The Secret Heiress by Susie Warren Page A

across the table. “Yes. You own microbreweries. Were your grandparents resistant to you getting into a separate business?”
    He looked relaxed and approachable tonight. “My grandparents knew I hated to be reined in so they never complained. And it panned out, the business has an insane net worth.”
    This Alistair was so much more fascinating. She loved seeing a relaxed side of the hugely popular entrepreneur. “How did you know that you would be successful in the brewery business?”
    “I didn’t. I took a chance. When I opened the first microbrewery, my grandparents were nervous. But over time, they relaxed and now will even attend events held there.”
    Anna thought about his grandparents and how they must be so proud of him.
    He took a swallow of his wine and watched her with a hooded gaze. “There is something I can’t quite work out about you. You were a math prodigy, attended Oxford, accepted a position at Blackly Simonson and even had an article about your early success in Vanity Fair . But you walked away and threw yourself into a poorly run start-up. It seems counter-intuitive.”
    Anna let a moment go by and then decided to disclose the truth. She hated pretense, so even if it made life difficult, she made an effort to be open and forthcoming with information. “I was living the life others expected of me. I probably would have continued, but something happened and I crossed paths with Frances Casey. After seeing her life, I knew I had to change mine.”
    “How did you meet her?” His gazed seared into her.
    She wasn’t ready for all the questions that would arise, but she also didn’t want to hide from the truth. “I’m not sure it is relevant and I don’t think you would want to hear the truth.”
    “The truth is everything, Anna. Try me.”
    The housekeeper came and cleared away their dishes.
    The darkness of the night had descended slowly and Alistair got up and lit a few candles. Light also spilled out of the house, but the shadows gave her the courage to tell him what happened.
    “There was a man hired recently at Blackly Simonson that I had gone to school with but I hadn’t seen in five years. While we were in college, he had tried to blackmail me over an unfortunate incident. Since that time, there have been other incidents he was involved in and charges filed against him. But he was hired in spite of the charges. I saw how he was given so much respect for his ability to sell investments that I decided I didn’t want to be a part of that world any longer.”
    His voice was quiet. “What world are you taking about?”
    She tried to keep the bitterness out of her voice. “Basically the financial world in London and elsewhere is testosterone driven, competitive, materialistic and all about sexual conquests.”
    He looked perplexed. “This person was someone you had dated?”
    She probably shouldn’t have set down the path of truth telling. Now he would ask her all sorts of questions.
     
    He watched as she crumbled into a deep cavern. How could he possibly reverse this conversation? He didn’t need to know the intimate details of her life or the mistakes she had made. He had enough of his own to contend with.
    “Anna, I was curious as to why you changed careers. You don’t need to share anything that would upset you. But know that in my thirty years, I’ve seen way too much. Nothing you say would shock or upset me. We all make choices, sometimes bad ones, about drugs, sexual adventures, and other pursuits.”
    He watched her nod. Something was wrong. This wasn’t about changing careers.
    Alistair took a sip of wine. “Why was this man blackmailing you?”
    She gripped herself in a tight hold. “I became an easy target when I started using the Bolles name. People think that it opens doors, grants instant respect and such. But there is a dark side. It allows those who want to take advantage and threaten a young woman to have a certain amount of power.”
    He wasn’t following her