Chapter Seventy Six

Everyone had been fooled by Ryan Carter's smile that covered the fact that his empire was falling apart—except the guys who wanted their money back.

By nine o'clock that morning, two investors had threatened legal action, three creditors had already called and his chief financial officer had placed a folder on his desk that was so thick that it could bury the last of his confidence. Ryan hardly gave it a look.

"How much longer can we keep them away?" Ryan asked his financial officer.

"Not long enough," his financial officer replied. "Our reserves have been depleted by the investments you authorized. We won't have the liquidity to fulfill our commitments if the merger fails," he added.

Through the glass wall, Ryan stared at the city below. He had thought for years that money could solve any issue as long as he moved quickly enough. All of his secretly made choices were now having an impact.

“The merger will proceed,” he said.

"And the divorce?" asked the financial officer carefully. "The other party may rethink the agreement if Emily's filing is made public before the merger is finalized," he continued.

Ryan's grip on his pen became stronger.

And there goes the truth he was unable to express aloud.

The merger deal was based on more than just Carter Holdings' identity and pledges. The agreement included specific legal privileges associated with his marriage. He may lose the last protection preventing his business from falling apart financially if the divorce became public before the transaction was completed.

He hadn't foreseen Emily leaving him for good. He definitely did not expect her to turn out to be the one thing he couldn't control.

"Continue the negotiation and make sure that nobody talks about my personal business with the media," he instructed.

His financial officer paused. 

"That might be difficult if the divorce proceedings continue," his financial advisor said 

"Then figure it out."

After the man left, Ryan opened the drawer that contained the anniversary watch that Emily had purchased for him. He had never returned it. He had never gathered the courage to throw it out.

Useless and stunning, the watch captured the morning light.

identical to the union he had shattered.

Emily was in Sophia's office across the city as her attorney reviewed the next steps in the divorce proceedings.

"The filing is still active," Sophia stated. "Ryan's resistance may slow the process, but it doesn't change your decision,right?"

Emily nodded. "I didn't leave him just to spend the rest of my life negotiating my way out."

Sophia.looked at her friend. "You sound certain," she said.

"I have never been more certain about anything," Emily said.

Her thoughts drifted to Damian, to the sensitive, purposeful manner in which he had held her hand the prior evening, and to the doubt that remained between them whenever they spoke about their child.

She wanted his trust without any requirements. He had to be certain before he could let himself hope. Neither of them knew how to request what they genuinely desired without revealing the areas of their greatest vulnerability. 

The investigator sent Sophia a message that made her phone vibrate. Despite the fact that the statement had not yet made it apparent who had signed or delivered the second authorization, the contractor's official interview was being scheduled.

"Sophia said, "Victor is attempting to get out ahead of the testimony." "We must remain focused."

Emily got to her feet. "Then we should get this through correctly. He won't be able to use my parents' deaths to intimidate me into silence," she said.

Emily's phone started ringing before Sophia could respond to her.

Damian's name appeared on the screen.

“Do you have a moment?” Damian asked as soon as she answered.

"Is it for another emergency, or is it for you?" Emily questioned, attempting to seem more relaxed than she really was.

After a brief pause, he continued.

"I was hoping we could get lunch," Damian said. "But it seems like you're about to fight someone."

"I'm about to stop allowing others to determine my future,” she said.

Damian said, "I wouldn't think of obstructing your path."

They were both aware that he had already done that once in a different way, allowing his anxieties about the baby to form a barrier between them. But none of them mentioned it.

"Lunch would be wonderful," Emily said at last.

Emily entered the restaurant an hour later and discovered Damian waiting at the table by the window. He rose as he saw her, briefly focusing on her stomach before returning his gaze to her face.

She was on the verge of breaking down because of the softness in that gaze.

"You seem exhausted," Damian said.

Emily retorted, "You do too." "Maybe billionaires ought to get more rest."

Damian said, "Perhaps stubborn ladies should quit carrying every concern on their own."

Emily raised an eyebrow. "Is that your method of offering help?" She said.

"I'm wondering if you'll let me," he answered.

The restaurant's front door opened before she could say anything else..

Ryan entered.

He changed his expression as soon as he saw Emily seated opposite Damian. He moved toward their table, his eyes darting between the gap separating Damian and her hand, which was close to hers.

Ryan called out, "Emily!" "I wasn't expecting to see you here."

"Maybe you should try to make less assumptions," Emily replied.

Slowly, Damian stood up. "Ryan," he called out.

"Damian," Ryan replied with a forced grin on his face. "Are you still looking for reasons to appear anywhere my wife is?" He said.

When Emily stood up, her chair made a scratching sound across the floor.

"Ryan, I'm the one who initiated the divorce. You can't continue to use the term 'wife' as if things haven't changed."

For one unguarded moment, Ryan's rage was replaced by something more akin to desperation as he gazed at her.

"I'm trying to defend what we have created," Ryan said.

Emily replied, "You did a fantastic job of keeping it hidden from me when you were being unfaithful."

He remained silent, but his face hardened. Emily wasn't in need of him to fight her fights for her.

"You don't understand certain things that happen when a marriage breaks up," Ryan said.

"Then explain them to your lawyer," Emily said. "Not to me."

Inside his pocket, Ryan felt his phone vibrate. All of the color left his face as he stared at the screen for a moment.

A message from his finance officer came in:

The deadline has been moved forward by the merger committee. They need confirmation of your marital status before the signing tomorrow.

Ryan looked up at Damian, then at Emily.

He recognized for the first time that losing Emily wasn't just a blow to his ego.

He might lose all he owns.

And he had less than twenty-four hours to decide how far he was prepared to go to prevent it.