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Ramon’s nape tightened. ‘When was this done?’
‘In May, four months ago. On the fifteenth to be exact.’
Suki’s breath caught, her throat working furiously.
‘What?’ he demanded, although he suspected he knew the answer.
‘It was the day after...’ She stopped, firmed her lips.
He didn’t need to hear more. He knew it was the day after she’d first checked into the private clinic. The time and dates Luis had told him were seared into his brain. And if for any reason he needed hard proof, the report from his private investigators was locked away in the top drawer of his desk.
He dragged his focus back to his lawyer. ‘Carry on.’
‘Miss Langston, I believe at the time the codicil was added you were pregnant?’ his lawyer asked.
Still tight-lipped, she nodded.
‘Well, Luis didn’t alter it so the original document stands. In it, your child was to receive a lump sum of money on his or her eighteenth birthday. But in the event of altered circumstances like what subsequently ensued, half of that sum was to go to you but only at his brother’s discretion.’
She shook her head, her eyes finding his. ‘You won’t need to decide whether I should have the money or not. I don’t want it.’
The lawyer’s eyebrows rose. ‘But you haven’t heard how much—’
‘I don’t care how much it is. I don’t want it. Feel free to give it away to Luis’s favourite charity.’
Fresh anger boiled in Ramon’s gut. ‘That’s how you’re choosing to honour his memory? By tossing away his gift so carelessly?’
The eyes that met his were darker than normal. Bruised. Perhaps she cared about his brother to whatever extent her stone heart was capable. But in the end, her caring hadn’t been enough. Luis had assured him he’d tried to talk her out of her decision to no avail.
‘That money was never meant for me, Ramon, and you know it. It isn’t right,’ she murmured, her voice husky.
‘Whatever my thoughts are on the matter, this was Luis’s wish. You will honour it.’
Her mouth firmed. ‘Okay, fine. If I choose to accept it, what then? Will you just hand it over?’
He shrugged. ‘That will be one of the subjects of our private discussion.’
A tiny flame lit through her eyes, a spark of anger lightening the dark blue depths that seemed even more vivid against the stark black she wore. ‘You just wanted me to say yes so you’d make me jump through hoops, didn’t you?’
‘I’m not in a habit of handing over a quarter of a million pounds on a fickle whim, Suki, so yes, there will be some hoop-jumping.’
She gasped, her gaze swinging from his to his lawyer’s. At the man’s nod of confirmation of the sum, she subsided back into her chair. ‘That’s...a lot of money. Why?’
‘You were carrying his niece, and Luis was big on family. As his friend, surely you knew that?’ he taunted.
The fire dimmed a little, but her chin elevated. ‘Yes, I knew.’ Her gaze swung to the lawyers. ‘If Mr Acosta decides to release the money to me, I would still like to donate it. Can I contact you if I need to?’
Temper rising, Ramon watched his lawyer nod, his expression softening.
‘Sí, of course, Miss Langston.’
Suki started to rise, throwing further fuel on Ramon’s mood. ‘Sit down, we’re not done,’ he snapped.
Her gaze reverted to him, then back to his lawyer. The older man cleared his throat. ‘Luis also left you two works of art to be handed over on whatever birthday followed his passing. I believe your twenty-sixth birthday is coming up.’
She nodded.
The lawyer continued, ‘They’re commissioned and paid for, but not yet completed. The artist will let us know when it is ready and you will be informed.’
