But she didn’t know where she might fit in. All she had was a sinking feeling that she wouldn’t be in the picture for long.
Chapter Seven
Justin’s jet arrived to pick Vanessa up from the small Long Beach airport. Fresh flowers added a nice accent to the luxurious leather and wood-grain interior. He must’ve had it done specially for the occasion, but she couldn’t relax and enjoy it.
Since their texts about the prenup, he hadn’t contacted her once. Not that she’d been standing around waiting for something to come through the fax machine. She’d been swamped with work. Solaris Med was an important case, and it was already drawing a lot of media attention with accusations of wrongful termination and sexual harassment flung at the client. It wasn’t easy or uplifting to discredit the plaintiff when she knew they were right.
However, she’d managed to draft a fairly good prenup agreement in her very small amounts of spare time. It wasn’t her specialty, but she had a few to model from, like her parents’ own infamous version. Justin’s assets held little appeal, but she wanted a fair custody arrangement for the baby should they divorce.
Or, given what she’d seen in her own family, when they divorced.
The jet stopped in Chicago to pick Justin up and then flew on toward god only knew where. She couldn’t believe how high-handed and resolute Justin was. On the other hand, what had she expected? This wasn’t just any baby.
The heir to the Sterling & Wilson fortune.
Sterling & Wilson was worth billions and had tentacles into the most profitable sectors of six continents. Justin’s great-uncle, Barron Sterling, had built it into the massive empire from nothing, and he’d hand-selected Justin to lead the company since he’d been a toddler. Barron and Justin had every important person in the world on speed dial, and there was nothing they couldn’t do if they set their minds to it.
It was no wonder Justin had reacted the way he had at the news of her pregnancy. His family tended to be conservative and straight-laced about things. Even if she’d offered to give him the baby no-strings attached, he probably would’ve insisted on marriage. Then there was Barron’s reaction. The man had destroyed people—including some of his own family members—for displeasing him. Vanessa had heard how he’d virtually exiled his own granddaughter Kerri to boarding school for something or other. How would he react if he found out Vanessa wouldn’t marry Justin while carrying his child?
She stared at herself in the small window. Her black skirt suit was positively funereal. She’d never wanted to marry. Ever.
Marriage was the most miserable institution in the world, not only for the couple but for their children.
Maybe Justin thought it’d be a good idea to marry, legally speaking. She didn’t know much about pregnancy, but she knew there could be serious complications. One of the associates at the firm had gotten pregnant last year, and she had to take six months off due to some problems. As her husband, Justin would have more legal rights in emergency situations, and it made sense he’d want to be in charge of her and their baby just in case.
But after the baby was born, there would be no reason for them to stay together. Couples didn’t have to be joined at the hips to raise a child—she knew from experience—and there wasn’t even love at the base of their relationship. They could have a clean and simple resolution, with each of them keeping what they’d brought to the marriage. She didn’t want a penny of Justin’s mon—.
“A penny for your thoughts,” Justin said, linking his fingers with hers.
She tried to pull her hand, but he merely tightened his grip. “My billing rate is a little higher than that.”
His lips quirked into a smile. “So bill me.”
Divorce probably wasn’t something they should talk about right now. She combed through possible topics to bring up. “I was wondering if your lawyers know what you’re up to.”
He sighed. “Are you still worried about the prenup?”
“Aren’t you?”
Justin waved his hand. “I’m sure you can draft a simple prenup saying we don’t want each other’s assets.”
“Never trust a lawyer who isn’t billing you.” She pulled out the prenup she’d drafted. “Here.”
“What are you asking for? Half of everything I own?”
She snorted. “I don’t want your money. Just a fair custody situation for the child.” Her mother had stayed to be with her children. The Pryce prenup was clear: in case of divorce, her mother would not only lose custody, but wouldn’t even be able to visit or get in touch with her children until they turned twenty-one.