“You know I’ve always admired your dedication,” I said.

She was shaking her head, still looking off into the distance. “It was all wrong. I was wrong. I should’ve made time for a family, should’ve let myself fall in love, get married, have children. Because as it stands, I have no heirs to leave my life’s work to. This is my legacy”—she spread her arms to encompass the portable office, but I knew she meant the whole company—“and… who cares?”

It was on the tip of my tongue to assure her that I cared, but she went on, picking up steam.

“I’m worth nearly a billion dollars, a billion fucking dollars, Chloe, and I’ve got no one to share that with. My company is worth even more, and I have no family to will it to. No children to carry on my endeavors. All these years, I knew what I was giving up. There were moments when I was lonely, when I would’ve liked to have someone there for me, with me, but instead I chose to give everything I have to this company. But guess what? This company won’t be there to hold my hand when my hair falls out. No flesh and blood of mine will be there to see that my life’s work goes anywhere. And all of a sudden, with that doctor’s words on Friday…” She shook her head, and her voice went quieter. “All of sudden, that matters to me, Chloe.”

I sucked in a shaky breath, stunned by what she said and, I could admit, a little twitchy at the fact that I had a similar take on work. But this wasn’t about me, and I was only thirty-four anyway.

“I have never felt such regret as I did over the weekend,” Angelica continued. “Heart-deep regret that I have no one. No built-in support system when I need it. No Marks offspring to take over when I’m gone.”

“I’m sorry,” I said, knowing full well how lame that response was. I searched for something better to say. Anything. Came up blank as a brand-new whiteboard.

My boss shook her head and sat up straighter, finally looking directly at me, as if coming out of a fugue. “After deliberating for the past forty-eight hours, I’ve decided to leave Marks International to one of two people. Either Gloria or you.”

I fought not to let any reaction show on my face.

Eighty percent of business is keeping your emotions out of it. You can have them, just don’t show them and don’t make decisions based on them.

How many dozens of times had Angelica hammered that into my head? I grasped on to that tenet now. But I’ll be honest—my initial reaction was…Gloria fucking Herrera?