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“Me?” Finally, my voice works, and all I can manage is that one word.
My father laughs, pleased that I’m shocked. Pleased that he fooled me for years, tortured me when he dangled his affection like a carrot, then used his disgust as a stick.
I fell for it. I did it all—all the dirty work, all the negotiation, all the acquisitions and mergers and deals that needed a strong hand.
I was a fool. An idiot. A coward.
My life comes into sharp focus as I stare at the man who gave me life. The gleam in his eyes dims slightly as I lean forward, reaching into my shirt pocket. I feel the slightly rough edge of the envelope containing my letter of resignation. I pull it out, holding it between my fingers as I lift my eyes to meet my father’s.
His gaze sharpens, dropping to the crisp, white envelope. Lips dropping open, I know he’s about to say something I won’t want to hear.
Before he can speak, though, the door behind me opens. Nico enters, breathless. “Someone leaked it,” he says, stumbling toward the desk. “Someone leaked the news of the merger. It’s all over the internet.”
My father’s eyes widen, his gaze shifting to me. Accusing. I shake my head, then turn to Nico. “Who?”
Nico roughs a hand through his hair. “I don’t know. Here.” He thrusts a tablet into my hand, and headlines scream at me. One after another, after another. All of them talking about a surprise hostile acquisition of Donovan Enterprises by Gerhard, Inc. All of them proclaiming the start of a huge mining conglomerate. Pointing to the new diamond mines in Nord as the final piece of the puzzle.
Handing the tablet to my father, I ignore whatever garbage is coming out of his mouth. Nico stares at me, wide-eyed.
“I know who did this,” I say quietly, my voice full of thunder.
“Who?” Nico asks. “Your contact in Nord?”
I snort, shaking my head. “No. Donovan himself.”
Donovan—blustery, raging, red-faced as he stormed out of my office. Promising to bury me. Vowing to figure out who told me about the diamond mines.
He’s the one who leaked this news, and I know why. Somehow, he put the pieces together. Maybe he heard about my trip to the Summer Palace. He’s trying to attack the one thing that means anything to me anymore—my relationship with the Queen.
23
Penelope
Back in my office in Stirling, I smile at the stack of paperwork waiting for my signature. My hand drifts over my stomach. I can still hardly believe it. Everything I thought I knew about myself has been smashed, twisted, reflected back to me.
I’m not infertile. I’m not unworthy of love and companionship. I’m not destined to live a lonely life giving everything to my duty as monarch.
I could have it all—I will have it all.
My lips still tingle where Asher kissed them this morning, promising to call me as soon as he resigned from his father’s business. There was emotion in his eyes, and he’d opened his lips to say something, then just kissed me again, harder, not caring who was watching.
My poor heart doesn’t know what hit it. I’m happy and panicked and worried—so emotional I feel like I’m going to puke.
But happiness wins.
Dragging the first bit of paperwork over to me, I grab a pen and cast my eye over the scrambled letters. I can’t read. Tears still threaten to spill over my cheeks. With a deep breath, I blink them away and sign my name on the paper—a congratulatory letter to a new school.
My door bangs open and I jump clean out of my chair. Jonah stomps through the door, eyes wild. “Pen,” he breathes.
“Jeez, you gave me a fright.” My hand rests against my heart, violent pulse thudding through my veins.
“Donovan,” Jonah replies, ignoring my words. “Donovan and Gerhard are merging.”
Frowning, I tilt my head. “What?”
“They’re merging. It was leaked a few minutes ago.”
“What do you mean, merging?”
