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Giovanni settled in one of the chairs and spread his papers in front of him

Sebastian and Noelance at each other Leo took a few seconds then dragged out one of the heavy chairs too

Giovanni waited until everyone was settled then gave them all a nod

‘We all knoe are here’ He nodded again in particular to Leo ‘I was your parents’ lawyer for the last thirty years, and I loved the I do today is in accordance with their wishes’

There was an edge of anxiety in Giovanni’s voice that Leo picked up on He cast his eyes over his brother and sister again as he shifted in his seat

Giovanni started reading from the paper in front of him ‘This is the last will and testament of Salvo and Nicole Cattaneo Salvo and Nicole were the sole owners of Cattaneo Jewels, currently valued at around seventy billion euros’

Leo blinked He knew the jewellery line was famous and international, but he hadn’t realised his parents’ fortune rivalled even his own

Giovanni kept talking, ‘It was the wish of Salvo and Nicole that in the event of their death, the business should reether for a second, looking decidedly nervous ‘As such, the controlling stake in Cattaneo Jeill pass to Leo Baxter, their eldest biological child’

‘What?’ Sebastian’s chair landed on the floor as he stood up and thumped his hands on the table

Noeain

Giovanni cleared his throat, refusing to fix on Sebastian’s red face

‘No,’ said Leo, shaking his head ‘I have no interest in the fa about jewels’ He stood up too All he wanted was to get out of there

‘I’ve trained for this ed Sebastian ‘Who is he to inherit the business over me?’

‘Your brother,’ snapped Giovanni For the briefest second Leo realised why Salvo and Nicole had worked with this lawyer for thirty years

Giovanni held up his hands ‘Sit down, both of you’

Leo ot it He did And he had absolutely no interest in this business, but his brother’s reaction annoyed him It didn’t matter that he partially understood it He couldn’t hide his flare of anger Sebastian had got to spend a lifetiot to meet them

Giovanni gave a shake of his head and Leo settled back into his chair, staring pointedly at Sebastian until he did the same

Giovanni continued slowly ‘There are conditions attached’

‘What conditions?’ Leo couldn’t help it He’d been in business too long to get caught out

‘Leostake in the business for a minimum of six months The shares can’t be sold, or transferred, to any alternative controlling company or family member’

‘What happens if he does?’ Noemi’s voice was shaky

Giovanni looked at all three of them ‘Any attempt to violate the ter and will be liquidated with its assets distributed a four hundred shareholders’

‘What?’ Sebastian’s voice sounded wheezy His eyes ide

Leo sat frozen in his chair He was a businessman He had a head for business He knew exactly what this was

‘This is blackmail,’ he said coldly

‘No,’ said Noemi quietly