I jumped down from the counter. “No, that’s not the same thing. You’re talking about taking something, a store, a warehouse, a distribution center, or a factory...a place where people have worked for generations and running it into the ground to reduce your tax burden.”

“Not all acquisitions lose me money; however, in most cases, the acquired entity ceases to exist in its prior form.” Before I could comment, he said, “Welcome to the world of big finance, Julia.”

I shook my head and crossed my arms over my chest. “Oh my God, I trusted you, Van.” I spun to face him. “Whether the cabin was planned or not, once you figured out who I was, you used that information to help yourself at the expense of my family’s past and future.”

“No. I didn’t. Your family’s past and future were on the chopping block before I found you or you found me.”

“But you said you wanted to help.”

“I still can.”

I took a deep breath and slowly let it out. “You’re bribing me to marry you. You’re holding Wade hostage. Tell me how that makes you any better than Marlin Butler.”

Van took a step toward me, a vein bulging to life in his forehead as tendons made their presence known in his neck. His tone changed. “I don’t fucking have enough time to tell you all the ways I’m better than Butler.” Van’s voice was restrained yet forceful. “For the highlight reel, I haven’t been playing your father for thirty years. I haven’t been biding my time, encouraging a marriage to give me access to controlling power. And I haven’t been pretending that I’m someone I’m not.” He stood straighter. “This is me, Julia. You’re looking at Donovan Sherman. I made myself into who I am. I don’t pretend. I don’t act like I’ll save a failing company and then sell the business out from under them or reduce their worth to pennies on the dollar. The reason I won’t tell the world that I bought that stock in Wade is because if I do, the world will believe that I bought it to make it fall. I didn’t. I did it for you.”

“And if I marry you, you’ll save Wade.”

One step and then the next, Van walked me backward until I was sandwiched between him and tall cabinets. Despite his obvious size advantage, I refused to believe no matter how worked up he’d become, that Van would hurt me. I lifted my chin, maintaining our eye contact.