The Chosen Heir (The Bolles Dynasty Book 3) (25 page)

“I’ll never doubt you either.”

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The Chosen Heir!
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http://www.amazon.com/dp/B017G92000/

The Bolles Dynasty Series

The Chosen Heir is the third book in a six book series. Each book is a stand-alone romance and tells the story of one of the Bolles family members.
 

The Forgotten Heiress
 

A bargain is arranged ….

Fionn Lynch is a self-made Irish billionaire, sought after for his striking appearance, razor sharp intellect and ability to thrive in volatile markets. When his mentor dies unexpectedly in a tragic accident, leaving his business and family in turmoil, Fionn steps in and takes charge. He seeks out estranged heiress Olivia Grey to help squash the unpleasant rumors. When the details of her secret past are leaked to the media, she must decide if she is willing to trust Fionn and allow herself to be drawn into her estranged family. Sparks fly between the two when he persuades her to accompany him to New York to salvage her family’s crumpling financial empire.
 

A shy clothing designer who was raised by a guardian in an attempt to save the Bolles family from shame, Olivia proves that she has the strength and determination to survive. She has to fight her way through relentless media scrutiny, memories of her father, and the expectations of the elite New York social world—all while trying to keep Fionn at arm’s length, for she refuses to settle for an emotionally distant relationship ever again.
 

It proves impossible to deny her attraction to Fionn. Is their growing bond enough to overcome all the obstacles thrown into their path?
 

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00LDU740A

The Secret Heiress

Their paths cross again…

Finding it difficult to survive the emotional scars of being abandoned by her father and then rebuffed by billionaire Alistair Martin at a critical moment in her life, Anna Bolles avoids emotional entanglements until she is challenged to reinvent herself.
 

Alistair Martin is a hot, successful vineyard owner with a bad boy past who once kissed her with delicious demand. He has held onto a longing for the secret heiressbut she wants to prove that she is fully independent. Deciding to invest into her struggling company, Alistair insists that she meets his over the top challenges and prove that she is worthy of running a business.
   

It will take every scrap of ingenuity and drive she has to
 
launch her events management company while under the spell of this sinfully attractive billionaire. Ultimately, his need to avoid being tied down is put to the test as she slowly reveals her true feelings. Can they save the company and find their happily ever after?

Please keep reading for an excerpt of The Secret Heiress.

The Secret Heiress

Available at:
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B014FMIDS4

Chapter 1

Anna Bolles meticulously worked on her end of day trades and steadied her nerves for the looming confrontation. Her lungs tightened as she silently rehearsed the words she would use to resign. She needed a new beginning, outside of her father’s shadow and away from all the negativity associated with the Bolles name. She needed to let go of the expectations forced on her and decide what she wanted for her future.

Working in the investment firm of Blackly Simonson was highly coveted and competitive, surviving the stressful environment was seen as a badge of honor, and those who thrived in it were well compensated. Unfortunately, it left her emotionless and apathetic. She needed more of a creative outlet; working in a wealth -driven and superficial environment was thwarting her efforts to build a life she cared about.

It was approaching five o’clock on Friday. If she was going to catch her manager before he left for the day, it had to be now. She had sold her expensive flat and was moving this weekend to a cheap, downtrodden neighborhood. And she had told her new employer that she would start Monday. Blackly Simonson would survive without her. She had completed all her back work and left copious notes on all of her clients’ investments.

Anna walked through the commercial accounts area, politely avoiding several of her colleagues who tried to engage her in conversation about plans for the evening.
 

She needed to do this, even if it was going to be hard. Smoothing down her gray skirt, she took in a restorative breath before handing her manager’s assistant a white envelope that would officially sever her ties with Blackly Simonson.
 

Anna spoke briefly with the assistant and waited for her manager to finish his phone call before popping her head into his office. The walls were made of glass and her co-workers would be curious about her meeting with the Division Leader, Seth Aronson.
 

He disconnected his call and stood. “Anna, you are looking beautiful as always.”

She moved her hair off of her shoulder. “I need to speak with you, if you have a moment.”

“Wow. That sounds ominous.” Seth gestured to a leather chair in front of his modern teak desk and sat down.

Feeling queasy, she slipped into the chair and forced herself to recite her practiced words. “I’ve decided to leave Blackly Simonson. Your assistant has my official letter of resignation.”

Seth gave her an incredulous stare. Holding his hands up, he said, “I don’t understand. You are brilliant at your job. The entire team has come to rely on you.”

Anna tugged a stray piece of hair behind her ear and tried to remain unemotional. She was desperate to escape her life and wouldn’t allow Seth to use guilt or misplaced loyalty to entice her to stay. “I need something different. I have been offered a position in a start-up. It’s an events management company that has several prestigious clients. It’s something totally different from working in the financial markets.”

“You are choosing to leave to work for an events company?” The tone of his voice was agitated and sharp. He shook his head before continuing. “You have an advanced degree in mathematics from Oxford and can do the daily analysis and negotiation of trades in your sleep. And the fact that you are a Bolles has given you celebrity status.”
 

She didn’t expect him to welcome her decision. “Exactly, Seth. There is no challenge.”

In some ways, she had been holding her breath since finding out her father had another family and she had two grown siblings. She hadn’t wanted to disappoint anyone in her life but it had finally occurred to her that she was disappointing herself. She needed to find something that would engage her interest and give her a sense of fulfillment.
 

He leaned back in his chair. “Don’t you feel any loyalty to the Bolles name? It has opened doors for you and sets you apart in this game.”

“We are coming at this from different perspectives. And no, I don’t feel any particular loyalty to my father’s legacy.”

Seth repeatedly tapped his hand on his desk. “As soon as the problems are solved then you will be bored, Anna. You have the ability to understand complex financial data and know how to play the market. You have a need to win at all costs.”
 

He was wrong about her. She rose to her feet and was careful not to show weakness. He had been a supportive boss, stepping in and insisting the ego-driven young males treated her with respect. Many of the divisions didn’t have the same leadership. “I’m sorry, Seth. I appreciate everything that you’ve done for me.”

Seth bolted out of his seat. “You are making a huge mistake. Being a Bolles, the financial world is in your blood. By leaving, you are closing the door on a well-paid and respected career path. It doesn’t make sense.”

She hated people using her father’s legacy to try and control her. She may be a Bolles now, but when it mattered, she was nothing more than a shameful secret. “If it is a mistake, it’s mine to make.”

“Is this happening because the firm hired Sebastian Fox? I tried to prevent it.”

Anna shook her head. She wasn’t leaving because she was afraid of Sebastian. She had put the entire blackmailing incident out of her mind but it did highlight the fact she needed to create a more meaningful life for herself. She had been going through the motions of a successful life but felt almost nothing.

He lifted his phone and spoke in a resigned tone to security. Replacing the handset, he said, “Good luck, Anna. The door will always be open if you decide to return.”

The firm insisted that security escort anyone who gave notice out of the building. The act of leaving was viewed as disloyal and the company wanted to protect their client base. Knowing all of this didn’t make the coming scene any easier.
 

Anna opened the glass door and a security officer met her in the hallway. Walking back to her cubicle, she picked up a small box from under her desk containing her personal belongings.
 

A hushed tone had come over the cavernous space and the man who sat next to her said, “You gave notice?”

She nodded and couldn’t wait to escape the surprised and perplexed looks. She needed a few minutes to process her conversation with Seth before she would be able to answer questions.

Someone else called out, “Meet us at Martin’s tonight.” She got on well with her colleagues, steadfastly ignoring all of the suggestive invites and obvious flirting while helping to solve issues and sharing her knowledge of the market. She wanted the opportunity to wish them well and explain why she was deciding to leave.

The security officer asked for her badge and ID and then took a look in her box of personal items. She walked with him to the elevator.
 

Riding down to the lobby in a tense silence accompanied by the security guard, a thousand thoughts flowed through her mind. She hoped she wasn’t making a terrible mistake. She understood the financial world and it probably was in her genetics.
 

She wanted a different life. She was tired of entertaining clients who drank too much and lived to party. She had worked extraordinarily hard for the company over the past two years, but with each passing day she became more unfulfilled. Being one of the only women, even with the Bolles name to protect her, made her a target.

She nodded to the security officer and walked out the front revolving door and headed down the busy London sidewalk. It was closing time in the markets and the brokers and deal-makers were getting off work.
 

Awkwardly carrying the cardboard box in the busy rush hour crowd announced to absolute strangers that she had either been fired or had given notice. Anna made her way over to a trash receptacle and, looking into the box, removed an antique letter opener, a pair of sunglasses, a silk scarf, and a few favorite pens and tucked them into her handbag. She tossed the remaining items into the trash and then took apart the box and placed it in a recycle bin. Anna wanted to escape the spotlight but realized she should be celebrating—she had narrowly escaped a life destined to be overly competitive, at times morally bankrupt, and seen by most as a mindless rat race.

Within a few short blocks, she walked into her apartment building. Taking the elevator to the twelfth floor, she opened the door to her luxurious flat. The furnishings were mostly white on white with an occasional splash of pink. She was going to miss this place if she were being honest. She had decorated it herself and it was her first real venture into adulthood.
 

There were open boxes everywhere. The movers were coming Sunday to put most of her furniture in storage. She had found a cheap studio apartment in an old area of London. She would need to conserve every pound if she was going to be self-sufficient and be able to live on the small salary from the start-up.

She walked into the bedroom and stripped off her work clothes. She opted for a pair of low cut jeans and a button-down white cotton shirt. She pulled on black boots and put her blond hair up into a French twist.
 

She had promised to meet a few of her co-workers for a celebratory drink. She needed closure. Most of them would think her decision to leave was foolish. Afterwards, she would drop by her mother’s house to share the news before someone else told her. It would be an unwelcome and difficult conversation.
 

She called Frances Casey, her new partner and business associate, and relayed the good news. She was now free to throw herself into Gala & More. The two of them spoke for several minutes about upcoming events and then planned to meet on Monday.

Walking into the pub a short while later, Anna saw that her former colleagues were already having a pint and good naturedly ranking on each other. She couldn’t relate to the male bonding taunts and insults. It was an unspoken expectation that they would treat her differently.

One of her male colleagues said, “Anna, I can’t believe you told Seth you are out.”