Xavier Kane was not a stupid man, but he realized Addison’s thirst for knowledge far outweighed what he could teach. Believing she would eventually run the company, Xavier convinced her to return to school at Oxford, and much to his delight, less than two years later, Addison Kane had an Executive Master’s degree in Business Administration.

Xavier’s health began to fail shortly after she returned from school, and acknowledging his own mortality, he began to make plans for a future that would not include him. While it was true Addison had excelled in her classes, and when standing by his side, she could do no wrong, Xavier needed more. He needed for her to prove herself...on her own.

To show him she was strong enough, smart enough, and shrewd enough to one day assume the position of president of Kane Holdings, Xavier came up with a test. Opening a subsidiary company under the name of AK Investments, Xavier deposited one million pounds in the company accounts and told Addison she was in charge. She had one year to prove to her grandfather she would be able to take the reins of Kane Holdings when it came time for her to do so, and prove it, she did. Less than a month before he died, Addison walked into her grandfather’s office with the audited financials of AK Investments, the one-year-old off-shoot company of Kane Holdings...now worth over five million pounds.

Four weeks later, Oliver Kane walked into the same office and took his place behind the carved walnut desk made by artisans centuries before. Finally rid of the man who had forced him to accept his daughter’s existence, Oliver’s plans were simple. Live off the dividends of his stock and disown the offspring he loathed. The only problem was Xavier had added a codicil to his will. Fully aware of his son’s feelings, while the bylaws of the company were written in stone, one mere paragraph modifying the last will and testament of Xavier Alexander Kane had guaranteed his granddaughter would keep her job at Kane Holdings, for as long as she wanted.

Oliver was livid. Once again, he was forced to accept what his sperm had produced, and for the first time in his life, his interest in the company was piqued. Xavier’s addendum to his will, while totally within his rights, hatched a plan in Oliver’s twisted mind. For the next few years, while his daughter continued to add to Kane Holdings’ portfolio of investments, he studied every syllable of the company doctrine, eventually hiring Maxwell Firth to ensure Oliver’s last will and testament would be iron clad as well.