Chapter 91
Rowan's POV
Office, 6:00 PM, Same Evening
Jack knocked twice before entering, his expression carrying that particular combination of efficiency and concern that meant the news wasn't good.
"Sir, you asked me to monitor the Nexus Investment situation." He set a tablet on my desk, the screen displaying a series of financial reports and surveillance summaries. "The situation with Mrs. Grant and her daughter has... escalated."
I leaned back in my chair, fingers steepled. "Show me."
Jack swiped through several documents. "Vivian Grant has been making aggressive moves this week. She contacted Gerald Johnson—owns Johnson Manufacturing, mid-tier operation with decent liquidity. Set up a dinner meeting to discuss 'potential family alliance.'"
My jaw tightened. "She's shopping Lena around."
"That's not all." Jack pulled up another file. "She's also been pressuring Lena about Alexander Pierce. I have it from a reliable source that she's given Lena a deadline—secure the Pierce engagement by March or move forward with Johnson immediately."
I stood, moving to the window. The city sprawled below, lights beginning to flicker on as dusk settled. Somewhere out there, Lena was dealing with this pressure, probably alone, probably with that calm, controlled expression that hid everything she was feeling.
"Timeline on Nexus's financial state?"
"Deteriorating faster than projected. Marcus Grant's legal troubles triggered a credit downgrade last week. They're losing clients, and the Q4 numbers are going to be catastrophic." Jack hesitated. "Mrs. Grant is desperate. Which makes her dangerous."
"Dangerous to Lena, you mean."
"Yes, sir." Jack's voice softened slightly. "She's treating her daughter like a corporate asset. The pressure she's applying—it's not sustainable. Eventually, Lena will have to either comply or break completely with her family."
I knew which option Lena would choose. She'd endure until she couldn't anymore, then she'd get rid of the Grant name entirely. I'd watched her do it once already, signing away our marriage with the same controlled precision she brought to everything else.
"What else?"
Jack cleared his throat. "There's also been unusual activity around Lena's old cases. Someone—possibly Marcus—had been making inquiries about her work history, specifically cases from six to seven years ago. Nothing actionable yet, but the pattern suggests he's looking for leverage."
"Leverage against his own daughter."
"Against his wife, more likely. But Lena would be collateral damage."
I turned back to Jack, decision crystallizing. "Clear my schedule for tomorrow morning. I'll need the conference room."
"Any specific preparations, sir?"
"Just privacy. And Jack—this stays completely confidential. No one outside this office needs to know what we're working on."
He nodded. "Right. Good night, sir."
After he left, I poured two fingers of whiskey and returned to the window. I shot Colin a quick text: [Free tomorrow? Got an opportunity for you.]
The ice clinked against crystal, a sound that reminded me of too many nights like this—alone in my office, watching the city, thinking about someone I had no right to think about anymore.
Vivian was circling her daughter like a predator, and Lena—stubborn, proud, too competent for her own good—would resist until the pressure became unbearable. Then she'd do what she always did when pushed too far: strike back without thinking of the cost. Vivian's games would drive her to something desperate, something that would ultimately consume her.
Unless someone removed the leverage first.
My phone buzzed. Colin, responding to my message: [Tomorrow works. What's the opportunity?]
I typed back: [Nexus Investment. Potential acquisition.]
His reply came quickly: [Lena's mother's company? You sure about this?]
I stared at the message for a long moment before responding: [Tomorrow. We'll discuss details then.]
Because no, I wasn't sure about anything anymore except this: I couldn't stand by and watch Lena get trapped in another arrangement designed to save a failing company. I'd failed her once by being emotionally unavailable, by treating our contract marriage like a business transaction when she'd needed something real.
I wouldn't fail her again by doing nothing.
Even if she never knew.
Even if she'd hate me for interfering.
I finished my whiskey and pulled up Nexus Investment's financials on my computer. The company was bleeding out—Marcus's scandal had destroyed client confidence, the board was fractured, and Vivian's increasingly desperate maneuvers were only accelerating the decline.
A dying company. A desperate woman. And a daughter being used as a bargaining chip.
The math was simple. The execution would be complex.
But I'd handled harder acquisitions with less motivation.
---
The Next Morning, 8:00 AM
Colin Summers arrived at my office with coffee and a knowing look that said he'd already guessed half of what I wasn't going to tell him.
"Nexus Investment," he said, settling into the chair across from my desk. "Let me guess—you want to buy it before Vivian Grant can use it to force Lena into another arranged marriage."
"I want to acquire a failing company with potential salvage value," I corrected coolly. "Lena doesn't factor into the business decision."
"Right. And I'm the King of England." Colin took a sip of his coffee. "Rowan, I'm going to be straight with you because someone has to be—this is a terrible idea on multiple levels."
"I'm listening."
"First, Nexus is a disaster. The ROI alone makes this acquisition questionable at best. Second, even if you structure it through shell companies, Lena will eventually find out. She's too smart not to trace it back. Third—" He leaned forward. "—what happens when she discovers you're the white knight who rode in to save her from her mother? Because from what I know of Lena, she's not going to see this as protection. She's going to see it as control."
Every word hit like a precisely aimed dart. Because Colin was right. Lena would be furious if she ever discovered my involvement. She'd see it as another man trying to manage her life, make decisions for her, treat her like she couldn't handle her own battles.
But the alternative was watching Vivian auction her off to Gerald Johnson or whoever else had enough capital to prop up a failing company.
"She won't find out," I said finally. "Not if we structure this correctly."
"You're playing with fire."
"Then help me contain the burn." I slid a folder across the desk. "Initial acquisition strategy. We start by quietly buying up Nexus's outstanding debt. They have bonds coming due in four months. If we control the debt, we control the negotiating position when Vivian gets desperate enough."