Chapter 19 · Mediation

"You brought a lawyer," Cade said, not looking up from the folder in front of him. "Careful, Avery. That makes this real."

"You brought your cousin." I dropped my bag on the chair across from him, hard enough that the mediator flinched. "Guess we're both scared of something."

Silas Vane smiled at me like I was a line item he was about to write off. He had Cade's jaw, none of Cade's restraint, and a Rolex that caught the fluorescent light every time he moved his wrist, which was constantly.

"Ms. Cole." He said my name like it tasted bad. "Glad you could make it. We weren't sure you'd show without a subpoena."

"I showed for my daughter. Not for you."

"Everyone," the mediator said, some tired woman named Deb who clearly hadn't slept since Reagan, "let's keep this civil. We're here to discuss a custody framework, not—"

"We're here," Silas cut in, "because my cousin's fund has a shareholder vote on Friday, and the board wants to know if Cade Vane has an heir."

The room went quiet in that specific way that means something bad just landed.

"Excuse me?" I said.

"Silas.