Page 91 of One Wealthy Wedding

“I do have a whole fleet of cars.”

“Yeah, but you’re still eating pizza. You should just hire some people. Pay them double or triple or something. A job is a job. Plus, you wouldn’t be a bad boss.”

“And you think if I do that, I’ll impress her?” The thought of having servants makes the pizza feel like a rock in my stomach, but Kai might be right. The mansion has at least ten unused, dusty rooms. And now I don’t live here alone. I could pay someone an absurd sum of money and have a team of people come in here. I don’t really need to impress Cat, but Kai doesn’t need to know that. And his utter disdain for my lifestyle is pretty funny.

He appraises me and wrinkles his brow. I look down. I’m wearing gray sweatpants and a black T-shirt. “It’s a start, I guess,” he says.

29

Theo

Gregory Peterson is in my office on Thursday. I see him through the glass on my way back from the kitchen with a fresh cup of coffee. I dreamed about Cat last night, and I’m tired and irritable today. I detour to George’s desk, where they hold court outside Miles’s office.

“I know,” they say before I can interrogate them about Cat’s father’s presence in my office. “He barged in and wouldn’t take no for an answer. I figured it was better to let you deal with him than risk him causing a scene. Since he’s your darling wife’s father and all.” George raises a brow. They’re in on the ruse, and I have to admit, I’m better equipped than anyone to deal with Gregory Peterson, even if I really don’t want to.

“Good thinking. How long has he been in there?”

“A few minutes. I have the security feed outside your office turned on so I can see if he does anything suspicious.” George gestures at their third monitor, where the security camera shows Gregory’s suited form. He’s scrolling on his phone, looking bored and rich, as always.

“Thanks.” I steel my spine and walk back to my office. It’s on the south side of the building, near Jonah, and it’s utterly impersonal. No vacation photos, no knick-knacks, just plain furniture and a giant desk with a computer.

I enter without acknowledging Gregory, because this is my domain. His age is apparent now that I’m seeing him in daylight. The grooves on his face are deeper, but they aren’t smile lines. Frown lines, then. His hair is grayer, but still thick. He’s still relatively trim, still imposing. At age eight, I thought he was impressive, worldly, a titan of industry. In the darkest parts of my heart, I thought maybe he would be a father figure to me. Now I see him for the man he is. I smile without warmth. He smiles back, a snake’s smile, one that somehow reaches his eyes despite the fact that he hates me nearly as much as I hate him. Other than in passing, like at the event a few weeks ago, I haven’t spoken with Gregory since the day he denied me a job at Peterson International and told me I’d never make anything of myself.

“What brings you to Kings Lane today?” I ask coolly.

“Just wanted to check up on my son-in-law. I’d heard the happy news, but I didn’t believe it.”

“Thank you,” I say, even though he’s not congratulating me. “Cat and I are very happy together.”

He lets out a disbelieving snort, and I expect a rude comment about how I’ll never be good enough for his daughter. “She always was willful, that one,” he says instead.

“What’s that supposed to mean?”

“Oh, come on.” He smiles again, and I can feel myself being lured in by him. I forgot how convincing he can be. “All her rebellions with you when you were younger.” He leans in conspiratorially. “You know how she is.”

I do know. Something grinds inside my chest. I was a rebellion for Cat for many years.

“Is there a point to this?” I don’t need to sit here and be reminded of my worst fears about Cat.

He gives me a rueful smile. “I’m sure she told you some sob story. But no. Cat left Rockwood of her own volition. She sees me as a villain because it’s convenient for her.” He shakes his head. “She doesn’t want me to get the shares of Peterson International.”

I shouldn’t respond. He’s almost certainly twisting the truth, but that last part was accurate. Cat doesn’t want him to get the shares. “Is that all?”

Gregory smiles slowly. “I know where this ends. She’s going to make you fall in love with her. She wants to wrap you around her finger and use Kings Lane to help her in the proxy battle she’ll have to wage to take over Peterson International. And then she’ll be gone.”

My gut clenches. It doesn’t matter. It shouldn’t matter. My heart was hardened to Cat a long time ago.

“She’s had these little rebellions before,” he says. “This isn’t her first trip to New York. She’ll be back. She likes Rockwood, likes luxury. I think you know that. Once she has what she wants from you, she’ll leave you.”

This is just speculation. It has to be. This is a version of Cat I don’t like—just like her father and only thinking of herself. It’s who she was as a teenager. It’s the reason I walked away.

“You’re not actually falling for her, right?” He laughs like that would be ridiculous. “I mean, I’m sure you like her, but don’t tell me you love her. Honestly, Theo. I thought you learned your lesson.”

I’m silent, my stomach churning, my palms sweating. Gregory Peterson knows exactly how to find a weakness and twist the knife. Did his daughter learn that skill from him?

No. Cat is showing me her true colors. She’s fragile underneath her shell, and every protective instinct in me roars that it’s this man’s fault.

“She won’t love you back, you know. You’re only going to get hurt. I saw the way you looked at her back then.” My eyes cut to his. He gives me a sympathetic smile. “Yes, I know you loved her. But Cat doesn’t love people. She looks fragile, yes, but underneath it all, she’s calculating and cold, like her mother. I’m sure you’ve seen how closed off she can be.”

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