He took a step forward, invading Catherine’s personal space. She flinched, but didn’t back down. Her head tilted back and her chest thrust out like a rooster ready for a fight.
“Let me be perfectly—perfectly—clear. You have no right to question Kerri. She is superbly qualified to look at the books and help me,” Ethan said, eyes boring into Catherine’s. “Unlike, I might add, some other people who apparently didn’t see anything going wrong at the company even though they sat on the board and attended every meeting.”
Catherine paled. “You’re on the board too.”
“Some of us were never able to go to any of the meetings due to scheduling conflicts, which in retrospect seem rather convenient. Kerri’s a Yale graduate, and received an MBA from Wharton. Was a VP at Goldreich Stanley. International experience. The Lloyds Development is lucky to have someone with her qualifications looking over the mess that Jacob’s left behind. If you and the others hadn’t been so busy spending Lloyd money, you might’ve realized the company wasn’t doing so well or that Jacob was mismanaging everything, and I might not have had to hire her in the first place.”
Catherine’s face was crimson. “How was I to know that? He did everything.”
“You’ve been on the board ever since you got married. Your husband is the CEO. How could you not know?”
Kerri cringed. Ethan was obviously furious, but he wasn’t being entirely fair. If Catherine didn’t have any training or experience reading financial reports and so on, she wouldn’t have known what to look for. It had nothing to do with her seat on the board. In fact, it was likely that Jacob had chosen Catherine for the board specifically because she wouldn’t know enough to challenge him. “Ethan, maybe Catherine really didn’t—”
“Stay out of this,” Catherine snapped, then turned back to Ethan. “For your information, Jacob never shared anything meaningful about the business with me.” Despite the cold disdain on her face, her voice started shaking. “And if you think I buy your whole ‘I’ll take care of everyone’ routine, you’re mistaken. I know what you’re doing, Ethan. You’re trying to get rid of me, cut me off, and indulge in your twisted kink.”
Twisted kink?
“Jacob told me all about you. You like them weak, needy and just slightly messed up so you can swoop in and fix everything for them.” Catherine glanced at Kerri. “Sound about right? You know Jacob said Ethan only dates two types of women? Ones who are just like Lisa, or the exact opposite. Guess which one you are.”
It was Ethan’s turn to pale. His hands clenched into fists so tight they shook. He looked furious enough to strike Catherine.
“See, I’m right.” She tossed a cruel smirk at Kerri. “You’re such an idiot, thinking you’re special, when what you really are is just a chance to undo his fuckup.”
“Drop it, Catherine.” Ethan’s voice lowered to a register Kerri hadn’t heard before. “Before I cut you off for real.”
“Wasn’t that your plan from the very beginning? Get rid of the grasping, fake in-law? Isn’t that why you hired this, this surrogate to go throu—”
“Enough!” Ethan roared. “Get out!”
“You never liked me. Just because I don’t have a fancy degree doesn’t mean I’m stupid!”
Kerri took Catherine’s arm and dragged her out of the penthouse. Cripes, the woman had a death wish. Or maybe she just didn’t care what happened any longer.
“Come on.” Kerri half-pushed, half-escorted Catherine to the elevator. Despite everything that had been said, she found herself feeling sorry for the woman. Catherine had discovered the man she thought she was married to wasn’t really her husband, the lifestyle she obviously enjoyed was probably going to be radically downsized in the very near future, and to top it all off, there was a very real possibility she might go to jail. It was a lot to deal with.
“You shouldn’t bait him.” Kerri pressed the button for the elevator.
“What the hell do you mean?”
“I think you know.”
Catherine’s jaw tensed, as though she was bracing for a fight, then moisture appeared in her eyes. Her hands shook. Panic and humiliation flashed in her gaze before she yanked her arm out of Kerri’s grip.
Kerri suppressed a sigh. Under the killer looks and haughty veneer, this woman was obviously hurting so badly that Kerri couldn’t help but wonder if she really loved Jacob. It would explain a lot.
“You need to go,” Kerri said. “But just so you know, I don’t think Ethan’s going to cut you out. He’s way too devoted to his family.”
“Yeah, great, except I’m not his family. Never was.” Catherine’s voice was bitter. “God, it wasn’t supposed to end up like this. Four damned years, and I’m left with nothing.” She looked at Kerri levelly. “They always hated me, you know. The whole Lloyd clan. I wasn’t what they wanted for Jacob. They’ve got to be thrilled I was never his lawfully wedded wife.”
Yeah, Kerri thought. I’m sure they’re much happier that he’s really married to a stripper.
Catherine pulled out a silk handkerchief and carefully blotted her tears away. “Well, good luck with Ethan. I hope you know what you’re doing. But if you want my advice, go find someone else. When he’s done playing with you, he’ll toss you out like so much stale bread.”
She disappeared into the elevator.
Chapter Twenty-Four
ETHAN WAS POURING HIMSELF a stiff drink when the door opened and Kerri walked back into the penthouse.