She Was Never Just the Billionaire’s Wife (Natasha and Chase) novel Chapter 198

(Natasha)

Brenda calls me at half past nine on Wednesday morning and says Elias Warren would like me to come to his house this afternoon.

Three o'clock.

Just me.

"Could I ask what this is about?"

"I’m afraid he didn’t share that information with me."

Poor Brenda. I wonder what it would be like to work so closely with Elias.

I love him, but I’d throttle him before the first day is out.

"Did he say I had to come?"

"He said he hoped you would. I’m sure you know what that means."

I sure do.

I'm at his door at two fifty-five.

The housekeeper lets me in.

Chase and I weren’t regular visitors, but it’s not the first time I’ve been here either.

Elias left the Warren Estate to Eleanor and his son after his wife died and moved to this considerably smaller mansion.

She offers me a small, careful smile and points me toward the study at the end of a hallway I've never been down.

He's already there.

In a chair by the window, half a sandwich on a plate beside him. He looks up when I come in.

"Natasha. Right on time. Sit down.”

I do as I’m told.

There’s a folder on the table between us. I assume it has to do with why I’m here, but he doesn't reach for it.

He looks at me for a long moment instead.

"How are you?"

"Fine."

"Don't lie to old men. We can tell."

“I’m dealing with it.”

"That's better. I hope you deal with it by ensuring that puffed-up bastard spends the best part of what remains of his life in jail."

I nod without saying anything.

The justice system will deal with Jeffrey Bauer however it sees fit.

He picks up his sandwich. Takes a bite. Chews. Swallows.

The pace of an eighty-one-year-old man does not change to accommodate me.

“Are you not going to ask why I invited you over here?”

"I was waiting for you to finish chewing."

He almost smiles. Sets the sandwich down.

"I’m transferring fifteen percent of my Warren Global shares to you. Today. This will give you a very loud voice when the board needs to vote on anything."

I stare at him in disbelief.

Quite aside from the fact that he knows Chase and I are getting divorced and this gives me a substantial stake in the company, the monetary worth of that many shares is staggering.

"Elias… You can’t-"

“It’s been a very long time since anyone was allowed to tell me what I can and cannot do. I know what they're worth. I know what they mean. I want them in your hands."

"Why?"

"Because you've earned them. Because my grandson is going to need someone in the room who will tell him no when he’s CEO again, and I won't be in the room forever.”

He glares at me in a way that dares me to contradict him.

“Because Lily is my great-granddaughter and she should inherit something her mother helped keep alive."

"Eleanor-"

"Eleanor has her own. So does Chase. So will Lily. This is mine to give and I'm giving you fifteen percent."

I look at the folder. I don't touch it.

"Does Chase know?"

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