He Loves Me Right, Finally novel Chapter 74

Chapter 74 No Takebacks

Wynette looked at both of them and spoke without preamble. “Mr. Shepherd, if you have something to say to me, you’re welcome to say it directly. There’s no need to involve my mother.”

The meaning behind those words was impossible to miss.

Justin’s gaze shifted to her. “I heard you’re thinking about buying back that five percent stake my family holds in Jewell Group.”

“That’s right,” Wynette said.

She saw no point in dancing around it.

The only real question now was how much the Shepherds were going to ask for.

Justin tilted his head with a mild, calculating interest. “Does Jewell Group even have the liquidity for something like that right now?”

He already knew the answer. Liam had been his instrument inside the company, and through him, Justin had maintained a near–perfect picture of Jewell Group’s financial state.

That had been the whole point of putting Liam there.

Three years of profit, carefully redirected into Shepherd Group’s pockets, had left Jewell Group running on the minimum required to stay operational.

Kaylee’s accessible capital was thin.

But Kaylee’s limitations weren’t Wynette’s.

Wynette smiled pleasantly. “Whether I have it or not is my problem to solve. All I need from you, Mr. Shepherd, is a yes or a no.”

She had no interest in letting Justin drag her into his preferred style of negotiation.

She knew his playbook: stall, apply psychological pressure, chip away at the other side’s resolve until they cracked.

She wasn’t going to give him the opening.

“Business is business,” Wynette said, her tone level and precise. “The returns Jewell Group has generated across every project over the past three years have more than covered your original investment, interest included, and then some.”

She met Justin’s gaze with a calm that carried its own kind of weight. “My family is grateful for your family’s help when it mattered. But that chapter is closed. I’ll buy the shares back at 1% above market rate. I’d encourage you to think carefully about that offer, Mr. Shepherd.”

One percent above market wasn’t a small number, and Justin knew it.

Jewell Group might not be what it once was, but it was still a heritage brand with over a century behind it.

1:24 pm Ppp.

Chapter 74 No Takebacks

Five percent, plus a premium, added up to something substantial.

Finished

The problem was that pulling funds from the company’s active projects right now would stall operations entirely.

Where was Wynette planning to get that kind of money on short notice?

Justin studied her, the picture of unhurried confidence. He’d watched this girl grow up. She’d never had any appetite for the sharp edges of the business world, and Ryker had never pushed her toward it.

One daughter, one heir, and Ryker’s philosophy had always been simple: let Wynette be happy.

If she hated handling the company, they could hire some pros to do the work, given how fast they were developing.

He’d assured her a life free from financial worry and made good on that promise. After she’d graduated, she hadn’t stepped into the company at all.

Other heirs would’ve been forced to start working at their family’s company after graduation.

Justin had always assumed she was simply a sheltered, pampered heiress with no particular instinct for any of this. These past few days had given him minor pause, but he hadn’t revised his fundamental

assessment.

She’s still a naive, pampered girl.

He didn’t believe she could produce that money.

He let out a short, cool smile. “All right, Wynette. I’ll be fair. Two hours. If you can put together the funds within two hours, I’ll sign the transfer papers on the spot and hand the shares back to your family.”

He’d calculated, with complete confidence, that she’d fall short.

His gaze on her now carried something that hadn’t bothered to disguise itself as anything other than contempt.

Kaylee, sitting to the side, felt her anxiety spike.

That kind of money in two hours? Impossible!

Even if she liquidated every property she had, there wouldn’t be enough time to find buyers, let alone process the paperwork.

The whole thing was designed to fail.

She was terrified.

Justin caught Kaylee’s expression from the corner of his eye, and inwardly, he relaxed.

Wynette’s gaze stayed steady. “Is that a firm commitment, Mr. Shepherd?”

She needed the answer unambiguous.

1:24 pm P pp.

She’s just trying to keep up appearances.

Wedding dresses?

Her heart gave a small, startled lurch. Is Wynette still holding onto hope about the wedding with Noah?

No. That didn’t track. She’d watched her daughter cut every thread connecting her to that man with the kind of finality that didn’t leave room for second thoughts.

Kaylee quietly walked herself back from the edge of that conclusion. Wynette probably just had weddings on the brain. Completely unrelated to Noah.

3/4

1:24 pm

ppp.

Chapter 74 No Takebacks

Finished

She settled on that explanation, though a small, matchmaking corner of her mind immediately began drafting a different plan. Once the Shepherd situation resolved itself, perhaps it was time to quietly arrange a few introductions.

Her daughter deserved someone worth her time.

Wynette had no idea a single image of a wedding dress had set her mother’s thoughts spinning in that direction.

She switched out of the photo app and texted Joanne, “What’s a good gift to give a guy? Tie? Watch? Cufflinks?”

Joanne replied almost instantly, “Wynette. Are you secretly seeing someone behind my back?”

Then, a second later, she added, “Wait, look at what you’re describing. Those are not casual–friend gifts. What is going on? I’m panicking a little.”

Wynette almost startled at the screen.

She sat up straighter and typed back fast, “Stop. He’s a friend who’s helped me out a lot. That’s all. Stop spiraling.”

Joanne texted back, “Okay, I’m still not fully convinced, but that’s fair. I’ve actually never bought a man a gift either. Want me to ask my brother? He might have opinions.”

Wynette considered it for a moment.

The gift was going to Adriel anyway. Asking through Joanne wasn’t a bad workaround.

20

4/4