My phone rings. It’s Amber, so I answer it.

“Yes?”

“Did you pay off Anton Valencia?” she asks.

She sounds a little bit angry, but also like she’s about to break out laughing.

“Who?” I ask, pretending not to remember the name.

“The dorky guy who tried to fight you?” she says. “The dorky guy who wore sweatpants, but now is a dorky guy in stylish clothes driving a Ferrari?”

It’s my turn to laugh. Of course he’d blow all the money on a fancy sports car. Typical dumbass.

“With Cynthia breathing down my neck, I couldn’t afford another legal battle,” I tell her. “The asshole tried to sue me.”

I hear her sigh. “You made him insufferable, though.”

“If he gives you any trouble, I’ll…”

She laughs, cutting me off. “He’s ‘over me’ now, so I guess it all worked out. With that ridiculous car, he’ll win the attention of someone who’s shallow enough for him to really get over me.”

“You think so?” I ask.

“I know this kind of guy. As soon as any girl shows him the slightest bit of interest, he’ll forget me straight away.”

“I hope you’re right,” I say.

“Where are you?” she asks. “Are you busy right now?”

I look up to find Cynthia glaring at me.

I probably should tell her that I’m at Cynthia’s. There’s no reason to lie about it, but for whatever reason, I decide to lie by omission. “I’ll get back to you when I’m free.”

We say goodbye to one another and I disconnect the call.

Cynthia crosses her arms across her chest, pressing her breasts together.

I roll my eyes. “You really think wearing that low-cut dress is going to make me dump my fiancée for you?”

She meets my eyes, and I can’t miss her cold, hostile glare. “In this room, just between the two of us,” Cynthia says, “Let’s cut the bullshit. We know she’s not your real fiancée. You probably got her to call you while you were here just to grate on me. You don’t convince me, Liam.”

I draw in a thin breath between my teeth. “That’s too bad, because I was about to offer you a settlement deal.”

She scoffs. “Why would I settle when I know you’re full of shit? Little weekends in Paris aren’t going to trick me. They may fool the press, but they don’t fool me.”

“I’ll give you two percent of my profits for the next five years,” I say. “That is, if you agree to fully release me from the contract and promise no more legal action.”

She laughs. “Two percent? Are you fucking kidding me? I’m entitled to fifty.”

“Make it five then,” I say, casually.

“Fifty,” she says.

“You’re not going to budge?” I ask.

I didn’t think she’d agree to any kind of deal. It’s in her best interests to take the coin flip and hope she can beat me in court. If she can somehow prove my arrangement with Amber is fake, she has a real shot at fifty percent. So why would she take five? My lawyers told me to try it, though, and it was worth a shot.

“I have a counter offer,” she says. “It may interest you.”

“I doubt it,” I say, standing up and buttoning my jacket.

“Marry me, and I’ll take ten percent. We’ll sign a prenuptial agreement,” she says.

She looks down at her polished fingernails, as if she’s bored, but I can tell she’s nervous.

What the hell kind of counter offer is that? What benefit is there to marry me if she’s only going to pocket 10%? I’m almost tempted to consider the deal. I might even do it if Amber wasn’t in the picture--if we didn’t have such an amazing time together.

“Sorry we couldn’t make a deal,” I say, turning my back to her. “I’ll see my own way out.”

“Liam,” she says to my back. I don’t turn around. “You have no idea what I gave up to secure this. I’ll go a lot further.”

“What does that mean?” I ask, still not turning to face her.

“This is the last time I play nice with you and offer you a reasonable deal.”

“You’ve never been nice, Cynthia, not for a single moment in your life.”

“You’ll regret turning me down,” she says. “I promise you that.”

So she’s threatening me? I see nothing is new.

I walk away, not looking back. I want to get home to see Amber. She may have been hired to pretend to be my fiancée, but if things keep progressing the way they are, there won’t be anything fake left about our relationship. That would help me a lot in my case against Cynthia, but I remind myself that should not be my primary motivation. Amber is reward enough on her own.

Once I’m in my car, I report back to my lawyers that the attempt at a settlement failed. Cynthia Frost will not be as easy to defeat as Anton Valencia.

I have to remember to take her threats seriously. A woman who faked her own death will go to great lengths—perhaps any length--to get what she wants.

One advantage I have going for me is that Cynthia doesn’t buy my relationship with Amber. That sounds on the surface like a disadvantage--because if Cynthia believed me, she might drop the lawsuit and settle--but if she thinks Amber is simply a mercenary fiancée, then she won’t direct her fury against Amber.

I’ll be the target of Cynthia’s threats, and I can handle myself.