Chapter 3

But when he'd heard me out, all he said was, "There are plenty of roads that lead up in this world. But if you want to keep climbing, either you get strong enough that everyone bows to you, or you find a way to take their money."

"The money and the power in this world—if you won't do everything you can to wrestle it out of their hands, and instead sit there talking about your pride, then you're a joke."

"It doesn't matter who you are. First you need money, then you'll have the nerve to stand your ground. Once you've got that, then you can have power."

I scoffed at all of it.

It wasn't until the car crash shattered my leg and I couldn't even cover the surgery that I understood how much money mattered.

Back then I had no one. The only person I could turn to was Grant.

All these years later, he's still the only one I can go to.

Sitting in the café, I laughed at myself, bitterly. When Grant walked in and saw the state of me, he couldn't help frowning.

I started to greet him, but he cut me off. "This isn't the place to talk."

Then he took me to a private restaurant, got us a room, and went straight to the point. "How much did the divorce get you?"

I pulled the divorce agreement out of my bag and handed it over.

Grant took one look and his whole face lit up. "Lois Thomas is generous, I'll give her that. Every property in her name goes to you, plus thirty million in settlement money. You made out like a bandit."

I don't know why my eyes suddenly stung, but the tears wouldn't stop.

"Grant, this wasn't what she planned to give."

I'd read the first draft of the agreement. Lois had given me one apartment, not big, about a thousand square feet, three bedrooms, enough for one person to live in.

The settlement wasn't small either. Two million, and then half a million a year after that for living expenses.

More than enough for me to live comfortably on my own.

But to Lois, that money was nothing, a drop in the bucket. It left me with this feeling that I didn't deserve it.

Maybe it wasn't just a feeling.

Grant didn't try to comfort me when I cried. He just pulled a couple of napkins out and pressed them into my hand, and only once I'd calmed down did he say, "Then you're good. Rich people are usually tight-fisted, always afraid someone's after their money. Getting this much out of Lois Thomas takes real skill."

I opened my mouth and didn't know what to say.

The truth was, marrying Lois, I'd never once thought about getting anything out of her, and Grant knew that.

That's why, three years ago, when Lois and I registered our marriage, he was the one who cut off contact with me.

It was only when the divorce agreement landed in my hands that something in me refused to accept it.

Refused to accept being kicked out of my own home over one sentence from another man.

So without thinking, I'd wanted to do something.

Grant seemed to read my mind. He put the agreement back in my hand and said, "You did nothing wrong. When it comes to money and a person, you've got to want one of them."

Then he called the waiter over and ordered a bottle of champagne.

"Victor Pruitt, congratulations on escaping the grave that is marriage, and congratulations on becoming a rich man. Cheers!"

My fingers tightened around the glass, and I didn't hide it. "Grant, I still have to get home to see the baby."

"How old?"

"Born just a few days ago."

Grant slammed his glass down. "Lois Thomas really is a piece of shit."

He was so furious his vision went black, and it took him a while to come back to himself. When he did, he was blunt about it. "The months are still early. End it now, don't keep the kid."

My eyes went wide with shock.

I'd assumed Grant would tell me to take the baby and then keep hitting Lois up for child support.

When he heard what I'd been thinking, he let out a sneer. "I did what I did because no one can guarantee my future. But you? You already got a settlement that big. What do you need a kid for? Do you really want to be tied to Lois Thomas for the rest of your life?"

One line, and everything came clear.