“This,” Anton announced, raising his glass, “is what a family should look like. Forgiveness. Unity. Moving forward.”
He smiled at me, a dazzling, practiced smile that didn’t reach his eyes. “I’m so glad we could put that ugly business behind us, Donna. David, the wine is excellent, isn’t it?”
“Superb,” David said, his voice flat. He took a sip, probably wishing it was arsenic so he could slip it into Anton’s glass.
“And Beatrice,” Anton turned to his mistress, his voice softening. “It’s good to see you smiling again.”
“I’m just so happy we’re all friends,” Beatrice chirped, reaching out to squeeze my hand where it rested on the tablecloth. Her skin was warm. It made my flesh crawl. “Thank you for forgiving me, Donna. I know it’s been hard, but… we’re going to be so close now. Like sisters.”
I didn’t pull away. I forced the corners of my mouth up into a smile that felt like it was cracking my face.
“Of course, Beatrice,” I said sweetly. “Sisters.”
Anton beamed, cutting into his duck. “See? I told you she’d come around. Donna is reasonable. She understands the big picture.”
“Speaking of the big picture,” I said, picking up my fork. “I was thinking about what your grandfather said.”
Anton paused, knife hovering. “Oh? Which part?”
“The heir,” I said casually. “He was so disappointed about the… accident. He’s been calling me every day, asking when we’re going to try again. He says the Jones need a legacy.”
Beatrice stiffened. Her eyes darted to Anton, wide with alarm.
Anton cleared his throat, looking uncomfortable. “Well, yes. Grandfather is impatient. But you’re still recovering, honey. The doctor said—”
“The doctor said I’m physically fine,” I lied smoothly. “And I was thinking… our fifth anniversary is in five days. Isn’t that lovely?”
I leaned forward, resting my chin on my hand, looking at him with wide, adoring eyes.
“Should I schedule a honeymoon? Maybe the Maldives? We could… try again. For the baby.”
Anton blinked. He looked at Beatrice, then back at me. I could see the wheels turning in his head. He didn’t want me. He wanted Beatrice. But he needed his grandfather’s approval, and he needed to keep me happy until he got what he really wanted—my shares.
“That sounds… wonderful,” Anton said, forcing a smile. “A honeymoon. Just the two of us?”
“Just us,” I promised. “A fresh start.”
“But,” Anton added quickly, wiping his mouth with a napkin. “Before we go jet-setting off… there is the matter of the merger. The final transfer papers for your father’s logistics company. We need to get that settled before we leave. You know how nervous the board gets.”
“Oh, the merger,” I waved a hand dismissively. “I have the papers right here.”
I reached under the table and pulled out a thick manila envelope. I placed it next to the roast duck.
Anton’s eyes lit up. It was the look of a predator spotting a wounded gazelle. He reached for it, but I placed my hand on top of the folder.
“Ah-ah,” I chided playfully. “Not at the table, darling. It’s rude.”
“Right,” Anton laughed, a nervous, greedy sound. “Of course. After dinner.”
“Actually,” I said, withdrawing my hand. “I’ve already signed them.”
“You have?”
“Yes. I signed them this afternoon. I sent the digital copies to the legal department already. These are just the hard copies for your records.” I pushed the envelope toward him.
Anton grabbed it, tearing it open. He flipped to the last page, his eyes scanning for my signature.
He let out a breath he seemed to have been holding for weeks. He looked at me, and for the first time in a long time, he looked genuinely happy. Not because he loved me, but because he thought he had finally won. He thought he had stripped me of everything—my child, my pride, and now, my inheritance.
“You’re amazing, Donna,” he said, closing the folder. “Truly. This… this changes everything.”
“It certainly does,” David murmured into his wine glass.
“So,” I said, raising my own glass. “To the merger? And to our anniversary?”
“To us,” Anton said, clinking his glass against mine. Beatrice clinked hers too, her smile triumphant. She thought she had won too. She thought she would be the one going to the Maldives eventually.
Later that night, the house was silent. Anton was in the shower, humming to himself. He was in a good mood.
I sat at my vanity, removing my earrings.
He didn’t know that the signature on those papers was worthless. He didn’t know that three hours before dinner, David and I had executed a different transfer.
My father’s company wasn’t a singular entity. It was a holding company. And as the majority shareholder, I had the right to restructure the assets.
I hadn’t transferred the company to Anton. I had transferred the shell of the company. The brand name. The logo. The office leases.
But the assets? The trucks, the shipping routes, the warehouses, the contracts? I had transferred those into a new trust. A trust solely controlled by David that Anton couldn’t touch..
When Anton’s lawyers filed those papers tomorrow morning, they would realize they had just acquired a hollowed-out carcass. A ghost company worth nothing but debt.
And by the time they realized it, I would be gone.
“Honey?” Anton called from the bathroom. “Are you coming to bed?”
“In a minute,” I called back. “Just finishing my skincare.”
My phone buzzed on the marble countertop. A single message from an unknown number.
I picked it up.
Unknown: Hello, my bride.
My heart skipped a beat.
Unknown: The jet is fueled. The contract is ready. Are you ready to marry me and ruin your ex-husband? If yes, see you, then.
