Ervin didn't answer immediately, he leaned forward, the leather of the sofa creaking under his weight.

"Do you know what happens to people who try to leverage me with my own problems?" Ervin asked.

A chill ran down Kailee's spine, she ignored it, she forced the corners of her mouth up.

"It's not leverage, Mr. Hendricks. It's a merger."

She pulled out a folded document."A copy of my trust agreement, outlining the share transfer. And the contact for my lawyer, who can draw up the terms before the ceremony ends."

Ervin took the paper. His fingers brushed hers-his skin was rough, calloused. He scanned the document in the low light.

A spasm of pain shot through his left leg, his jaw tightened. The tremor was microscopic, but Kailee saw it.

He crushed the cigar into the crystal ashtray.

"If this is a lie," Ervin said, his voice low, "I will make you wish you had never been born."

"Deal," Kailee said.

Ervin picked up the internal phone on the side table. "Get my tuxedo. The black velvet."

Viktor's eyes widened. He looked from his boss to the woman in the wedding dress. "Sir?"

"We have a wedding to attend," Ervin said.

Kailee let out a breath she didn't know she was holding. Her knees felt like water. She locked them, forcing herself to stand tall.

Ten minutes later, Ervin stood up. He was massive, towering over her, he extended his arm.

"Take it," he commanded. "If we are doing this, we are doing it."

Kailee placed her hand on his forearm, the muscle beneath the velvet jacket was hard as rock.

They walked to the elevator.

"Your nephew is still livestreaming," Kailee said, checking her phone as the numbers counted down. "Twelve thousand viewers."

"Good," Ervin said. "Let him dig the grave deeper."

The elevator doors opened on the ballroom level.

The flashbulbs hit them like a physical blow.

The murmur of the crowd died instantly.

They saw Kailee Lynn, and they saw the man on her arm. Not Julian.

Ervin Hendricks. The head of the family, the man who ate companies for breakfast.

Ervin didn't look at the crowd, he looked straight ahead, his face a mask of arrogant indifference. He led Kailee through the parted sea of guests.

A glass shattered on the floor. One of Julian's friends dropped his champagne flute.

His phone was in his hand, he was typing frantically. Julian, you are dead. Your uncle just stole your wife.

Kailee felt the eyes on her skin. Judgment. Confusion. Fear. She lifted her chin.

They reached the stage. The officiant looked like he wanted to faint.

Ervin let go of Kailee's arm, he stepped to the microphone. He grabbed the stand, his knuckles distinct.

"Due to the default of the junior partner," Ervin's voice boomed through the speakers, deep and resonant.

He looked out at the crowd, his gaze landing on the empty seat where his nephew should have been.

"The terms of the merger have been amended. The ceremony will proceed with the new principal."

Julian woke up to a headache, he was tangled in silk sheets that smelled of stale perfume and sweat.

"Ugh," he groaned, rolling over.

Annabelle was tracing circles on his chest with a manicured fingernail. "I bet she's crying her eyes out right now," she giggled. "Poor, sad Kailee."

Julian smirked, eyes still closed. "She's probably giving a speech to the empty chairs. Pathetic."

His phone on the nightstand buzzed, it didn't stop.

Julian reached out blindly, "Dammit!"

He grabbed the phone, ten missed calls from Mike.

He swiped to answer. "What the hell, Mike? I'm busy."

"Where are you?!" Mike was screaming, the background noise was chaos. "Check Twitter! Now!"

"Why? Did Kailee kill herself?" Julian laughed.

"She married Ervin! Your uncle Ervin!"

Julian's brain stopped working. The words didn't make sense.

"You're drunk," Julian said. "Ervin hates everyone, he doesn't date."

"Check the hashtag, you idiot!"

Julian dropped the phone on his face. He swore, sitting up, ignoring the throbbing in his head, he opened Twitter.

Trending 1: LynnHendricksShock

He tapped it.

The photo loaded.

Ervin Hendricks, looking like a dark god in a tuxedo, his hand possessively on Kailee's waist. Kailee looked... powerful. Not sad. Not broken.

Julian felt the blood drain from his face, his stomach turned over.

"No," he whispered. "That's my merger, that's my controlling interest."

If Ervin married, the succession line changed. Julian would be pushed down, he would be irrelevant.

Annabelle leaned over his shoulder, she gasped, "Is that... Ervin? With Kailee?" Her voice went shrill. "Why would he want her? She's so old!"

Julian shoved Annabelle away, she hit the headboard with a thud.

"Get dressed!" Julian yelled. He jumped out of bed, tripping over his own pants. "It's a scam! She's tricking him!"

"Julian, wait!" Annabelle cried.

"Shut up!" Julian was buttoning his shirt wrong, he missed a hole, but he didn't care. "I have to stop this. If he signs those papers, I'm out. The board will push me out completely!"

He grabbed his jacket, didn't tie his shoes.

He turned to Annabelle. "Stay here. Don't make this worse."

He ran out of the suite, slammed the button for the elevator. He punched the wall while he waited, pain shot up his knuckles, sharp and grounding.

The doors opened.

His phone buzzed again, a text from a board member: We are reviewing your position, don't come to the office tomorrow.

Julian slammed his fist into the metal wall of the elevator.

The doors opened on the ballroom floor, the music drifted in-classical, elegant.

Julian took a breath, ran toward the double doors.

Ervin stood at the microphone. His hand was resting on the small of Kailee's back. It felt heavy, warm, a brand of ownership. He was speaking about synergy, about the future of the two conglomerates.

The ballroom doors flew open.

Julian stood there. He was panting, his tie was crooked.

"Stop!" Julian pointed a shaking finger at the stage. "It's a lie! She's lying!"

The crowd gasped.

Julian ran down the aisle, he scrambled up the stairs to the stage, he reached for Kailee.

"You bitch!"

Viktor materialized from the shadows. He didn't use a weapon, he stepped in front of Julian and put a hand on his chest.

"Mr. Julian," Viktor said. "Step down."

Julian shoved Viktor's hand away, looked past the bodyguard at his uncle.

"She's using you, Uncle Ervin! She's doing this to hide the money laundering! The Feds are about to indict her! She's a criminal! She needs your protection to stay out of jail!"

The room went silent. Kailee's face paled slightly.

Ervin didn't flinch. He moved his hand from Kailee's back to her shoulder, pulling her slightly closer.

"I proposed to Ms. Lynn," Ervin said. His voice was calm, deadly, "Do you have an objection to my judgment?"

Julian froze. "You... you proposed?"

"Yes," Ervin lied. Smoothly, "Where were you, Julian? You were the original groom."

"I... traffic," Julian stammered. "I got stuck."

Chaya walked onto the stage, she held the tablet high, it was connected to the AV system now.

"Traffic?" Chaya said into a handheld mic. "Was the traffic in the Presidential Suite upstairs?"

Julian's eyes bulged, he lunged for Chaya.

Viktor moved. He didn't push this time, he kicked. A sharp, calculated strike to the back of Julian's knee.

Julian's leg buckled, hit the floor hard.

He landed on his knees, directly in front of Kailee and Ervin.

The visual was striking, the nephew bowing to the new power couple.

Ervin looked down at him, "You come into my engagement party, looking like a drunk, and insult my fiancée?"

"She's dirty!" Julian wheezed, holding his knee. "She's not who you think she is!"

Kailee laughed, it was a soft sound, but the microphone picked it up.

She bent down. She leaned close to Julian's ear.

"Julian," she whispered. "Look at the screen."

Julian turned his head, the massive LED screen behind them flickered. The "Lynn-Hendricks Merger" logo disappeared.

A loading bar appeared.

Julian's heart hammered against his ribs. He knew, deep down, in the sick pit of his stomach, he knew what was coming.