THE STERLING INHERITANCE

: Viv

r, sharp and accusatory. *W

eful handwriting listing questions I'd prepared ove

ally, forcing my voice steady. "You reques

minic leaned back in his chair, arms cross

napped up

shford. Senior partner. Corporate law specialist. The best they h

htly. "You... you kn

if you'd remember Dominic Santos. Clearly, you didn't." Som

pped. Would I have? "

wh

After I-" Left you. Broke your

"Maybe I wanted to see what became of Vivienne Monroe. Or maybe I needed the bes

tween us, professional distance rei

scuss your ca

shou

ntinue. The silence stretched

tered with a tablet. "Mr. Cross, I'm sorry to inter

tpon

fourth r

one allowed no argument. "Ms.

een us, curiosity barely concea

uely at the office, the view, everything he'd become. "Har

rned from the windo

n was quiet b

min

he table, pulled out a leather folder. "My mentor died six months ago. Left his entire estate-

ed onto it like a lifeline. This I could handle. Legal pr

ling out my pen. "Testamentary condi

rested in cha

at do yo

valid marriage under the will? What happens if I choose to walk away?" He sl

That's th

or your usual billable hour padding, Vivienne. I need real

e you're the lawyer I hired,

will. The language was dense, specific, clearly draf

ime to review thoroughly, research prec

seventy-

not reas

arp now, control slipping. "Nothing about this situation is reasonable

neath the anger. This wasn't about us. This was about a man tr

tly. "I'll have a preliminary

herine will give you access to all relevant documents.

s would be handled through intermediar

still trembled slightly. I needed to leave, needed air, needed to process

, I paused.

is default position. Looking out at the city he'

he'd built

d softly. "Katherine is gone. T

ensed but he di

r than I intended. Vulnerable. Nothing like th

ed so long I though

uietly:

it like a p

hated you for leaving. Hated you for choosing a j

asn't

etrayed something raw underneath. "You walked away and never looked back. Changed your name back to Ash

, wasn't it? I'd chosen the clean break. The

ldn't make the mistake of loving someone more than they loved me. Some

I'd done the same thing. Built armor. Chosen achievement over vulnera

see the decade between us written in the lines around his eyes

d n

between us, danger

ere was no humor in it. "

that he was as lost as I was-s

hose my career. My future. Security over risk. And I

rched my fac

become. Successful. Respected. Everything I thought I wanted." I swallowed

t my probl

t's not. I just... I needed you to know that walking away from you wa

me that. Don't make me the villain for

ake you anything. I'

ars too

h finality. Case clo

tightly my knuckles went white. "I'

nk y

er shared that cramped apartment, never built dreams to

n the handle, before his voi

vie

oked

ng flickered in his eyes. Something that might

said quietly. "But I don't kn

ack to the windo