before she could chase the thread, Austen suddenly reminded her,

econd,and she signed her name. The

re a sharp, confident slash

e document with a lo

tions. You'

urreal, like a line

the clerk, folded it neatly, and placed

tes, and a name that she hopes never to

wered t

er's voice was impatient, "Where are you?You need to come t

an cold. "Wha

thday, and we both know you haven't managed to find a husband. I've already spoken to the trustees. Coleen is willing to step in and take over the es

htened until her knuckles t

have? You spent three years without being able to get Giles to marry

ne wen

e in her chest. She turned to look ser

anything. Take her

Love, was already there. She sat in a leather chair, looking smu

tal," Eulalie said, her voice dripping with fake sympathy. "I'm so sorry you cou

procedure, you can present the documents necessary to claim the p

ps steady. She unfolded the marriage certificate

d

natched the paper. Her eyes scanned it quickly, and then s

aughter,and landed on the tall, s

led power. For a fleeting second, Eulalie felt a prickle of unease crawl up her spine. Her instincts-honed by

nternally. Don't be ridiculous. Ana was de

id a few hundred dollars to play the part of a husband. A good act

cending smirk. "I suppose you think this little performance is going to impress me? A handsome f

e back onto the table as

is. What really annoyed her was that she

ait until Ana turned 25, then force her to marry Mr. Butler and get that i

done? I had everything arranged for you. Everything! Mr. Butler was going t

Austen, who stood silently by t

who's been married four times? The one who's old enough

able life-and more importantly, he would have kept the company afloat. Do you think I wanted to do this?

rtificate, folded it calmly, and placed it back in h

ere to claim what my father left me. First I want all the shares of the hotel that belon

ottage where her father lived with Eulalie right after they

he city with her grandparents. The Gardner

her practice space. The place was filled with Coleen's belongings.And

Fine. You want The Gardner residence? Then divorce

eached into her bag and pulled out a thick folder. She placed i

e before the age of twenty-five, all assets-including the hotel shares and the villa-revert to me immediately. There is no clause that requires my marri

outh opening and closing. "That's... that's not how it

ndary executor. The moment I fulfilled the condition, her authority

original will before. The young lady is correct. The condition is binary-married or not married by the deadline. There are

lent man by the door, then back to the document. Her carefully laid plans-the inh

t I still hold fifty percent of that company. My brother runs it day to day, and he

turning ba

ching you for years. I know exactly where the bodies are b