Page 97 of Accidental Theirs
“You already did. Twice.”
“It’s not enough.” I take a breath. “You have to understand that this is a lot for me. I’ve never... I’ve never really had a family, not outside of you and your mother, and I didn’t expect this."
“I didn't expect it either.”
“I know. And it was wrong for me to blow up on you like that.” I look at her as earnestly as I can, leaning across the table. “Can you forgive me?”
“I already have. Don’t worry about it. Emotions were high, and maybe I could have handled it better, too.”
I let out a relieved breath. “I’m so glad you understand. You’re not just my employee, but one of my best friends. And I plan to be here for you in any way that I can.”
“And if it’s not yours?—”
I wave a hand to dismiss her fears. “If it’s not mine, I’ll still be here for you. No matter what.”
She gives me a shaky smile and sips her tea. “That’s really good to hear, Damien.” She pauses for a long moment. “On the other hand, what are we going to do about Carter Holdings?”
I sigh. “That’s the million-dollar question, isn’t it?”
“Dominic thinks we have a leak.”
I stiffen. “A leak? Really?”
“I’ve gone over it and over it in my mind, and I can’t think of anyone who would want to sabotage us.”
I think about it for a moment.
Yvonne has always been a champion of the little guy, and she pays everyone well. Since she passed, Olivia hasn’t changed any of the contracts, and most of the people that we work with are friends of hers.
“I can’t, either. Are you sure he’s right?”
She nods. “He sounded pretty sure. He’s going to stall for us, get us some time to figure this out.”
A brief shock of jealousy rushes through me.
Dominic to the rescue, I guess.
“I’m sorry I ever kept it from you,” I say quietly, and Olivia presses her lips together but doesn’t answer. “You were right to be upset with me about it. I was just worried that you’d stress out and cancel the merger, and if you do...”
“We go under.”
I nod. “Exactly. But now you’re saying Titan wants to dissolve us?”
She huffs out a breath. “That’s what Dominic says. He says with debt like ours, it would be their safest move.”
He’d know.
It’s not exactly that I’m suspicious that Dominic is involved in this—I don’t think he’d ever do anything to hurt Olivia, but it seems like really weird timing that her ex happens upon this information.
Is he using it to leverage time with her?
Because if so, that’s not going to fly. I may be one of a few options, but I don’t plan on taking this lying down.
I want Olivia and everything that comes with her, and I’m not going to let Dominic outshine me.
Or Sebastian, for that matter.
“What about the new employees? People hired after Mom passed away?”
