Damian had only taken a few steps away from his office when he stopped.
His conversation with Laura was still bothering him.
Not because of the absurd thirty-percent demand, but because something had felt strange over the past few days. Laura was far too confident in her claim. As if the woman knew something Damian didn't.
And Damian didn't like anything beyond his control.
He returned to his desk, picked up his phone, and pressed one of the numbers that had been saved there for years.
“Edward? I need to meet with you.”
An hour later, Damian was in Edward's office.
The man, around sixty years old, had been the late Damian's father's personal attorney. For years, Edward had handled nearly all of the Cole family's legal affairs, including the will that had been read after Damian's father's death.
Edward rose from his chair when Damian entered.
“Damian.”
“Sorry for dropping by without notice.”
“It's no problem. Have a seat.”
Damian took the chair across from Edward's desk. His gaze went straight to the man.
“I want to review Father's will.”
Edward raised an eyebrow.
“The will?”
“Yes.”
“Is there a problem?”
“Laura.”
The name caused Edward's expression to shift slightly.
“She’s demanding thirty percent of Father's assets again.”
“I suspected as much.”
Damian leaned back in his chair.
“She claims Father promised her that share before he died.”
Edward sighed.
“There’s no such clause in the will.”
“I know.”
“Then—”
“But I want to make sure there’s nothing I missed.”
Edward was silent for a moment before opening the drawer beside his desk. He took out a thick black folder and placed it in front of Damian.
“This is an official copy of Mr. Cole's will.”
Damian opened the folder.
His eyes moved quickly as he read every page.
There was no thirty percent.
There was no special provision for Laura.
There were only a few provisions concerning assets, the company, and a request that Damian continue to accept Laura as part of the family.
Damian looked up.
“That’s everything?”
“Yes.”
“There aren’t any additional documents?”
Edward didn’t answer immediately.
He remained silent for several seconds.
And that pause was precisely what made Damian narrow his eyes.
“What is it?”
Edward drew a long breath.
“Actually, there is one additional document.”
Damian immediately closed the folder.
“What document?”
Edward opened another drawer.
This time, he took out a white envelope that looked far newer than the other documents on the desk.
Damian studied it suspiciously.
“Why am I only seeing that now?”
“Because this document isn’t part of the main will.”
“Then what is it?”
“It’s an additional statement from your father.”
Damian held out his hand.
Edward handed it over.
Damian opened the envelope and began to read.
After only a few lines, his eyes changed.
His jaw tightened.
“What is this?”
“Read it to the end.”
Damian continued.
The farther he read, the clearer the disbelief on his face became.
His father had left one additional provision.
Damian Cole was required to enter into a legal marriage before full control over the family assets and company could be transferred to him.
Damian looked at Edward.
“Why is this clause only appearing now?”
Edward had expected the question.
“Because the clause could only take effect once a certain condition had been met.”
“What condition?”
“Your father’s death.”
Damian let out a short, humorless laugh.
“So you’ve been keeping this document all this time?”
“I wasn’t keeping it for personal reasons. I was simply following his instructions.”
“And Father never told me anything?”
“No.”
Damian looked at the letter again.
“What was his reason?”
Edward shook his head.
“He didn’t provide a lengthy explanation. He only said the decision was related to the family’s future and the stability of the assets.”
Damian fell silent.
The stability of the assets.
The phrase sounded far too simple for something that had just made his life considerably more complicated.
“How long do I have?”
“Six months from the date this additional statement is read.”
Damian fixed Edward with a sharp look.
“And if I refuse?”
“Full management of most of the assets will remain under the oversight mechanism specified in the document.”
“Who will control them?”
“No single person will have complete control.”
Damian immediately understood the problem.
Without full authority, he wouldn’t be able to make decisions on his own. Including making sure the family assets didn’t fall into the wrong hands.
Laura.
The woman might not know about the clause yet. And Damian had no intention of telling her.
“Does Laura know about this?”
“Not as far as I know.”
“Good.”
Damian read the document again.
But there was one thing that made him even more uncomfortable.
“Did Father really want me to get married?”
“Legally, yes.”
“Not merely engaged?”
“No.”
“A legal marriage?”
Edward nodded.
“A legal marriage.”
Damian rubbed his jaw.
Insane.
His father could still control his life even after death.
“And there’s no specific woman’s name?”
“None.”
“Which means I’m free to choose?”
“As long as the marriage meets all legal requirements and isn’t a sham marriage.”
Damian stared at Edward for several seconds.
“A sham marriage?”
Edward nodded slowly.
“If it’s proven that the marriage was created solely to satisfy the clause, certain parties may object to the transfer of the assets.”
Damian didn’t answer.
Something was beginning to take shape in his mind.
If his father wanted a real marriage, then he wouldn’t give him one.
Not because Damian was afraid of marriage.
He simply didn’t want someone gaining control over his life because of a clause his father had left behind years ago.
However, if marriage was the only way to gain full control over the family assets...
Then he would get married.
Just on his own terms.
“I understand.”
Edward studied Damian’s face.
“You’re going to do it?”
Damian stood, carrying the copy of the document with him.
“I never said I would refuse.”
“Damian.”
The man stopped.
“Think carefully. Marriage isn’t just a business transaction.”
Damian turned around.
“I know.”
Then he smiled faintly.
“But for me, maybe this time it really does have to be a transaction.”
Edward frowned, but Damian had already turned away.
There was one thing Edward didn’t know yet.
Damian had no intention of looking for a woman who loved him.
He needed someone willing to make a deal.
Someone he could trust to follow the rules.
And most importantly, someone who needed enough money not to ask too many questions.
Damian’s thoughts drifted unintentionally to one name.
Elena Rose.
The woman he had met that night.
The woman who worked at a place Damian should never have gone to.
The woman Damian believed would do anything for money.