Chapter 14 - The Choice That Was Never in the Contract
Chloe stared at her name.
“No.”
Antonio sat.
“Yes.”
“Why?”
“Because Leo never wanted the empire.”
Leo looked at him.
“You could have asked.”
“I knew your answer.”
“That has been your excuse for thirty years.”
Antonio flinched.
Chloe put the will down.
“I don't want it either.”
Antonio almost smiled.
“I suspected.”
“Then why me?”
“Because you would give it away before letting it own you.”
Chloe looked at Leo.
“That might be the nicest insult I've ever received.”
“It was intended as praise.”
Isabella spoke.
“There's more.”
The will contained a dissolution clause.
Chloe could inherit the controlling interests—or dismantle the old organization and convert its legitimate holdings into independently governed companies and trusts.
Antonio had created an exit.
For Leo.
For Lucia.
For everyone.
“You spent your life building this,” Leo said.
Antonio nodded.
“And most of my life learning what it cost.”
Chloe understood.
“Victor thought the baby would combine everything.”
“Yes.”
“But you already planned to end the system.”
“Yes.”
“Why not tell us?”
Antonio looked embarrassed.
“I'm beginning to understand that secrecy may be a character flaw.”
Leo laughed.
A genuine laugh.
Chloe had never heard one quite like it.
She made her choice.
The old criminal alliances ended.
Legitimate businesses remained.
Employees kept their jobs.
The Bennett waterfront interests entered transparent corporate ownership.
Lucia received what had always been hers.
Danny got nothing.
He complained.
Chloe reminded him about the eighty thousand dollars.
He stopped complaining.
Daniel began the slow, humiliating work of rebuilding relationships with both sons.
Amelia rented an apartment three blocks from Chloe.
Not inside her life.
Near it.
She understood that reconciliation could not be demanded simply because regret was sincere.
And Leo?
Leo discovered ordinary problems.
Chloe hated his mattress.
He replaced it.
She hated the replacement.
He replaced that too.
She refused to let security follow her into maternity stores.
They compromised at the entrance.
He purchased fourteen baby monitors.
She returned thirteen.
At thirty-two weeks, Leo woke at three in the morning because Chloe was eating cereal in the kitchen.
“Is something wrong?”
“Yes.”
He was instantly awake.
“What?”
“We're out of strawberries.”
Leo stared.
“You woke me because there are no strawberries?”
“I didn't wake you.”
“You left the bed.”
“You woke yourself.”
He checked the refrigerator.
“There are blueberries.”
Chloe looked personally insulted.
“Our daughter doesn't want blueberries.”
Leo reached for his phone.
“No.”
“I'll have strawberries delivered.”
“At three in the morning?”
“Yes.”
“You are ridiculous.”
“You're carrying my daughter.”
“Our daughter.”
His expression softened.
“Our daughter.”
He put the phone down.
They ate blueberries.
At thirty-six weeks, Leo finally proposed.
Not at a gala.
Not before cameras.
Not in one of his hotels.
At the bakery.
The same bakery.
Chloe stood where Bradley had insulted her months earlier.
Leo handed her a cheese Danish.
She opened the bag.
A ring sat beside it.
“You put jewelry next to frosting?”
“I had assistance.”
She laughed.
Leo looked suddenly nervous.
The most feared man in New York could negotiate billion-dollar deals without blinking.
One pregnant blonde woman terrified him.
“Chloe Bennett.”
“Yes?”
“I had a speech.”
“What happened?”
“I forgot it.”
She smiled.
“That's unfortunate.”
“I know.”
He took her hands.
“I don't want a contract.”
Her eyes filled.
“I don't want an arrangement.”
Leo placed his palm against the belly that had become the center of both their worlds.
“And I don't want you because you're carrying my child.”
Chloe whispered, “Then why?”
“Because every future I imagine has you arguing with me in it.”
She laughed through tears.
“That's terrible.”
“I'm doing badly.”
“Very.”
“I love you.”
“That part was better.”
“Marry me.”
Chloe looked at the ring.
Then at him.
“Yes.”
Leo exhaled.
She narrowed her eyes.
“Were you worried?”
“Extremely.”
“Good.”
He kissed her.
The bakery employees applauded.
Then Chloe suddenly stopped.
Leo pulled back.
“What?”
Her eyes widened.
A warm sensation ran down her legs.
Leo looked at the floor.
Then at her.
“Chloe?”
She breathed carefully.
“I think my water just broke.”
Leo's face went completely white.
The cashier reached for a phone.
Leo reached for Chloe.
“Hospital.”
“Leo, breathe.”
“I am breathing.”
“You absolutely are not.”
He lifted her.
She laughed despite the contraction.
Then Leo's phone rang.
Marco.
He ignored it.
It rang again.
Chloe frowned.
“Answer.”
“No.”
“Answer.”
Leo put it on speaker while carrying her toward the SUV.
Marco's voice came through.
“Leo, don't go to Ellis's clinic.”
Leo stopped.
“Why?”
“We just received the security alert.”
“What happened?”
A pause.
May you like
Then Marco said the words that froze both of them.
“Someone is already inside the delivery suite waiting for Chloe.”
