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He’s one of the country’s most prominent hedge fund analysts, but there’s a reason for that.
“He’s a businessman. He has to be firm.” She gives me a pensive stare. “Plus, did you see that People Magazine is calling your soon-to-be husband one of New York’s hottest men alive? Don’t tell me you missed that part in your research. You also saw him for yourself.” She gives me a steely stare and chuckles.
As stubborn as I know I’m being about this whole thing, I have to admit that I saw that, too. And yes, I did see him.
Like any other woman in this hemisphere, I’m sure I had the same reaction to him as everyone else, where my mouth watered and my brain turned to soup.
That doesn’t mean I’m okay with being his wife.
I sigh and dip my head. “Everything feels like too much. I mean, God… the wedding is in six weeks.” Dad tried to explain that Hunter’s succession to CEO of Le Blanche Global required him to find a wife, but by then my brain had shut down. “It’s just too much and I feel like I stepped into an alternate timeline.”
And what the hell will I have in common with a man who dated Alexis Winters?
“Hey.” Emily reaches out and taps my knuckles. “I know this is really hard for you, despite what I said about Ryan. But try not to worry.”
I meet her gaze. “Maybe I need some closure. This is all so sudden for me, and I never got to speak to Ryan. I don’t think I can talk to him on the phone. I have to see him and be real with him. He should hear about the marriage from me. Not just Dad.”
Emily nods and gives me a gentle smile. “If that is what you feel like you need to do, then do it.”
“Ryan is back at work tomorrow. I think I should try and see him then.” I toyed with the idea yesterday. “Dad might not like me turning up at his workplace to see Ryan, but I need to do this.”
“Then so be it.” A look of warning enters her eyes. “Luna, when you speak to him make sure you get that closure on your romance. Ryan needs to go back to being the friend. You don’t want to mess things up with Hunter or piss him off.”
“I know.” I nod slowly, bitterly accepting that she’s right again.
Chapter 5
Hunter
Today is another day for change.
I’m at Le Blanche Global for a meeting with my father, my brother Asher, and my cousin Luc. This meeting will put the changes we’ve been expecting for the company in motion.
Months ago, my father announced that he’d be stepping down as CEO of the entire company so he could focus on the branches in Europe and Asia which have expanded a hundredfold.
His decision opened the doors for Asher and me to take over the leadership of this office in New York—the flagship company.
The meeting began twenty minutes ago with the usual weekly updates, then it swiftly changed to the topic we’d all been waiting for.
I stare at my father, Preston Le Blanche, sitting at the head of the table. Dressed in his standard well-tailored black Brioni suit and his dark blond cropped hair slicked back, he reminds me of an emperor looking over the empire he built.
Us.
Asher and I are carbon copies of him, so is Luc.
Father is always saying that it’s the people who make a business successful. I’ve come to learn that he couldn’t be more right. The level of intelligence and power in this room alone is astounding, and we’ve all earned our stripes in our own right.
“This is the dawn of a new era for the company. And for each of you,” Father says, looking at each of us in turn with pride.
He starts with Asher, then switches to Luc, and finally his gaze falls on me and stays there.
The three of us are the next generation of Le Blanche Global, but Father is looking at me like that because I’ll be taking his place.
“Everything will change starting today,” Father continues. “I want you boys to be ready for every possible eventuality that comes your way. Is that understood?”
We all nod, then look at each other.
“Change was something we knew was bound to happen, but hearing it really hits home,” I state, and Father smiles.
