Octavia already had three percent of the shares. If Latham gave her another five, she'd have even more sway in the company, and that was the last thing he wanted.
"Octavia, keeping the shares with me is just better for the company and for our family,” Latham said, his voice patient and polished. "It's not like I won't give you anything. I've never stopped you from spending money, have I?"
He flashed her a practiced smile. "How about this? Didn't you love that new jewelry set from Aristo Gems? I'll buy it for you."
That set easily cost a million. In Latham's eyes, he was being more than generous.
Octavia just smiled, cool and collected. "Aristo Gems does have nice pieces. But honestly? I don't like them anymore."
She wasn't letting him smooth things over so easily this time. Latham's face tightened, but since she was his wife, he kept trying.
"Octavia," he pressed, "the company shares can't be spread around. If I give them to you, what am I supposed to tell the other shareholders?"
He leaned in, dropping his voice as if letting her in on a secret. "Think about it. We're a family. What's mine is yours. Who cares whose name is on which paper?"
He caught her eye. "If you don't want me seeing Fallon, I'll stop. That girl outside? She means nothing. If you really mind, I'll have her gone tomorrow."
"We have Lance, we have Cindy. Lance is smart, he can inherit everything one day. As for Cindy, we can put together a generous wedding gift when she gets married." Latham watched her carefully. "I know you feel guilty that Cindy didn't grow up with us. I get it. I can make sure her dowry is bigger, to make up for it.”
"We take care of our kids. As long as they're happy, you can be at ease.”
He put on his most earnest face. "I would never throw away our happy family. You just have to trust me."
Octavia stayed silent, no matter how much Latham tried to talk his way out of it.
"Octavia, why don't you trust me?" he said, frustration bleeding into his tone. "It's all just games with those other women. Even what happened with Fallon, she set me up. It's not like fever wanted some illegitimate kid out there."
"That would only split up our family's money. I'm not stupid about these things."
"So really, stop asking about shares. Here's what I'll do... I'll buy you another house."
He searched her face. "Not interested in Aristo Gems? Fine. Let's get you one of the new villas Mabel's family is building. How about it?"
He was really pulling out all the stops now. Those villas didn't come cheap, but in his mind, a house was nothing. He figured Octavia would eventually just leave it to Lance or Cindy anyway, so what did it matter?
Besides, business was booming-his
family's development on the west side was worth a fortune. The company couldn't risk shaking things up now. Giving away more shares was never going to happen, but another house wasn't a big deal.
Octavia gave him a searching look. “Didn't you just say earlier there was no money
in the accounts for another house?"
She genuinely couldn't tell when he was telling the truth and when he was just spinning a story. Latham had always been good at sweet talk.
She thought about it for a second, weighing her options. Buying a villa from Mabel's family would cost at least twenty or thirty million. If she kept pressing she orshares how knew Latham would see her as greedy, pushing her luck.
She shifted gears. "I've asked you again and again to buy Cindy a house as compensation, but you always refused."
"She's marrying York. If she doesn't have a decent dowry, the Byrons will just look down on her, and everyone in our social circle will talk. I can't let that happen to her."