Nick agreed. “Look, Annabelle, we’ve both worked hard to distance ourselves from our pasts. My name might tarnish the brand. While this is meant to be an app for the want-to-be jetsetter, Take Back the Night is still aiming for the elite kind of clientele. That’s the whole point. If you start attaching the name Wexler to it, you’ll get every low-level sleaze ball from here to Dubai who wants to party with the big boys. Our business clients bank on the exclusivity and class. They won’t be thrilled with riffraff joining up. And unfortunately, the Wexler name comes with riffraff.”

She sighed and swished her red hair over her shoulder. “Any way to change your mind, Lex? The Chase name screams luxury. Hell, even royalty. We’ve already taken the steps to protect you from your father’s corporate raiding.”

I might have different reasons than Nick for keeping my anonymity, but I was still not lending my name. “Sorry, Annabelle, no can do. Even if we do manage to keep the sale quiet until it’s final, when my father does find out, he’s going to make attempts to block it. To try to claim it for Chase Enterprises. I want to be as separate from him as humanly possible.”

She shook her head, no doubt lamenting the loss of additional commission if she could garner us a bigger deal. “Very well. Toshino, Inc. is presenting this as their offer.” She slid the paperwork in our direction. “It’s understandably smaller because of the lack of brand recognition, but it should make the two of you happy.”

The offer was in the ballpark of what I had expected. And it meant I could tell my father to shove it. “That’s fair.”

“That’s a lot of fucking zeros,” Nick mumbled.

“Well, you fronted the initial capital, so you should know the valuation,” I said.

Nick’s eyes bugged. “Yeah, mate, but it’s one thing to know theoretically what it’s worth. It’s another thing entirely to see that number written down in front of you.” He scrubbed a hand over his face. “To be honest, Lex, I thought you were full of bollocks.”

I laughed. “So you sunk your money into something you thought was bullshit?”

“More like I sunk it because you told me to. I have faith in you, but I couldn’t see what you could see. But fuck, mate. I see it now.”

I wasn’t sure if I should laugh or punch him. “Well, thank you for the glowing endorsement.” I turned my attention to Annabelle. “Are they still insisting I sit as CEO?”