His Spoiled Reborn Bride

23 Millions of Pounds

“Isabel, you have to think about this,” Melanie said. “That’s a lot of money for us, but it means very little to Howard’s family. They can buy anything they want—no matter the price. It would be better to get them something with deep meaning.”

“You know, I think that’s true,” she said, hiding a smile. “I guess I can just write them all poems or something like that.”

She bit her lip to keep from laughing at the identical horrified expressions that flashed across her aunt and cousin’s faces. Their foreheads wrinkled and their mouths gaped open.  

Janet recovered first and said, “Listen, Howard must give you some pocket money to use on clothes and stuff like that. Why don’t you just use that money to buy the gifts?”

“It’s not enough,” Isabel said, unwilling to admit that Howard hadn’t given her a single cent. “He knows I’m young and don’t have much experience managing money—he’d never give me such a big sum.”

“He knows you’re an Aediles,” her aunt said. “That should be enough for him.”

Isabel sighed dramatically and shook her head, “I may be an Aediles but I never went to university. I barely even finished school. It’s so embarrassing when you think about it—Howard Denmark marrying an uneducated woman.”

“Well dear,” Melanie said. “It’s not like you would have gotten into any university.”

“Maybe some state school in the US,” Janet laughed. “If we donated a new building or something.”

“If that’s what you think it will take,” Isabel said. “I just worry the Denmark family is going to judge you all based on my lack of education.”

“Maybe,” Janet snickered. “Or maybe they’ll just force him to divorce you.”

Isabel ignored her cousin, “How much does a building at a university cost anyway? At least one hundred million, right?”

“Sweetie,” Melanie said, sounding even more strained. “Why don’t you talk to Howard about this? If he loves you as much as you say, he’ll be happy to get you into whatever university you want.”

“Wait Mum,” Janet said, raking her hand through her hair. “Maybe Isabel should go to the US.”

“What are you talking about?” Melanie said. “That’s the most absurd thing I—”

“Mum,” Janet hissed. “If Isabel is in the US, Howard will be here. Alone.”

“Well yes,” Melanie said. “But we can’t let her go begging to her husband. What will he think about our family? He’ll think we’re completely broke.”

“It’s true,” Isabel said. “Howard’s money doesn’t belong to me. Your money, on the other hand, well that’s all rightful mine.”

“You b***h,” Janet hissed.

“Shh Janet,” Melanie scolded. “Listen sweetie, Howard would be happy to help you. Once you’re married, there’s no distinction between your property and his. You belong to the Denmark family now.”

“Oh like you made no distinction between my property and yours?” Isabel asked. “I can see this conversation is pointless. I’m going to go talk about it with Uncle. Maybe he’ll understand me.”

“Wait,” Melanie screeched. “He’s still with Howard.”

“I thought family distinctions didn’t matter anymore,” she said.

Isabel ignored her aunt’s panicked scream and raced down the grand staircase toward the dining room. She heard Melanie and Janet rushing after her, but she knew they wouldn’t dare to stop her. She burst into the dining room and her uncle jumped in his chair. His face was already covered in a sheen of sweat and his eyes darted nervously around the room.

“Are you all packed?” Lawson asked.

“Not quite,” she said. “I have some of my old things, but there’s one thing I haven’t been able to find.”

Lawson played right into her trap, “What’s that?”

“It’s the 10% of the company’s dividends that my father promised me,” she said. “As I recall, I was supposed to start receiving the money the year I turned eighteen. Well, I’m nineteen now, so that’s two years worth of money I don’t have.”

Her uncle’s mouth opened and closed. He finally said, “That’s the first I’m hearing of such a promise.”

“Really?” Isabel asked. “I thought you were with me as he lay on his deathbed. Actually, I can picture it quite clearly. We knew it was only a matter of time, and he called us both into the room. He named me the owner of the company, but asked you to manage it in my name until I was capable of taking over.”

“You were a little girl,” Lawson said. “I don’t think you understood what he was saying.”

“He was very clear,” Isabel said. “He made us both repeat his instructions. I had trouble the first time, but he explained it to me until I understood.”

“I think your grief confused you,” Lawson said, a nasty gleam in his eyes. “Besides, there’s no official will or any legal documents. A half-remembered story from your painful childhood won’t really hold up in court, now will it?”

“We could go to court,” Isabel said. “But I don’t want to drag the company name through the mud like that, do you?”

“Now listen,” her uncle said, raising a finger. “Your father was on his death bed and the company had become a complete mess. Employees were on the brink of resigning and investors were panicking. I stepped in and put things in order and since then I’ve managed the company and helped it grow.”

“And I’m ever so grateful, Uncle,” she said. “But it’s not your company, is it?”

“Of course it’s my company,” Lawson said. “When your father started it, I invested in it. I’ll admit it was a small amount, but it was essential. When I took over for your father, I helped the company grow. As manager I’ve increased profits far beyond anything your father ever dreamed. It may have been his idea, but it’s my hard work that has made it what it is.”

As her uncle was talking, she caught Howard’s eye. A small smile played around his lips and his eyes narrowed with amusement. He cleared his throat and Lawson stopped speaking.

“Forgive me Lawson,” he said. “But I was under the impression that the company was hovering on the brink of collapse. I’m happy to hear that it’s doing so well and relieved that you don’t need my investment to stay afloat after all.”

Howard’s words sent a jolt through her body. The company was losing money? It was collapsing? How had her uncle destroyed her father’s successful business in four short years? Her heart pounded furiously in her chest.

“The company is collapsing?” she asked.

“No, no, of course not,” Lawson said. “It’s just a small difficulty we’re having, but I already have a plan to get us out of the red.”

“How can I trust your plan?” she asked. “You’re the one who ruined it in the first place. When my father ran it we never had any problems.”

“Listen,” Lawson said. “I’m sorry about what’s happened and I want to make it right. As a gesture of good faith, I’ll give you my savings as your dividends. How about that?”

“I don’t want your savings,” she said. “I want what’s owed to me. And I want my father’s legacy to survive.”

“It will,” Lawson said. “Listen girl, you don’t understand business, but this is the way the economy works. Some years you profit and some years you have to weather the storms.”

She rolled her eyes. How on Earth did her uncle think that was a convincing argument? Had she really been stupid enough in her last life to believe something like that?

“Listen sweetie,” Melanie said. “How about I give you some money. It can be like a good faith payment, okay? You can take my credit card and use it whenever you want and then when your uncle turns things around, we’ll give you the rest?”

Melanie didn’t wait for a response, before turning to Howard, “I’m afraid you might think our Isabel is materialistic, but she’s a good girl. Just a bit spoiled by her father, you know.”

Isabel took a deep breath. She hated the conspiratorial look her aunt shot at Howard and she hated the way her uncle spoke to her like a child, but arguing with them would only prove their points.

“We’ve been here long enough,” she said. “Let’s go, Howard.”

Howard nodded wordlessly and rose from his chair. He walked to her side and wrapped an arm loosely around her waist.

“Wait,” Lawson shouted. “Please Howard, don’t back out of our deal. Give it some thought, at least.”

Isabel craned her neck to look up at Howard’s calm face, “What deal?”