Chapter 70
Aria’s POV
His mouth quirked into a cold smile, but I noticed the muscle tensing in his jaw. "I believe your exact words were that we're 'even.' Quid pro quo complete." His voice was level, controlled, but there was an undercurrent of something else—hurt, perhaps?
I stepped closer, close enough to catch his scent. I lowered my voice, fighting the urge to reach out and touch his arm. "This concerns my mother's inheritance."
Devon studied me for a long moment, his expression unreadable. His eyes, however, seemed to search mine, looking for deception. Then, without a word, he extended his arm. The simple gesture sent a rush of relief through me. I looped mine through his, feeling the solid warmth of him against my side, his muscles tense beneath the expensive fabric as we entered the restaurant.
The maître d' transformed instantly. "Mr. Kane! Your usual table is ready."
Once inside, I released his arm immediately, though my skin still tingled where we had touched. "Thank you," I said formally, already turning away, forcing myself not to look back at him.
His eyes darkened with something like disappointment, his voice dropping to a near whisper. "Using me again, Harper?"
The accusation stung more than it should have, making me hesitate mid-step, my chest tightening with an emotion I wasn't ready to name.
I had barely taken three steps when a cultured female voice called out, "Devon! There you are."
I glanced back to see an elegant woman in her sixties approaching. Devon's mother was the picture of Boston aristocracy in her tailored Chanel suit. I noticed Devon's posture stiffen almost imperceptibly.
"You're late," she chided, straightening his already perfect tie. "The Hayes family has arrived."
"It's just a business meeting, Mother. Not an engagement ceremony," Devon replied, his tone cooler than I'd ever heard it. I detected a weariness in his eyes that made me wonder how often this scene played out between them.
"Wear the tie I brought. Don't disappoint Caroline's parents," Eleanor insisted, her voice dropping as she adjusted his collar. "I won't have the Hayes family thinking we're less than committed."
I continued walking, feeling Devon's gaze follow me. When I risked a glance back, his eyes were still fixed on me, intense and conflicted, before he reluctantly accompanied his mother in the opposite direction. The weight of his stare lingered long after he'd gone.
---
"Excuse me," I approached a passing server, injecting warmth into my voice, "my father, William Harper, forgot his medication. Which private room is he in?"
The server hesitated, shifting uncomfortably. "Room 308, but he specifically asked not to be disturbed."
"This is medical," I said with an apologetic smile, though my heart was hammering in my chest. "I'll be quick."
I found Room 308 and paused, gathering my courage. My hand trembled slightly as I reached for the handle. Then I pushed the door open without knocking, forcing my expression into one of concern.
Inside, my father and Jonathan Winters were laughing over whiskeys, a stack of papers between them. Their heads snapped up in unison, the laughter dying instantly.
"Aria!" My father's face transformed from shocked to furious, his eyes narrowing dangerously. "What are you doing here?"
Jonathan Winters stood, genuine pleasure in his expression. "Aria! What a surprise. I haven't seen you since Ryan's birthday last year."
"I heard you're buying fifteen percent of Harper Group," I said, addressing Jonathan while watching my father's reaction. I kept my voice steady despite the rage building inside me.
My father stood abruptly, his chair scraping against the floor. "This is a company decision, Aria. You have no business interfering."
"Five percent of those shares belong to me," I stated clearly, raising my chin slightly. "They were Mother's, and they're part of my inheritance."
"Aria," my father's voice rose dangerously, his face reddening, "I am the CEO of Harper Group. This isn't your concern."
Jonathan gathered his briefcase, sensing the tension. "I think you two need to discuss this privately. I'll step out for a moment." He offered me a sympathetic glance as he left.
As soon as the door closed, my father rounded on me. "You've just sabotaged a critical deal. Do you have any idea what's at stake?" Spittle flew from his mouth, his hands gesturing wildly.
"I can get Devon Kane to invest in Harper Group," I countered, the words coming from a place of desperation more than certainty.
My father's anger gave way to surprise, his eyebrows rising. "You have a relationship with Kane?" His tone changed, suddenly calculating, evaluating me as an asset rather than a daughter.
"I do," I said, leaving the nature of that relationship deliberately vague. My stomach knotted at the half-truth. "But I want the Hampton beach house transferred back to my name immediately."
"Be reasonable," my father scoffed, though I could see the wheels turning behind his eyes. "I can buy you an entire penthouse on Park Avenue—"
"That house was Mother's gift to me," I interrupted, my voice hard, emotion threatening to crack through. I took a deep breath. "It's not a commodity to be traded."
When he still seemed unmoved, I played my final card, hating myself a little for it.
"Your relationship with Scarlett seems to exceed appropriate step-father boundaries," I said quietly, watching his expression carefully. "Imagine the headlines that would generate."
His face drained of color, eyes widening with shock and fear. "Are you threatening me?" His voice was barely above a whisper.
"I'm stating facts," I replied evenly, though my pulse raced at the dangerous game I was playing. "Sell those shares, and I'll have my lawyers freeze the transaction and demand a full audit."
---
Later, sitting in my car in the restaurant's parking lot, I lit a cigarette with trembling hands. The confrontation had drained me, leaving me hollow and shaky. Still, a sense of victory remained beneath the exhaustion. My father had agreed to reconsider, his eyes showing defeat for perhaps the first time in my memory.
As I exhaled a stream of smoke, movement in my rearview mirror caught my attention. I adjusted the mirror, curiosity piqued.
Caroline stood in a secluded corner of the parking lot with Noah, their body language tense. Caroline's perfectly manicured hands gestured emphatically while Noah kept glancing around nervously.
"Do you really want to watch me marry Devon?" Caroline demanded, her voice carrying in the still air, pain evident in her tone.
Noah ran a hand through his hair, his expression tortured. "Caroline, stop. You know this isn't possible."
"Then propose to my father!" she insisted, grabbing his sleeve, desperation in every line of her body.
"Oh my God," I whispered, my hand instinctively covering my mouth in shock. My eyes remained fixed on the pair, widening as the implications hit me. "Caroline and Noah? But she's supposed to..." I couldn't even finish the thought, completely transfixed by the scene unfolding before me.
I watched their every movement, unable to tear my eyes away. The cigarette ash fell unnoticed onto my skirt as I leaned closer to the mirror, adjusting it for a better view.
"Devon's perfect fiancée and his friend," I murmured in disbelief, shaking my head slowly. "My God, Devon has no idea..." My voice trailed off as I continued to stare at them, utterly stunned by this revelation.