"Your role as the eldest daughter of Montgomery Ward and the heiress to the Ward empire," he cut to the chase quickly, studying her reaction, "Is it still legitimate in the legal sense?"

Amelia closed her eyes, breathing deeply for a moment as her worst fear became a reality.

"Yes," she whispered, opening her eyes and fighting the tears, "My mother claims her step-daughter holds the title, but it is a lie. My father left everything to my brother and I, and she has no rights to any of it. She has tried to fight many legal battles to force my hand, but she has never won."

He nodded, opening a file in front of him and reviewing whatever it was.

"Who controls it now?"

"I do," Amelia admitted, looking away, "I have appointed proxies to each of my father's companies, transferred all of his properties and shares into my name, and have independent audits, legal reviews, and compliance inspections done on a quarterly rotation to prevent them from taking advantage of my absence. My mother and step-father have no roles or titles, but claim they do and I don't correct them. It mostly allows them to play pretend in public, but they have no real power and I don't care about rumors."

"How have you managed it without being seen?" he asked curiously, looking up at her with clear approval in his eyes.

"A disguise when I have to go in person," she shrugged, "it's not clever, but it's enough. We've caught my mother trying to worm her way into several of the companies several times by acting like her pretend title is real, but in addition to banning them all access to everything - I've implemented authorization requirements and approval processes that must pass through me first. Between proxies in place that are loyal to my father and the oversight in place that prevents sabotage, I can do a lot of that remotely."

Ezra nodded approvingly, leaning forward.

"If we marry, your identity would come out and theirs clarified. You would no longer need to hide, and would be able to step properly into the role your father left behind for you. You want that, right? To take it back."

Amelia studied him grimly, exhaling through her nose.

"I am essentially in hiding, and it's for a good reason. If I revealed the truth, if I came forward - I'd need a lot of support, and possibly security, in dealing with the fallout," Amelia sighed, "The only reason they haven't found me is because they don't actually have the resources they claim to. My father left her money, of course, and that's what they're living on, but it's nowhere near infinite. What they do have, though, is enough to be dangerous if they did know where to find me."

It wasn't that she wanted to humor them, she simply had to choose her battles in what had become a brutal, exhausting war. She chose to protect her new identity and her life over going head-to-head with the people that had no qualms with using illegal and violent methods to try and force her hand.

She'd barely managed to escape last time, and she didn't walk away unscathed. She had money and power, but she wasn't connected or ingrained enough to leverage them properly - not yet.

She was never meant to truly hold the title, her brother was. She wanted to be in the background, supporting him. His loss had left her in a dangerous position with enough power to keep the company safe, but not enough power to step up as its figurehead and remain alive.

"Does your ex know who you are?" he asked suddenly, taking Amelia by surprise for a moment.

"No," she explained after a moment, "He met me before I had my new identity, but I was using an alias and working outside of the company's influence at the time. I told him my new name when I got back, and claimed I had lied because I was an orphan afraid of judgement."

Ezra nodded, morbidly curious what Ryan's reaction would be when he found out who she really was.

"Your art," he said with a smirk, "Do you intend to keep your identity hidden?"

Amelia pressed her lips together into a thin line, irritation showing on her face.

"Yes."

"Even if we could prove the plagiarism of your original work?"

Amelia sighed, rubbing her temples at his thoroughness.

"If you could prove it beyond a shadow of a doubt, perhaps I'd reconsider. As it is, I am not interested in any more family drama if it can be avoided. I'm already fighting a daily battle of trying to preserve my father's legacy, investigating their deaths, and supporting myself without drawing on their funds as a means of not drawing attention to my new identity. It isn't the priority."

He nodded, sitting back and taking a deep breath before asking the final, loaded question.

"Do you suspect foul play?"

He didn't need to clarify, he knew she knew what he meant.

"Yes," she said quietly, "I do."

"Who?"

"My mother."

"If we find evidence, how do you want to proceed?"

"Legally," she said, studying him for a moment, "the most severe, most publicly humiliating, legal prosecution possible."

She wanted to destroy them for what they had done, but not become the very thing she despised. A fine line, but one she knew how to toe.

With a final nod, he sat back and studied her for a long moment.

"I am interested in moving forward with this proposal if you are. As you said, the terms are generous. I understand that money isn't really your concern, however a salary is included as well. What I can offer you, though, is far beyond what money can buy. Your safety and security will be guaranteed as we go head-to-head against your mother and step-father, and investigate the truth of what happened to your father and brother. The plagiarism case isn't outlined in the contract, but can be added as a bonus."

He leaned forward, his face serious as he added, "this is a mutually beneficial business arrangement, and what I would like to become the foundation of a genuine, respectful friendship. I have no more interest in a romantic relationship than you do, but the truth is that we are both exactly what the other person needs."

"I will not give you shares or rights to my father's companies," Amelia said seriously, studying him as she thought it through, "Just as I do not want or need any for yours. This marriage, which I have not decided to agree to yet, would be a business arrangement only. An alliance? Sure. Shared ownership of the legacy my father, and his father before him, built? Absolutely not."

She wouldn't admit that part of her still hoped, prayed even despite her lack of belief in such things, that they were still alive. That, someday, they would come home and step back into the roles that were rightfully theirs.

In her mind, she was nothing more than a guardian. A role she took very seriously.

Ezra smirked and nodded, "agreed. You have two days to make your decision. I will use that time to adjust the contract and prepare the prenup. I will introduce you to my grandfather in two weeks, if you sign. If he approves, the plan will be to be married very soon thereafter. Given your identity, we'll skip the engagement announcement and announce it after the wedding. The ceremony will likely be very small, for security purposes. Think it over, and get back to me within two days."

Amelia walked out of the office after nearly two hours of a verbal sparring that felt far too friendly and earnest for what it represented.

She knew how dangerous it was to draw attention to herself. She remembered the night her mother arranged for her with a single goal in mind - break her until she was obedient and would give them what they wanted.

They thought she was weak. Easy to manipulate and control. Amelia knew she was the key to their plans working, and they'd nearly killed her for not playing the part they envisioned for her.

She refused to declare her father and brother dead, and the 7 year period when the law would do it in her place hadn't passed. With or without that declaration, Amelia inherited everything in her father and brother's name unless they returned.

Amelia had been fighting constant battles behind the scenes to prevent her mother, step-father, and step-sister from getting access to anything - and they had tried. They'd attempted to walk into various offices and sit in her father's chair, tried to walk into board meetings to make declarations, and even tried to use the company checkbook from her father's home office to get funds.

All had failed.

She had used that year abroad wisely, and had met someone there that helped her lay the foundation for her new identity. When she returned they had no idea she was back, still chasing ghosts and fighting lawyers, auditors, and independent consultants that ensured they couldn't get a step in.

They'd taken the estate - and that had been a hard loss. They'd taken to making bold claims in public and attending social events as if the titles were real - which was a nightmare to deal with in conference rooms and when contracts were being signed. Yet, despite the constant battles, they had nothing more than empty words and a lot of pent up frustration that their plan had failed.

Stepping back into the limelight was dangerous. They were deranged and desperate - a combination that had already broken parts of her people couldn't see.

Ryan was right in one regard, she thought bitterly, she was broken, and no one in their right mind would ever want her.

She regretted clinging to the one good thing she'd had before her family fell apart. He thought his wealth and his family's status should buy her forgiveness - he had no idea his family didn't even qualify to shine her father's shoes.

She wasn't with him for the money. She was with him because she thought he was safe.

Did she though, she wondered to herself as she sat back at her desk in a zombie-like state. If she really thought he was safe, wouldn't she have told him the truth long ago?

Maybe she always knew it was an empty relationship, and it was simply more comfortable than loneliness.

With that thought her eyes drifted to the folder on her desk, and a resolve began to harden in her mind.

Perhaps it was time to stop hiding in comfort.

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