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She laughed, completely unmoved by the insult. “You’ve always thought I was unfeeling, but nothing could be further from the truth. I feel deeply.”
That was halfway true, at least. She cared deeply about her family and the people she was closest to. As her husband, however, he had not been able to elicit the same love and compassion she expressed toward others. He’d tried but been unable to make her happy, and one day, she simply cut him off at the knees when she became tired of the marriage.
He couldn’t say he was surprised, but he’d nonetheless been blindsided when she left. He still carried major resentment over the way she skipped out of their marriage and ran back home to her father’s mansion.
“You came here for a reason. What do you want?”
“You should take a seat for this,” Annabelle said, waving toward his leather chair.
She spoke in a lowered voice. Her seduction voice—low and throaty and bringing back memories that lashed his skin with heat.
His eyes narrowed in distrust. “Why do I need to sit down?”
“I’m not sure you’ll like what I’m about to say.” She gave a careless, one-shoulder shrug.
“Tell me so we can get this meeting over with, and I can go back to more important tasks, like practicing my golf swing.” He glanced at the Patel Philippe watch on his wrist. “You have sixty seconds to explain why you’re here, and then I’m calling security to escort you out.”
She let out an exaggerated sigh. “Fine. I have a proposition for you.”
“I cannot wait to hear it,” Dante said in a dry voice.
Another fake smile. “My father plans to step down as the CEO of Buchanan & Buchanan within the next few months.”
“Time is ticking. You have twenty-seven seconds.”
“Be patient, darling. I promise you’ll want to hear this,” she said, strolling over to the bar where he kept beverages for guests. She poured herself a glass of water and took a sip before turning to face him.
“Seventeen seconds.”
Annabelle arched an eyebrow. “When he steps down, he plans to recommend a merger to the board—a merger with his friend’s company, Strong Technology, Inc. They’re a privately owned firm specializing in smart home technology to modernize residential properties and make them more efficient. Daddy has threatened to go through with this merger for years.”
“What does that have to do with me?” Dante tapped his watch as a reminder.
“Nothing, directly.” Annabelle finished the water and carefully placed the glass on a silver tray atop the bar. “Except for the proposition I mentioned. Instead of merging the companies and having Albert Strong take over as CEO, I want Daddy to recommendmeas CEO to the board, but unfortunately, he won’t because of his traditional values.”
A brief flash of pain zipped across her eyes, so fast he almost missed the emotion.
“That’s your problem. Again, what does your father’s decision have to do with me?”
She looked him squarely in the eyes. The haughty indifference disappeared, and a tough negotiator took its place. “My father admires and respects you. He thinks you’re a great businessman because of all you’ve accomplished in the ten years since our divorce. You’ve made quite a splash in the commercial real estate market. Therefore, my proposition is simple. I want to take over my father’s company, and I need you to help me make that happen. I’m proposing that you and I remarry.”
Dante cocked his head toward her in disbelief. “Excuse me, I misunderstood what you said. My English is not so good.”
“Your English is excellent. Probably better than mine at this point, so I know you understood perfectly what I said. I’m suggesting we get married again—a marriage of convenience, if you will. A mutually beneficial arrangement for both parties, you and me. My father will be happy to have you back in the family because he did like you, and now he has newfound respect for you thanks to all your accomplishments. Based on a conversation we had, I’m convinced he would recommend me for the CEO positionifhe thought you’d be involved in helping me with B&B, as needed. Our marriage would be temporary. Sometime after I take the reins of the company, you and I will have an amicable divorce. Not right away, of course. We want our reunion to be believable, but we simply split because we couldn’t make our marriage work for a second time.”
Dante folded his arms over his chest. Unbelievable.
“Your plan is to remarry and trick your father into believing you and I are happily married, so he will hand over the company to you when he steps down? That’s your plan?”
She smiled brilliantly. “Yes.”
“Ahquerida, t’eres loca,” Dante said.
Then he burst out laughing.
2
From the scowl on Annabelle’s face, she didn’t appreciate his laughter.
