That wipes the smirk off his face right away. Good.
“Are you joking? Did you call me here for more of the same? My lawyer—”
“Wears a more expensive suit and watch than you do right now. His retainer alone is more than a year’s worth of rent for that crap-hole you live in.”
This gets his attention. He sits up straighter, flaring his nostrils. “Have you had someone look in to my things?”
“Yes.” Logan knows some skilled investigators, and he put me in contact with them. “They found extremely interesting information. You sold the yacht, the car, and your collection of watches so you can pay your lawyer. By my calculations, you can afford to pay him for another five months.”
I can practically see the color draining from his face, and I’m far from done.
“I can afford legal fees for years and years to come,” I say coolly. “Can you?”
“Once I win, I can pay,” he says through gritted teeth. I think he meant that to sound menacing, but it came out desperate.
“You wouldn’t win. That’s a fact. You have no case. What you and your lawyer are aiming for is for me to cave and pay you off so I don’t have to deal with you.”
“You’re bluffing,” Terence replies, a vein pulsing in his temple.
“I looked in to your lawyer too. This is his strategy. Harassing the other party until they give in. Most of them give in quickly. But here’s the hitch.” I cross my fingers over the table, smiling sweetly at him. “Processes can last years. I can make this one last years, and I will if you force my hand. Oliver and I think we can prolong this for at least five years. Expensive suit out there will want his retainer during that time, and you have nothing else to sell.”
“I can find money.”
“Maybe you can, but judging by the look of you, you’re clearly not faring well.” The muscles in my arms quiver and sweat breaks out at the back of my neck as I continue. “You’re betting that I’m willing to do anything so you disappear from my life. I’m here to tell you otherwise. I will drag you through courtrooms until you are broke. I’m not afraid anymore, because you mean nothing to me. I will protect my family’s legacy at whatever cost.”
“You bitch. You fool everyone with your nice-girl act, and—”
“Let’s get one thing straight,” I say loudly. “I can play dirty. I choose not to. Most of the time. I treated you fairly until now, but you don’t deserve it. You have one week to drop this entire act, or I’m going after you until you are literally buried in legal fees.”
Terence doesn’t reply for long minutes, then says viciously, “You think he loves you, don’t you?”
“This is none of your business.”
“You really do believe it. God, you’ve always been an idiot. That’s why you’ll end up alone. That’s what you deserve.”
Bile rises up my throat, but I force myself to remain calm. Standing up, I say, “You have one week to drop this. Then I’m going after you.”
I walk out of the room, nodding at Oliver, who gives me a thumbs-up. Expensive suit looks pale, all traces of self-confidence gone. I guess our less-than-friendly exchanges were loud enough for him to hear. Good.
“Let me know how this pans out,” I tell Oliver.
I almost jog to the park across the office, in need of fresh air. Sweat dots my upper lip as I sit on a bench, close my eyes, and take in deep breaths to calm myself. His words can only hurt me if I allow them to, and I choose not to. I repeat this mantra a few times, already feeling much calmer.
“How did it go?”
I startle in my seat, my eyes flying open. “Eric. I forgot you were here.”
He sits next to me, taking both my hands in his. “You okay?”
“My inner shark kicked ass.”
As if on cue, my phone chimes with a message from Oliver. Terence dropped the lawsuit. He won’t bother you anymore.
Smiling, I show the message to Eric.
“Wow, you must’ve been scary, Ms. Shark,” he remarks. “This demands a celebration. How about we both take the day off?”
A warm, fuzzy feeling takes hold of my chest because I know how much work he has to do before returning to Boston.