Chapter 4

Daniel did not mention the torn authorization on the drive to the celebration dinner.

That frightened me more than anger would have.

His company had secured its first large development contract, although he still claimed it could not survive without my inheritance. He had invited contractors, relatives, and several local designers to a private room at an Italian restaurant downtown.

My boss sat three tables from the podium.

I had called her that afternoon. The senior designer position I once declined was still waiting for my answer.

Daniel kept one hand at the small of my back as we greeted guests. To everyone else, it looked affectionate. Each time I moved away, his fingers pressed harder.

Lauren stood beside the bar with a stack of invoices. Her blond hair was shorter, and there was no emerald ring on her hand.

Not yet.

When dinner ended, Daniel raised his glass.

"I couldn't have built this company alone," he began.

People turned toward me.

"My wife has made an incredible decision. Kate is leaving her design firm to join my company full-time."

Applause filled the room.

For one terrible second, I was fifty again, standing in Lauren's apartment while three people agreed that I had made choices I could not remember.

Daniel smiled and held out his hand.

He expected me to stand beside him. To protect him from embarrassment. To make his lie true because correcting it would be impolite.

I rose, but I did not take his hand.

"May I borrow that?"

His smile stiffened as I removed the microphone from his fingers.

The applause faded.

"I think Daniel got ahead of himself," I said.

"I'm not leaving my firm."

Across the room, my boss watched me without blinking.

"In fact, I accepted the senior designer position this afternoon."

She stood first and lifted her glass.

"Congratulations, Kate."

A few guests joined her. The second round of applause started awkwardly, then grew.

Daniel's face did not change, but his empty hand closed at his side.

"And I won't be investing my inheritance in Daniel's company," I continued.

This time, no one applauded.

Lauren lowered her eyes to the invoices.

For the first time since waking in 2006, I felt that I had changed something real. I had kept my job. I had refused the authorization. My inheritance was still mine.

On the drive home, Daniel kept both hands tight around the steering wheel.

"You made me look like a fool."

"You announced that I had quit my job."

"I needed my wife to support me tonight."

"So you decided for me?"

"I thought you understood what the company needs."

"You never asked what I wanted."

His jaw tightened.

"This affects both of us, Katie."

"Then you should have spoken to me before telling everyone what I was going to do."

He did not answer.

At home, Daniel went upstairs and turned on the shower. His briefcase sat open beside the kitchen counter.

A copy of the development contract lay inside.

I should have left it alone. Instead, I opened it, searching for the amount Daniel claimed he needed.

A page titled *Source of Project Funds* listed one hundred and eighty thousand dollars as money already committed to the company by Katherine Hale.

My name.

My inheritance.

Behind that page was a copy of my personal account statement, showing the exact balance and account number. Daniel had submitted it as proof that the money was available and that I had promised to put it into his company.

I had made no such promise.

The project approval letter came next. It stated that the developer had accepted Daniel's funding plan and authorized the company to begin work.

The letter was dated two days earlier.

Everyone in that restaurant had been celebrating a contract Daniel received because he had presented my inheritance as committed money.

Before he asked me.

Before he placed the authorization in front of me.

Before I had any chance to say no.

The agreement I tore up that morning had not been the beginning. Daniel had already used my account to secure the project. My signature would only have given him permission after the fact—and allowed him to take the next step.

Moving the entire $180,000 into his company.

The shower stopped upstairs.

I closed the briefcase, my pulse hammering.

The money might still be in my account tonight.

I had no idea whether it would still be there by morning.