Chapter Twenty-One
Olivia
Despite Liam’s worries, I’m pretty confident that I’m going to be okay. What can Hugh and his family realistically do? If they come after me, they lose the right to receive money from the trust, and God forbid they actually have to work to put food on the table.
The tabloids and Instagram posts are annoying—and embarrassing, especially with Liam’s family involved—but they aren’t fatal.
I’ve survived worse. I can overcome this.
“Your breakfast,” Simon says, placing a bag with a fresh bagel on my desk.
“Oh, sorry, I should’ve said something earlier, but Liam already fed me breakfast.”
“Really? How…interesting. I thought a man that busy wouldn’t have had the time.”
I laugh softly. “His butler-ish person prepped it for me. He makes his own bagels, and they’re amazing.”
Simon smiles. “I’m glad.”
“Same. Not that I mind supporting the small bakery, but homemade is just so good. If you want, I’ll bring one for you tomorrow.” He likes bagels as much as I do.
“It’s all right, but thanks.” The skin around his eyes tightens. “Nice ring. Ruby?”
“No. A red diamond. It’s my engagement ring from Liam.
” I grin, admiring the stone for the thousandth time.
I never understood Mom’s desire to collect diamonds until now.
If every rock was as precious as this… “It even has a name. The Rubedo. Incredible, isn’t it?
I never thought I’d own a stone with a name.
Did you know—Gavin Lloyd, Ted Lasker and Barron Sterling wanted it.
” I still can’t believe I’m the proud owner of the stone coveted by three of the richest men in the world.
Simon shakes his head slowly. “No, I didn’t. The photos from Brielle’s wedding only showed the heirloom pieces on you.”
“Those were from Mom. I took them all with me when I moved out.” Deena and Brielle raised holy hell, but John Highsmith informed Hugh that I am the only person entitled to access them for my own use, not him or his new wife and child.
“I see. Well, anyway, we have some proposals.” Simon hands me a stack of documents. We’re trying to do everything digitally, but sometimes it’s easier for me to deal with complex information on paper.
“It hasn’t even been a week,” I say, surprised to be getting four proposals already.
“It’ll be a steady stream of business for them. Another diversification of cash flow.”
“I guess so.” I blink at the Kingswood Stones & Designs proposal on the bottom. Liam’s company seems too lux to bother with something as unglamorous as urns.
“I put that one last because I’m not sure how serious they are about it. They might’ve sent an offer out of respect for your marriage to their boss.”
“Hmm… I wouldn’t jump to that conclusion.
Liam doesn’t know I’m the one behind Luminary & Co.
or EverAfter,” I say. EverAfter is a holding company I created to hide my ownership of the condo and Luminary & Co.
from Hugh and company should they ever decide to check into my finances.
Or Tyler, since he needed to believe I wasn’t flush enough with cash to wipe out his gambling debts.
“KSD is probably sincere. I can’t imagine Liam sending a proposal when he wasn’t serious about fulfilling the business agreement. ”
Simon’s eyes darken. “Are you leaning toward giving him the business?”
“What do you mean?”
“You’re smiling.”
Am I? I immediately flatten my mouth. “Maybe. I won’t make a decision until I have a chance to review all the proposals.
But I think the quality of deliverables from his company will be top-notch.
It’s one of very few places that can produce red diamonds consistently well.
A company that meticulous should make a good partner. ”
He smirks. “Our customers don’t exactly demand refunds.”
“Really. Are you suggesting we sell products of subpar quality?”
“No, that…that isn’t what I meant.”
“Then what did you mean?” I stare at him. “Just because someone’s dead doesn’t mean they’re done and should be ignored and forgotten. They deserve as much dignity and care in death as they did when they were alive.”
“I’m sorry. I misspoke. I… I’m probably too worried about the cost.”
“Uh-huh. Well, the cost is what it is. We charge what we charge, and clients decide if our quality is worth it.” I let out a sigh.
My rebuke was sharp, but I’m not sorry I delivered it.
Simon has probably never experienced the deaths of loved ones the way I did and can’t relate to the pain at a deep level.
Still… He’s my right-hand man. He should always carry himself with proper decorum and empathy. Luminary & Co. is more about helping people find closure than just making money.
As I stare at the Kingswood Stones & Designs logo on the proposal, something else occurs to me. “Did you deliver my health report to Liam?”
“What?”
“He said he didn’t get it.” I frown. Liam was understanding—thankfully—but he could’ve easily refused to have sex without protection until he knew for sure.
“I sent it. Maybe it got lost in spam.” Simon hesitates. “Maybe shouldn’t have put anything about STDs in the email…?”
“Yeah, a spam filter might’ve flagged that.
” I heave a sigh, wave Simon out of the office and get to work on the day’s agenda.
We need a new manufacturing facility for the urns with diamond inlays.
Some of ours are made in China, but the diamond line needs something that says premium.
Italy or Portugal? Japan? I make a mental note to look into the pros and cons of each.
The rest of the day is filled with meetings on finance, designs, and manufacturing specs.
Two of the meetings were rescheduled from last week.
During my lunch break, I pick up the items I’d had prepared for the Kingswood elders as soon as Liam signed the marriage contract to smooth things over with his family.
Technically, his grandmother and the other elders are irrelevant.
I only need Liam for the trust-triggering events.
But he shouldn’t have to sacrifice his relationship with the elders for me.
At five, I call a car service for the ride to his grandparents’ home.
Although Simon volunteered for the drive, I’m not taking him when I’m there to face Liam’s disapproving elders.
Who knows what his mother Elita might do to a man as attractive as Simon?
Her reputation as a man-killer is justly deserved.
She was supposedly wild when she was younger, and marrying Auric failed to settle her.
She and her husband are engaged in an open marriage that somehow works without any of the drama you might expect, despite all the illegitimate children they managed to spawn.
The traffic’s horrific—the price of living in L.A. Still, I wouldn’t give it up for anything. I love the bustling energy, and the calm I get when I’m home away from it all.
–Liam: Just about done here. I’ll pick you up.
–Me: Already on my way.
–Liam: Is Simon driving you?
–Me: No. A car service. Very safe, very comfortable. I’m good, I promise.
Three dots appear and disappear for a while. Finally, a text arrives.
–Liam: Okay. See you soon.
Half an hour later, the black Escalade stops in front of a two-story Malibu mansion. I raise an eyebrow. The woman must like the ocean, too. But this stretch is far from Liam’s—I’m pretty certain he made sure of this before buying his property.
Her garden is immaculate, full of orchids.
Lady’s slipper orchids in particular are splendid in their green, yellow, pink, and burgundy blooms. Either his grandmother is an excellent gardener or she employs one.
Mom tried to grow them and gave up after four years.
She said she didn’t want to become a serial flower killer.
I smile wistfully. If Mom were alive, her eyes would light up and she’d pester everyone to learn the secret.
Liam climbs out of his Spectre. “You should’ve called me.”
I blink at his slightly petulant tone. He’s obviously trying to hide it, but the disappointment ripples underneath. “I didn’t want you to go out of your way just to pick me up, not in this traffic anyway.”
I reach over and grab his hand, and the shadow drains from his eyes. I sigh inwardly. He’s so open and easygoing. Either this is his real personality, or he’s only like this with me. The former makes me want to kiss him, and the latter makes me want to cry. In the end I just hug him.
“What’s this about?” Suspicion edges his voice even as he hugs me back.
“I just want to hug my husband. Is that so wrong?”
“No. I missed you, too.”
I melt into his warmth. All the stress and irritation of the day disappear. Just what kind of magic does this man possess?
“Nothing happened, right? No weirdos or anything?”
I shake my head. “Nothing. Don’t worry. Hugh is a greedy coward. He’s scared of hurting me and losing the money from the trust.”
Holding hands, we enter the house. It has a beautiful view of the ocean, although not as magnificent as Liam’s. The interior is airy, with tall ceilings, a skylight over the great room, and a layout that divides into the dining and living rooms.
If I hoped this would be a laid-back dinner, it’s shattered the moment I notice Sorcha in a calf-length chiffon dress with her hand tucked into the crook of Cedric’s arm.
The man’s in a navy suit and walks like a guard escorting a fairy princess.
The woman just needs to place a tiara on her head to complete her look.
Sorcha’s pale blue eyes remind me of a Siberian husky’s as she scrutinizes me from head to toe.
Not happy with what she sees because the corners of her mouth stay flat.
But then I never expected her to approve.
Her nose wrinkles as if she smells something fishy about me.
Not surprising—I’m not being straightforward with everyone.
Well, she can glare disdainfully all she wants. The only person I owe anything to is Liam.
Elita and Auric are easy to spot at the table, both of them sipping water.
Elita is a beautiful woman who looks a decade younger than her actual age.
But then she must get all the nice things from the Platcher Cosmetics empire.
She wears a bright red Versace with a plunging neckline, the kind that makes a statement: Look at me, I’m hot.
Auric is pretty well preserved for his age as well. Maybe with his wife’s help, or maybe he stays young by banging every hot thing in sight. His scandals are legendary, unlike those of his wife, who is somewhat more circumspect.
Sorcha and Cedric take their seats at the head of the table. Liam escorts me further inside, and we take our spots—the only two remaining. At least the chairs aren’t made of thorns.
“Everyone, please welcome my wife, Olivia Kingswood, to the family,” Liam begins in an uncharacteristically neutral tone tinged with caution. “Olivia, my grandmother, grandfather, father and mother.”
“Hello,” I murmur.
Frederich comes out with caviar and vodka buried in ice and serves us. I smile at the first friendly face in the house, and he gives me a small nod.
Once he’s gone, Auric leans forward. “Is it really true that you tried to steal Tyler from Brielle?”