Total pages in book: 41
Estimated words: 38317 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 192(@200wpm)___ 153(@250wpm)___ 128(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 38317 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 192(@200wpm)___ 153(@250wpm)___ 128(@300wpm)
We all turn when a knock sounds at the door before it cracks open. A man I’ve never seen before stands there. I recognize Emily standing behind him. What the hell is she doing here?
“Paul? Is there something I can help you with?” Evelyn asks. The man holds up the folder in his hand.
“Prenup.” I stand there a little bit shocked. It was something that Gerrit and I have never discussed. I don’t know why I feel hurt by it. Of course there would be one. It slipped my mind. But I can’t blame Gerrit for wanting to safeguard the empire he’d built. It doesn’t make the hurt go away, though. I shouldn’t feel betrayed, yet in some way I do. I know it’s ridiculous, but I can’t help it.
“Prenup? Really? And this is when you come to get it signed? Moments before she’s to walk down the aisle?” Leave it to my mom to show up when money is on the table.
Emily has a smirk on her face watching the whole show. I want to smack it off, and I’m not a violent person.
“Just give it to me.” I hold my hand out. He comes over, handing it to me.
“I apologize this is so late. I thought you knew there would be one with this being an arranged marriage.”
“She’s not signing anything,” my mom says, grabbing the folder from the man and opening it.
“Arranged marriage?” Evelyn repeats the words, making me cringe. Emily keeps on smiling. “Are you shitting me?” she says. I don’t think it’s really a question. “I’ll be right back.” She marches from the room. So much for everything going smoothly today.
“This is bullshit. She gets nothing if they divorce. He’s even trying to claim custody of any children that come from the marriage. Full custody. This is not what was agreed upon between Gerrit and my husband.” My face flushes with heat feeling like a piece of property that everyone is negotiating over. Tears threaten to sting my eyes as the reality of what this is finally hits me. It’s my own fault. I chose to live in a fantasy world and forgot what this really was.
“What about children?” I ask, suddenly wanting to know all of the details.
“You know you’re going to sign it,” Emily says. “Let’s get this over with so you can get to that ridiculous honeymoon.” Her words are like a slap to the face.
He said he was going to plan the honeymoon. Really it wasn’t a big deal, but the lying is. What else was he lying about? For all I know he could be lying about all of his promises of what this marriage will be.
Mom keeps going on about the prenup. Kinley grabs my hand, giving it a squeeze.
“We can leave. You don’t have to do this.” She's right. I don’t, but I kept going along with it because deep down I’d always had this pull to Gerrit. Now I’m not sure of anything.
“Get my clothes,” I say under my breath to her. Mom and the lawyer aren’t paying me any attention. Emily is, though. I see the way her eyes light up when she hears what I said. I pull my eyes from her to my wedding dress still hanging on the rack.
I can’t do this. I’m not sure why I thought I could. I don’t want to get married to a man who doesn’t love me in hopes that maybe one day he will. Not to mention all this underhanded bullshit. I should have known. This is like a business deal to him, and everyone knows that Gerrit Kane is cutthroat when it comes to business. It’s how he’s made his fortune.
But the way he touched me. It all felt so real. I feel like a naïve virgin confusing Gerrit’s lust for me for love. I made the mistake of thinking he must feel the same way I do.
“Here.” She hands me a pair of yoga pants. I slip them on under my silk robe, going for my shirt next. Before I can make my move, the door to the room bursts open, revealing an out of breath Gerrit. My heart leaps out of my chest at the sight of him in his suit.
“What the fuck are you two doing here?” Everyone stands up straight at Gerrit’s tone. Except me. He doesn’t scare me.
His eyes sweep over me then go to the bag Kinley is holding and narrow.
“You’re not going anywhere. You promised.” He crosses the room until he’s in front of me. “You look like you’re about to run, love. Is that what you were planning on doing?”
“Yes,” I answer honestly. “I can’t do this.”
“Damn right she’s not doing this with this prenup.” My mom waves the folder around. I could give a shit about Gerrit’s money. That’s not what I want from him.