It was meant to protect the Ralston fortune from me.

Instead, it had protected my real estate holdings from them.

“That was my mother’s doing,” Graham said, taking a step closer.

He reached out and tried to take my hand.

I stepped back, keeping a leather armchair between us.

“Please, Jocelyn,” he said, his voice cracking.

“Think of Hazel.”

“She is seven.”

“She loves her school.”

“If the papers get hold of this, she will be mocked by every kid in Highland Park.”

“They won’t know anything unless you make a scene, Graham,” I said.

“And Ruby,” he continued, his eyes wide and pleading.

“She’s only five.”

“She needs her father.”

“She needs her family to stay together in that house.”

He wiped a bead of sweat from his forehead with the back of his hand.

“I can change,” he said.

“I can work for you.”

“You run the empire, and I will be the face of it.”

“We can be a power couple in Dallas.”

“Everyone already knows my name.”

“They know your name because of your debts, Graham,” I said.