Page 9 of Why Not Forever?

Instead she says, “What’s he offered you?”

“Fifty per cent shares and CEO.”

“So you’re offering me twenty-five per cent and what position?”

“Yes, on the percentage. Position we can negotiate. I wouldn’t be averse to staying the COO and you becoming CEO. Or vice versa.”

She nods as though this cold logic makes perfect sense to her. I suppose it does. She’s not a cold woman, but sheisruled by logic.

“Fifty per cent isn’t enough,” she says after a moment of consideration.

“What do you mean?”

“The Board holds twenty-five. If Dad gives you fifty, he still holds twenty-five. In disputes, there could be a deadlock. You need fifty-one.”

I grin. “That’s why you should be CEO. I never considered that.”

She almost laughs. Then she shakes her head. “There’s too many ways this could go wrong. Besides, you’ve worked for Dad for over seven years. You don’t feel any loyalty to him at all?”

I meet her gaze straight on. “Do you think he deserves my loyalty, Vic?”

She meets my look for a long time and doesn’t answer. Finally, she relaxes back into her chair again and I mirror her movement out of habit more than any other reason.

“You could have tried manipulating me into dating you, played the long game, gained the whole thing without having to give me any of it.”

It was something she might consider, but still, cold disgust washes through me at the thought and I lean forward again, ignoring what I’ve learned about not showing emotions in negotiations.

“Let me make one thing perfectly clear. I’ve learned a lot from Richard over the years, including how to manipulate people. He is incredibly skilled at it, and I’ve picked up most, if not all, of his tricks. But I swear to you on my life, I willnevermanipulate you.”

She watches me for a long moment, assessing. If I’ve learned Richard’s tricks over the past seven years, she’s certainly learned them over her whole life. I can only hope she sees my sincerity now.

She gives me a small nod. “I believe you. So what is your proposal, exactly? We fake a marriage until he signs over the shares?”

I shake my head. “Not fake. He’d see right through that.”

“You think we shouldactuallyget married?”

“Yes.”

“Then what? Do we move in together? Fake a relationship?”

“No, Vic. We’re not faking anything. Everything is real. We get married. I’m with you, you’re with me. We live together. The whole thing. It’s the only way he’ll believe it. But we’ll have an expiry date he doesn’t know about. It can’t be too soon after the paperwork is finalized. We’ll need to sort out those details.”

She crosses her arms over her chest. “That’s ridiculous. We haven’t spoken to each other in seven years. We can’t justbe togethernow. What if I’m in a relationship?”

“Are you?”

It was the one thing I worried about. She brought someone to the last family dinner and from what Richard has said in passing at work, Vic had been dating someone recently, but I don’t remember where that stands. I try hard not to pay too close attention to who she’s dating for fear of not being able to hide any possible jealousy.

She glares at me, and I grin.

“If you’re single, and I’m single, there’s nothing standing in our way.” I spread my hands as though to show how the way is clear.

“Nothing except we can’t stand each other,” she says.

“I never said I couldn’t stand you. It’s onlyyouwho can’t standme. So you need to ask yourself, is that worth getting in the way of finally getting control—partial control, anyway—of Sterling Properties? I have a feeling it isn’t.”

She regards me skeptically for a long moment.

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