance if I can somehow get her back. Then I’ll have not
only her, but her money too. I’d be a fool not to try, right?
Sean, her security chief, had put his text and email contact into the phone he gave me. If I
contact him and send him screen shots of Fiona’s messages, that will help him protect Anna.
I’ll look like the good guy, and surely that will let Anna see that I’m worth the effort, right? It’s
worth a shot.
I opened the email app, selected Sean’s contact informatioon, and started writing. After about
five minutes of typing, and attaching the screen shots, I hit send. Let’s hope that helps me
build some trust, even a little bit is a start.
Maybe I should send an email to Anna. Let her know how sorry I am that I let her down. Let
her know how sorry I am to lose her because of my own foolishness and greed. I need to think
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about how best to do that. I don’t want her to think I regret my actions only because I found out about how wealthy she is. I need to sleep on this. Maybe I’ll have a clearer head in the
morning.
Sean’s POV
I sat and watched as Anna abruptly got off of Bradley’s lap, announced she was exhausted and was going to bed. I’m sure no one questioned that, or judged her for what some people would assume was rudeness. But the six of us left in the living room could appreciate how emotionally wrung out she had to be.
She’s had a hell of a week. Today was just one more kick in the groin to the ones received
earlier in the week. No wonder she chose to retire for the night. I’m kind of glad she did, as I
really want to discuss some things with the four men.
“Jenna, I have a feeling that Anna is going to need a sounding board. How about grabbing
another bottle of wine and a couple of glasses, and go offer your friend some much needed
comfort?” I phrased it as a question, but knowing Jenna almost as well as I know Anna, there
was no doubt she read between the lines. She gave me a slow blink, then did as I suggested.
What a day! I did not expect Adam Rivers to find out about Anna being the heriess of
Graystone International. Nor did I expect him to immediately find Anna and tell her what he
had found out, though that definitely worked in Anna’s favor. Hearing that recording helped
drive home just how far Alan, Lydia, and Fiona were prepared to go in order to take control of Greystone and billions of dollars.
I know only too well what those three are capable of doing. They went after the love of my life,
Iris. When I found out what they were planning, I almost lost it. Five years ago a retired army
buddy of mine named Wade Blackwood had approached me to do a job. That job was to
arrange an accident that would result in the death of the heiress to Graystone International.
That person was none other than Iris Fredericks., my lover, my soulmate, my wife.
Yes, my wife. We had gotten married secretly as Iris had explained everything to me. It pained
us both that we couldn’t tell Anna. I had grown to think of her as my own daughter and had
promised Iris I would do whatever I had to in order to protect both of them. And that’s exactly
what I have done.
I miss Iris. It’s been four long years since the accident. I don’t know how much longer I can
hold on. The only reason I am still in Halifax is to protect Anna. Otherwise, I would be
gone. But Iris begged me to protect her child. Protect her from Lydia, Alan and Fiona.
And from the one person that that could never inherit Greystone International. Not because they weren’t capable, but because Greystone was originally founded by Anna’s
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great–grandmother, who was insistent that only females could inherit and manage the
conglomerate. Little did she realize that she was painting a huge target on the backs of Iris
and Anna.
Now though, we have the proof we need to bring down Lydia, Alan, Fiona and the forth
member of the conspiritors. But it can only be done on Anna’s twenty–fifth birthday. I had to
make sure Anna lived, and was able to attend the surprise party being held in her honor. For it
was then all this secrecy would end. I am counting down the days to December thirty–first.
It was the only date that a challenge to her inheritance could be legally made, according to Graystone International’s Articles of Incorporation and the founders will. What’s more, any challenge had to be made in front of a specific group of people which includes the management team of each of the companies under the Graystone International umbrella.
Thank God for Bradley Gray. He has played his part in watching out for Anna. Orchestrating business deals that got her out of the city and away from Lydia, Alan and Fiona. Adam may think he organized all her trips the last few months, but it was Bradley working behind the
scenes.
Who knew that when they finally met in person that they would fall head over heels for each other? Though I shouldn’t be surprised, considering that’s what happened with Iris and me. One look at her and that was it. I was captivated. Her beauty, her intelligence, her wit, her absolute kindness. We married within two weeks of meeting each other. Looks like the same is happening with Anna.
I was brought out of my thoughts by the vibration of my cell phone, letting me know I just received an email. I opened the email and got a bit of a surprise. Adam Rivers had emailed me, and sent me screen shots of Fiona’s texts to him. Well, well, well, I wonder what his real motivation is, I thought sarcatically. As if I didn’t know. Billions of dollars would be first
my
guess.
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“Bradley, do you think Anna would mind if we used her office for our conversation? I don’t want
to chance either her or Jenna hearing our plans.”
“I believe she probably expects it. She won’t object.” he responded, standing to usher everyont
to the office, which is at the opposite end of the apartment from the bedrooms.
With the office door closed, and locked, the five of us got comfortable. I began the
conversation.
“You’ll never guess who just emailed me.” My voice reached out to to the men, halting their quiet chatter. “Adam Rivers just sent me this.” I passed the phone to Bradley who shared it with Victor. After they read the email, viewed the attachments, snorting in derision, they
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passed the phone on to Spencer and Tony. Those two had the same reactio.
Spencer’s comment solidified my thoughts. “Yeah, he’s probably thinking of the billions of dollars that is Anna’s. Probably hoping he will look like a hero and she’ll take him back.”
Bradley’s immediate reaction was one of protective possessiveness. “No f**king way! Anna is my wife. I’ll bury him before I let him near her again!”
