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I eye the papers like they’re vipers—marginally more palatable than cockroaches. “Fine, but there better not be any weird gotchas in this document.”

“There aren’t, I swear.”

“We’ll see. I’m not dumb enough to believe a lawyer representing Trevor. I’ll have to get my own lawyer to review this.”

The hand comes up again. “Of course. That’s expected.”

“Send a copy to Jeremiah Huxley.” I watch carefully for his reaction. If there’s a land mine in this document, he won’t be pleased. But all he does is nod, his shoulders sagging slightly in relief that he’s made it this far.

“Will do.”

“Now pleasego, because I actually have work to do.” I point to my laptop.

He gives a nod that verges on being a bow and leaves. I pick up my phone.

–Me: Hi, Jeremiah. This is Max Norman. I want to ask you to do me a personal favor. I need a legal document reviewed to make sure that there aren’t any catches or hidden pitfalls. It will be coming from Don Wellington, from Highsmith, Dickson and Associates. Please invoice me separately, as this has nothing to do with Rhys or the firm.

Within a few minutes, a text hits my phone.

–Jeremiah: Don Wellington, you say? It will be my pleasure.

Chapter Thirty-Eight

Max

What would Mom do in my situation? Would she think I’m living my best life? Would she cross the first item off her bucket list? To see me happy and fulfilled?

What about the baby? I still haven’t told Rhys. I just couldn’t bring myself to, after his rather standoffish response. We aren’t even halfway through our year of fake dating, and I don’t want to reveal the pregnancy and have to end what we have before the expiration date.

What does it mean that I’m putting time with him over the baby?Probably that I’m a crappy person, I think glumly. If only I could be certain that Rhys would always take care of our baby…!

Doubts pop into my head, one after another, as a team of masseuses work on me and Rhys before our first public social appearance as a couple. It’s sad that I’m not enjoying the experience to the fullest. Rhys said I’d been too tense recently and we should do something nice to relax.

“You mean sex?” I teased, hiding the chaos in my heart with a smile.

“Well, normally…yes. That’s exactly what I’d mean. But in this case, a professional massage. Your shoulders feel harder than golf balls.”

His observation made me pause in surprise and pleasure. I couldn’t remember the last time a boyfriend was aware of myphysical condition unless I specifically mentioned it…much less wanted to do something about it.

Rhys went all out, too—two different massages, a facial—the works. I told my masseuse about the pregnancy, asking her to keep it a secret because I planned to make it a surprise—and she said it’d be fine.

So now I’m being pampered like never before. The hot-stone massage alone should make my mom sigh with approval from on high.

And the money. Jeremiah reviewed the document and went back and forth with Don a few times before contacting me to explain the details. I trust her to keep me safe and protected from whatever shenanigans Trevor might be planning by having me sign it—nothing gets past her.

She texted me last Friday evening to tell me that everything’s complete and the trust is now fully mine. It’s actually a little over two billion. I stopped by her office to sign and notarize everything.

“At least Trevor isn’t a complete idiot when it comes to money, even if his heart is blacker than a tarantula’s butthole,” she said with satisfaction. “Used lots of shell companies, but he’s still paranoid about his wife getting something out of him.”

“How about his company? Not the shell ones, but the real one.”

“It’s run by the board—he removed himself from it and put all of his shares into the trust.”

“So the trust is now the main owner?”

Jeremiah nodded. “All his dividends and profits go into the trust as well. He doesn’t want his wife to claim that the company has anything to do with her, especially since it achieved most of its success after their marriage. He’s looking for ways to disparage her contribution and work history.”

I shook my head.Trevor.