He Didn't Know She Was the Heiress novel · Chapter 19 of 24

Chapter 19: Eleanor's Price

Eleanor's study smelled of cold ashes and lemon polish.

Becca had gone upstairs with Maisie, and the housekeeper had promised to sit outside their door all night.

That left the three of us, Eleanor behind her desk, Samson by the window and me in the leather chair.

I had put the cream envelope on the desk.

Eleanor looked at the unbroken wax seal and then at me, and one white eyebrow went up.

"You didn't open it."

"I wanted to hear you say it first."

"Very well." She folded her hands on the blotter. "Sorrell Hospitality buys Fairbanks Hotels at a fair price, and the two companies run as one, under my name."

"No."

"You haven't heard the rest."

"I heard enough," I said. "My father built forty-one hotels. I'm not handing them to anybody who calls it a merger."

"Then here is the price." She turned her eyes to Samson. "He takes the chief executive's seat. The company is his on Monday."

Samson didn't move.

"You've wanted that seat for six years," Eleanor said. "I'm offering it to you with no rival left to share it. All you must do is persuade her to sign."

"You're asking me to sell her."

"I'm asking you to be sensible."

"I'm asking you something," I said. "What do you do if I say no?"

"Then the seat goes to a stranger on the board, and Samson goes where he's already been, which is nowhere." Her mouth thinned. "And Maisie's trust is held by the company, not by her mother."

← Chapter 18 · All chapters · Chapter 20 →

Want to keep talking to characters like these? Chat with AI romance characters: AI Boyfriend · AI Girlfriend · Dark Romance · Fantasy Romance · BL (Boys’ Love) · Billionaire Boyfriend · Mafia Boyfriend · Possessive Boyfriend · Hockey Boyfriend · Older Boyfriend · K-Drama Boyfriend · Anime Boyfriend · Vampire Boyfriend · Werewolf Boyfriend · Demon Boyfriend · Fae Romance · GL (Girls’ Love) · Anime Girlfriend · Goth & Alt Girlfriend · Gamer Girlfriend · Tsundere Girlfriend · Fantasy Girlfriend