Page 18 of Forbidden Kiss

A heated flush takes over my cheeks. “No, that’s not what I meant,” I backpedal quickly.

My usual strength melts away under her intense glare. Without fail, this girl always brings me down to size.

But my loss of dominance doesn’t faze her. Offering a tense smile, she straightens her back. “That’s okay. It doesn’t matter anymore.”

With a flick of her hand, she turns over the paper she’d placed earlier on my desk. My eyes quickly scan over it, and I see that it’s signed by a man named Harold Lane. But it’s the words on the page that make my heart race.

In the case of the death of my brother Christopher, the duties of Lane Entertainment Group shall be executed by my son, Jonathan Lane.

My breath catches in my throat before I drop the paper onto the desk with a shaky hand. It skids back towards her. “What the hell is this?”

“It’s a document from my late uncle—the one who died about five years ago.” Pressing her lips together, her mouth forms a slight grimace. “It states that my cousin Jonathan is to run Lane Entertainment if both founders have died. The founders are my father and his brother. If this is something you came up with to screw me out of the business, congratulations,” she says dryly. “You win.”

Rage simmers through my veins. My sister had warned me about the Lanes years ago. She mentioned they were an old family rival, but it was news to me. Back then, it seemed nonsensical, but now I understand the truth. I turn to face her. “Are you seriously blaming all of this on me?”

“I am.” Her tone has a matter-of-factly bounce to it. “It’s all a little too convenient.”

“Sure, this is so convenient—me paying for a company I can have no control over.” Leaning in, I give her a sardonic smile that exudes superiority. “So very convenient for me. A big win.”

“Well, I don’t know what to believe.” Looking away, she rubs her temple. “Stuff keeps flying out of nowhere, and here I am, standing next to someone who just came into my life out of the blue.”

My mouth slackens. “Your dad was just clever.”

She tilts her head to the side and purses her lips. “What?”

It seems ridiculous that I have to spell it out for her, but she must be in a state of grief. I blow out a breath and lay it on her. “Hehidthis from me. He mentioned nothing about a Jonathan in our deal.”

While closing her eyes, she shakes her head. “Why would he try to do that?”

“Because his company was failing.” My tone turns bitter. “On the brink of bankruptcy, this was his salvation. Lying to me and getting me to pay his debts was a way to save the company.”

Ava’s face contorts with disbelief while she shakes her head vehemently. “It sounds like you think he purposely misled you. My dad was many things, but he wasn’t a liar.”

I scoff at her naïve defense of her father. “Bullshit, Ava. Knowing your family, he set this whole thing up just to trap me in this mess.”

“How dare you speak about my family that way.” Rage flashes in her eyes. “He wouldn’t do this. My dad is not deceitful or manipulative, and he would never cheat someone out of millions. Why would he do this?”

After finally connecting all the dots in my mind, I let out a heavy sigh. It’s clear to me now, though I didn’t see it before. “He did it for you, Ava.”

“What?” she asks, her voice shaky.

“He fraudulently sold me his company to protect your inheritance.”

Her eyes turn glossy before she takes a step back from my desk. “You’re wrong,” she says before turning around and heading towards the door.

My chest tightens as guilt grips me. “He did it because he loved you.”

She freezes for a moment, her back still facing me. Then she leaves. And just like that, she’s gone again.

Therhythmicpitter-patterofrain against the windows creates an unusual sense of calm in Vegas. Inside my office suite at Wolfe Media, I have everything I need—a spacious desk, a comfortable sofa, and a bottle of whiskey to help me unwind.

As I run my hand through my unkept hair, I close my eyes to forget about Ava. It’s been two days since she stormed out of my office at Lane, but it feels like an eternity. Leaving the Lane building was the best decision I could make after she walked out of my office that day. Lane is hardly even my company, and Ava clearly despises me.

Why did I ever sign that wretched contract? The old man deceived me, and now I’m trapped on a sinking ship with no escape. Desperate for distraction, I turn to work—something I’ve always loved and been good at. But nothing distracts my mind from her. While I pour myself another glass of whiskey, I curse under my breath. Why did I have to get involved with her?

A sudden sound of footsteps reverberates through the usually quiet halls outside my office. Who’s here on a Sunday? Whoever it is, they deserve a bonus for their dedication. Rising from my seat, I stand in the doorway and wait.

To my surprise, Fiona walks through the door. She flips her curly hair over her shoulder as she strides towards me with purpose. To hide my messy appearance, I retreat to the sofa.

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