“Levi, are you… are you seriously considering canceling the merger? The thing you’ve been working on for a year?”
“Not canceled, Mrs. Wentworth. Just postponed—”
My father scoffs, leaning back in his chair. “Postponed. Right. You think we don’t see what’s happening? You think we’re blindly letting your company consume ours? The merger was to ensure that Wentworths take overyourbroken management and fix your goddamn real estate vertical.”
God. That’s not even remotely close to the truth. I guess their pride has made them reframe reality to whatever was palatable to them. Enough for them to hand over their life’s work to a business that’s known to acquire rather than merge.
And now, that same business is buried under a scandal that might take Wentworths down with them.
Why aren’t they relieved?
My thoughts halt immediately as another one comes crashing through. A smirk pulls at my lips, and I continue decimating the pasta in front of me, shaking my head.
“Anything to say, Celestine?”
I flinch, but not vigorously enough to give my mother any satisfaction of her barb hitting the mark.
“It’s just…” I mumble through a mouthful of food, completely ‘uncouth’ as Odette Astor would say. “Your disappointment is valid, Dad. Because now you can’t take advantage of the situation, have the power lie firmly with the Wentworth Group instead of Astor Holdings. I get it. I’d be disappointed too.”
Gasps. All around the table. But Vi simply stares at me wide-eyed, her lips twitching into a smile she’s trying desperately to curb.
“My word, Cece,” my mother says, gaping at me.
Oh, so youarecapable of using my preferred name.
I simply shrug, taking a large gulp of my wine.
She clicks her tongue. “You’re too drunk to make sense anyway. Sam, you shouldn’t—”
Before I can respond, my father jumps in.
“She’s right, Elle,” he says gruffly. “It’s… yeah, she’s right.”
I startle at my father’s immediate submission. It’s not like him to agree so quickly to his failings. And I realize it’s something I’ve always admired in him. Even if he miserably failed to seemyfailings.
“Honey, ignore her. She’s not doing that well and—”
I bristle at my mother’s sugary sweet voice and end up refilling my glass to the brim.
“Mrs. Wentworth, she’s doing absolutely fine,” Levi snaps, his voice low and measured. “But yes, we’ll bepostponing this merger. And revisit the terms when everything is… more stable.”
My father nods defeatedly. “That’s… fine, I guess.”
Then he looks at Levi with a firm, unrelenting stare. “I’m assuming this means the wedding is off?”
Vi sputters, coughing and failing to keep her wine inside her mouth.
Levi stiffens beside me, glaring back at my father.
And I? I raise my brows, nodding as I shrug. Because it makes sense. What’s the point of marriage when the merger isn’t running the show?
My reaction seems to push Levi further down the edge he was already dangling on. I can feel his frame vibrating with so much fury that I have half a mind to pull him into a hug.
His heart rate must be through the roof.
“Thatis not up for discussion, Mr. Wentworth,” Levi grits out, his jaw clenched. “I’m marrying your daughter with or without the merger.”
Oh, of course.The clause isn’t gone yet.
