"How did this happen..." Hank stared at the profit-sharing agreement, sweat trickling down his face. "It only says the Meyer family gives Ratcliff Global an eight percent cut. There''s nothing here about Ratcliff Global having to give us the de civilian partnership rights." As the words sank in, Hank realized he and his father had beenpletely yed by Joseph.


    The Meyer family''s finances were already barely holding together. They had loansing due at the bank, and keeping afloat depended on the money from the de project. Now, not only did they lose the civilian rights, but they''d handed Ratcliff Global a huge profit for nothing. It felt like they were scraping another wound into an already dried-up riverbed, only making things worse for the family.


    “Reese, something just came up on my end.” Hank picked up his phone and saw their call was still connected. "Come to the office when you have time to sign the share transfer agreement. I''ve got things to handle right now. I''ll talk to youter.”


    Reese arched her brow, thinking back to the few times she had seen Joseph at Ratcliff family events. He always had that gentle smile, but there was something calcting in his eyes. Everything he said or did was perfectly measured, and she never could shake the feeling that he was hiding something.


    Now, with Sebastian kicked out by the board, Joseph, a rtive from a branch of the family, clearly couldn''t wait any longer. He never meant to keep his promises. He just took advantage of Bailey''s desperation to squeeze every possible benefit out of the Meyer family, all so he could look good in front of the board.


    "What''s on your mind?" Matthew noticed the change in her expression and gently covered her hand with his, worry softening his voice.


    Reese didn''t answer right away. Her


    gaze grew thoughtful. After her


    mom, Marie, passed away, she


    inherited a share of the Meyer family business. Now, with the extra fifteen


    percent will she


    Cfrom Batley''s


    actually owned two percent more of thepany than Hank.


    With Sofia in jail and left out of Bailey''s will she had no chance of fighting for thepany anymore As long as Hank didn''t get any bright ideas about helping Sofia, she would never get another cent from the Meyers. Judging from Hank''s attitude, he was probably done with her for good.


    If that was the case, Reese wasn''t about to let Joseph get away with this. She also couldn''t stand by and e watch the Meyer family copse, not when her mother had put so much into it, and not when her own future was on the line. Hank might be


    hopeless, but she wasn''t about to let


    Joseph get his way.


    A spark of determination shed in Reese''s eyes as she looked up at Matthew. After everything she''d been through, she was no longer that soft, easily pushed-around


    girl.


    If Joseph wanted to take advantage of the chaos, he''d have to go through her first. And the key to all of this was Ratcliff Global.


    She took a steadying breath and met Matthew''s gaze. "Now that Sebastian''s out at Ratcliff Global, who does the board want to make the new chairman?"