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The silence was deafening. Atlas could read the realization written across his parents’ faces because the same one popped into his mind. Being part of their family meant being a part of the Remington empire. Did she mean Zoey was entitled to a portion of the shares of the company? She was here for her cut.
His mother shook her head. His father’s sharp gaze was unflinching towards the mother of their grandchild and the rightful heir to a small fortune because of her bloodline. Their grandfather was old-fashioned and ruthless. If he found out, Oliver would be kicked out of the company and lose his shares.
“What do you want?” Atlas asked, his voice hoarse, afraid of the confirmation.
Jasmine turned towards him, her expression softening. Her gaze wavered, the pain in her eyes still fresh. “If Oliver doesn’t want to be a part of Zoey’s life, if he can’t accept her as his daughter and treat her how she deserves to be treated, I want him to sign over his parental rights to her. I want assurances you will leave my inn alone and never reach out to us again.”
“And . . . how much?” Atlas pressed.
“I don’t want your money. If my daughter needs something, I’ll provide for her.” Jasmine lifted her chin. She slid the pictures in the file and motioned to the lawyer.
“You have until Friday to give us an answer.” Bridget stood.
The room tilted. Jasmine didn’t want their money? She was truly walking away from potentially millions of dollars.
The door burst open and Joseph Remington himself walked in. Atlas’s grandfather stood tall in an expensive, tailored suit. His very presence was still so commanding at eighty years old. His white hair was neatly combed to the side as always.
“Dad! What are you doing here?” Atlas’s father gasped.
His grandfather shook his head, tucking his hands into the pockets of his suit. “You think I don’t know what the hell is going on in my own company? These lawyers work for me as long as I have breath in my lungs. I got the paternity results before you did, you baboon.” He walked towards Jasmine, eyeing her up and down critically.
Atlas stood, wanting to get between Jasmine and his grandfather. She’d been through enough. I’ve put her though too much. All this time, she’d meant everything. She’d loved him. Jasmine had laid it all on the line and he’d thrown it in her face and walked away. He’d left her when she needed him most. Shame coated him, weighing heavily on his shoulders.
His parents exchanged worried glances. Oliver was white as a ghost, holding on to his wife as she wiped her running mascara.
“Tell me, Miss Evans, are you good at math?” Grandfather asked.
Jasmine’s brows formed a triangle. “Are you asking me that because I’m Asian?”
Joseph chuckled. “Oh dear, you are a feisty one. No, that’s not what I meant. See, I’m trying to understand why you would let go of a multimillion-dollar inheritance for your daughter. That doesn’t sound so smart.”
“That depends on how much I value my daughter and her safe and loving upbringing, Mr. Remington,” Jasmine replied.
He nodded towards Jasmine. “I like her.”
“Dad—” Atlas’s father tried to speak.
“You and your wife are not needed here. Get out,” Joseph growled.
“But, Dad—”
“Out!” his grandfather shouted.
His parents stood and stalked out with one hate-filled glance towards Jasmine before they exited.
“You too.” Joseph nodded to Oliver and Christina, and the lawyers.
“Yes, sir,” Oliver agreed, quickly obeying, no doubt trying to hang on to the thread of hope he wouldn’t lose everything.
“Stay.” His grandfather motioned to Atlas before turning back to Jasmine and her lawyer. “I’ll have the papers drawn up this week. Zoey will have a trust in her name that she can access when she turns thirty. Until then, if she needs anything for education or her care, let me know directly. I’ll send you a check to keep her taken care of for a while. Think of it as back child support.”
Jasmine waved away the card he offered her. “I can’t—”
His grandfather shook his head. “No strings attached. She doesn’t have to be a part of this life and our family if she doesn’t want to. But I would love to get to know her, see her a couple of times a year. Maybe an invite to her next birthday party.”
Jasmine nodded, her eyes brimming with tears. Atlas wanted to wrap her up in his arms and tell her it would all be okay. But he’d lost that right.
“Is there anything she needs right now?” Joseph asked.
