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He didn’t say anything for a moment And when he did speak, his voice was low and ruitation “Your threats won’t work”

“Poppa, this isn’t a threat It’s a prohtly”

Her father stared at her as though gauging her sincerity “Why don’t you and your brother understand that I just want to protect you?”

“I know you are worried about our safety afterafter what happened to Mo—there’s no threat to us You can relax We’ll be safe”

He shook his head “You don’t know that I can’t remove your security detail II have to be sure that you’re h—to take care of yourself”

The knowledge that her father thought so little of her stabbed at her But she refused to give in to the pain This was her chance to forge ahead “I will prove to you that I’ood decisions”

Business was so her father understood and respected She told her father how she’d taken over the South Shore Project With the crown prince now occupied with his new fa’s duties, he didn’t have time to personally oversee the project And Annabelle had happily stepped up And she almost had the entire piazza occupied There was just one more pivotal vacancy that needed to be filled And not just by anyone, but a business that would draw the twentyso crowd—t

he people with plenty of disposable cash that would keep the South Shore thriving long into the future

“And you think you can do this all on your own?” There was a note of doubt in her father’s voice

Her back teeth ground together Her father was so old-fashioned If it were up to him, she’d be married off to some successful businessman who could help sustain her father’s citrus business

Annabelle lifted her chin as her gaze met his “Yes, I can do this I’ll show you And once I do, you’ll reuards”

Their gazes met and neither wanted to turn away A battle of wills ensued Obviously her father hadn’t realized that he’d raised a daughter as as stubborn as him

All the while, she wondered if there was any truth to her father’s suspicions about herful than her mother had died over some measly money and jewelry?

CHAPTER ONE

THIS DAY WAS the beginning of a new chapter