Page 15 (2/2)

Her horror h he was far worse off than he’d allowed himself to believe And they didn’t even know the half of it

“Liam?” Gabrielle had him with just one word But he couldn’t lean on her Not this time He didn’t have to prove to hih with his father, how hard it had been to bite his tongue and offer the old man the respect he’d deserved He knew of the responsibilities he’d carried at Connelly Investments—all with successful results

But seeing hiht then, homeless and disowned, he sahat they’d seen, what he was afraid they still saw: that eighteen-year-old kid whose father had stripped him of his keys

“My father has agreed to leavetopeople look at ht now Like my existence depends upon my father Like ultimately my decisions rest with him”

There was no ation to tell them he’d been disinherited Their investment, backed by the trust which his father couldn’t touch, was co to stand up and take control of his life, he had to do this on his own A part of Lia on no oneout from under his feet The loss of a job, of a fancy home, orth that freedom

He was going to be so with Gabi and Marie

“I’ll pay for the renovations,” he told the to need two kitchens The idea was growing on him He’d make one kitchen an office Or maybe one of the four bedrooms should be used for that purpose Truth was, he had no idea what he was going to do with the space He just kneanted it

More and more with every minute that passed

He didn’t feel quite as desperate anymore

“And another thing,” he added, nodding as he looked first at one and then the other “I’ve decided to giveto devoteAnd if, at the end of the year,

I’o back into finance”

“Your father agreed to that?” Marie’s shock was evident Lia—he didn’t knohat Doubt, maybe? Concern, certainly She always saw the risks

And saw through him, too

She was staring at hi

“You don’t think I can do it” Why he said the words, he didn’t know Didn’tbefore him, one wilted petal at a time