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‘Yes,’ Matthieu said again, his tone almost bored. ‘These are undeniable facts.’
Sebastian scowled. ‘I take it there wasn’t a pre-nup, given the hastiness of the wedding that ensured Maria’s family and friends would not attend.’
‘That was Maria’s decision,’ he replied, refusing to allow the sting of guilt and the righteousness of Sebastian’s ire to penetrate his thoughts.
‘The pre-nup or the wedding guests?’
Sidestepping the answer, Matthieu pressed on. ‘Maria is entitled to everything I have.’
‘Everything?’ Theo queried.
Matthieu shrugged. ‘All seven point four billion dollars of it, should she want it.’
Even Sebastian looked begrudgingly impressed.
‘Is it in writing?’ he demanded.
‘It is with my lawyers.’
Seb glanced at Theo, who shrugged.
‘For Maria, it’s not about money.’
‘Yes,’ Matthieu agreed. ‘I’ve realised that.’
‘Her life, her childhood, it wasn’t easy.’ Sebastian bit out the words through a jaw so clenched Matthieu feared for his dentist. ‘I... I tried to provide what her—our—father was unable to. Montcour—she is exclusively the only thing in this world I care for. And if you hurt her, I swear to God—’
‘You will be entitled to take whatever form of revenge you deem fit,’ Matthieu said easily and sincerely. ‘Truly.’
Sebastian narrowed his eyes as if trying to work out what Matthieu’s game was.
‘I mean it.’
He cocked his head to one side. ‘Maria may come across as spirited and independent, but there is a softness to her that people like us can so easily crush.’ Matthieu frowned at the description, an action that Seb caught. ‘You disagree?’
‘When I think of Maria I don’t see softness, I see strength. Determination. She is fierce when challenged and quick with her laughter and her generosity. She is truly unique and very much a credit to the Rohan de Luen name.’
‘Don’t think to win me over with compliments, Montcour.’
‘I have neither the inclination nor the desire to do so,’ Matthieu pressed on. ‘No offence, but you matter very little to me. All that does is Maria. She clearly wants the two—three,’ he said acknowledging the importance of Theo in her family unit, ‘of us to get on. I’m sure that we can manage to be civil.’
‘There will be nothing civil about me if you break her heart,’ Sebastian warned.
‘As I said. That I understand and respect. I’d expect nothing less from my wife’s brother.’
A gentle knock interrupted the conversation. Sofia stepped over the threshold.
‘Lunch will be about twenty minutes, and, Matthieu, you can find Maria in the room on the second floor, third door on the left. I believe that you’ve all had enough manticulating for now. If not, then perhaps it could resume after dessert?’
Matthieu couldn’t help but smile at the sweetly intoned speech Sofia had just delivered and, casting a last look at Sebastian and Theo, went in search of Maria.
* * *
Maria was in the room she stayed in when visiting with Sebastian. The last time she’d been here was nearly a year ago celebrating the end of her degree, which...now felt like a lifetime ago. So much had happened since then, she couldn’t help but think as she smoothed a hand over a belly that contained a child. Their child.
The room was large, soft and warm, but oddly she found herself comparing it to the stark but beautiful estate on the edge of Lake Lucerne. Maria had lived in many places over the years, always reluctant to see any of them as a home, after their exile from Spain, but that was exactly how she’d begun to see Matthieu’s estate. Her home.
Over by the far wall were the ten boxes she’d shipped here before she went to marry Matthieu. And oddly she found herself half hesitant, half urgent, to riffle through her jewellery equipment and materials.
