Total pages in book: 166
Estimated words: 157273 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 786(@200wpm)___ 629(@250wpm)___ 524(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 157273 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 786(@200wpm)___ 629(@250wpm)___ 524(@300wpm)
“Naturally.” Isaac got out of his chair and walked my way. “Not going to lie and say I wasn’t annoyed to see you decided to debut one of my numbers without telling me, but the execution was superb, and it’s piqued some great interest online.”
“Flawless,” I corrected him, catching his eye as he walked by. “I was flawless. Eva’s waiting out there—would you send her in, please?”
“Flawless.” He nodded with a cocky smirk. “And of course. Though I do hate to miss what’s sure to be a delicious little catfight.”
I opened the envelope I’d brought with me and pulled out the two Anne had put inside as the noise of the party flooded the room. Eva walked in and shut the door, cutting out all the noise except the waves that crashed against the hull.
“Are we negotiating a family rate?” Vasily shifted in his seat, his eyes narrowing as he glanced between us. “Does Eva require an empty seat in her theater as well?”
Eva moved to my side and remained quiet.
“You have a choice to make.” I held up the first envelope in my right hand. “You can accept these signed nondisclosure agreements in return for filling out a nonidentifying medical history form and a release of parental rights—”
He rocked forward and slammed his hands on the table, and my pulse leapt. “Not you. I expected this from your mother and Eva, but not you.”
“Oh. Did Lina catch you off guard?” I asked, tilting my head. “Or did she have Mom do the dirty work for her? Please, do tell me which one of them had the temerity to look you in the eye and blackmail you so you’d offer Lina a contract that year?”
He drummed his fingertips on the table, then sat back.
“He’s not going to answer,” Eva said softly.
“Of course not, he wouldn’t want to admit it. Would you?” I lowered the envelope to the table. “That’s okay. I put it together. Lina came begging for another shot when you didn’t sign her at eighteen. We all know that.”
He didn’t flinch.
“And you don’t give her one, of course. You only accept the best, and you’d already found her lacking. But you did abuse the power dynamic and take her up on what she was offering, didn’t you? Fast-forward a few months and she fakes an injury to get a leave of absence from San Francisco because she’s pregnant, and instead of calling you, she called our mother. Am I close?” Click. Click. Click. I tapped the corner of the envelope on the table. “I’m fairly certain you don’t know any of the details for very good reason, so let’s skip ahead to you getting blackmailed. I’m guessing it was Lina.”
He held my stare unnervingly, but his right eyebrow twitched.
“And I’m guessing she said something along the same lines as my sweet baby sister here did about a month ago, which was probably I know you have a child that violates your very public, very ironclad prenup. A child that would cost you the company you’ve dedicated your life to building. I know where this child is, and if you give me what I want, the secret will stay between us. Does that sound right?”
“It’s annoyingly accurate,” Eva noted. Her calm tone was at odds with the white-knuckled grip she had on the back of the chair as the boat dipped.
Movement caught my eye to the left, and I grabbed hold of the chair again. Water splashed up over the deck as we rose up into the next wave. It was always choppy as hell for the first half hour, and tonight was no exception.
“Is that what you’re saying to me, Alessandra?” Vasily laced his fingers in front of his chest.
“Not at all.” I shook my head. “Though I am mildly curious to hear if it’s how my mother secured my contract as well.”
“Mildly?” A corner of his mouth quirked. “Knowing you, that question must be eating you alive. Are you worthy of your position? Are you good enough?”
My stomach nearly flipped.
“A few months ago, that would have ruined me,” I admitted. “But not anymore. And I’m not here about a contract or a role. Not mine. Not Eva’s.” I let go of the chair and pushed both envelopes across the table. “Choose. Envelope one: everyone who suspects you’re the father of this child has signed an NDA, and you can have them for the price of signing the release of parental rights and a medical form. Or envelope two: our signed statements and a copy of said child’s original birth certificate get dropped into the hands of whoever grabs it first when I walk out this door. I mean, assuming you have no desire to parent said child, but I’m guessing that point would have been made about ten years ago.” I lifted my chin and mustered all the bravado in my body to hold this particular mask in place.