Page 117 of Revenge (Corrupt Empire 3)

“Okay,” I said. “I’m trying.”

The relief I saw in her eyes fractured me in two. On the one hand, I was angry with Tina for keeping the truth from me, but on the other hand, I understood it. She wanted to spare me that pain. And she had to think about how she could continue to afford to raise me and live. She relied on Rick for financial support. It was only after I started working for the Daniels that I set her up with a retirement fund. They paid me more than enough so it was something I could do for her. So she was no longer reliant on anyone else.

I couldn’t allow this one thing to destroy my relationship with Tina, but I had to take some time to calm down about it before I talked to her. Besides, I didn’t really have time to think too much on it. There were still things Rick had to tell us.

I looked over Avery’s head at him.

“Why is she so important? What does Avery have to do with it all?”

“Why, everything,” he replied, his expression grim.

Avery turned around in my arms to stare at him.

“What do you mean everything?” she asked.

“You’re the final nail in the coffin, Avery. You own your father’s company and you can either bring it crashing down or there is another option.”

“And what would that be?”

He stood up and took a couple of steps towards us before he stopped and spread his hands.

“You can sell the company to The Harris Corporation for more than you could ever hope to get on the open market and wash your hands of it entirely.”

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