THE WIFE HE NEVER CHOSE

making a

him without fearing for their job. He sat at the head of the conference

arrangement concern

t all

s went up,

er's changes a

t again. There are still

settle this

ome things. N

lanced at t

ing to clear your h

es

ney for res

es

t before turning this into a nee

aned

that you're asking me to be

finally

om got

ed the

Let's hear y

ve in so quickly, but I was

nsfer, no Mercer Holdings hidden rights. I don't want to fin

ree

before the wedding. I want confirmati

sona

parate from my personal finances. It needs its own accoun

leane

ependence but you expec

ou get to know where it goes. But you don

disagree with h

question my budget, but you can't just barge in and

ssion did

ssuming I

aking sure

oked

o

to the ne

Bellamy House, hire staff, meet investors, make b

cause comp

ial safeguards. But I won't ask my h

usband f

caugh

e table with

clear idea what marriag

don't want it

ich

cag

oss his face. Gone befo

t you think

u everything you want while expecting me to be g

es nar

l, Miss

here negotiating instead of si

d for a

luctant laugh, but it softened him,

ot what I

ded m

id you

st accept the deal an

icked the w

aren

his pen and

eing, you could tell. He owned the room, expe

t his money turn me into

e more thin

en st

rse the

, no refinancing, nothing that leaves me owing your company money if this

to pay the de

es

ore the

es

tudi

omfortable ask

asking for help. Th

ime, his face s

esse

ve a business that matters. Bellamy House can make money, but it

stake your entire f

ready

if it

sita

ast I'll kn

t down

must have mat

oat ti

e d

nd why you're fi

ed, sur

man who knew what it meant

hat wa

tions are a

red a

of

o the final legal wordi

t expec

ot going

ou rathe

t - it's s

to fight over conditions th

s again. Wh

someone like Raf

ess we're

qui

oward himself and wrote u

atc

re you

condi

ned f

me

id it

line once.

contradict, or undermine the legitimacy of their m

oked

you j

m n

s that ev

er in public, you

s. I didn't agree to lie

y. But you don't unde

the pap

to pretend we're

be legall

hat I mean an

d to the

s will ask questions. I won't have my wife telling

d at hi

o answer questions you

iefed before e

eone asks if

tur

them an appro

ost l

m I adore you? That I can't sleep

e didn'

to exag

tar

e impo

're nego

l's days away fr

th need to rememb

t s

asn't asking for much. A convincing ma

nted bou

go to the events, I'll introduce myself as your wife. But I won't let you

tho

ree

ers ask whethe

s up t

row

just

he marriage. I didn't say you

another careful business

in

in the

hing

N

oo

ed the

e'll pr

, at least on paper. Bellamy House was safe, its debt gone

have felt

d just agreed to something

g just as I

Ben

ear, wher

office. Is ev

rom the ba

almost

did th

he debt has

ped th

ha

orning. Foreclosure's suspen

sed m

ime in weeks, I

you s

sent the confirma

d out. Then te

nk G

e're

toward Rafe's office. He was on t

spered. "I t

her would

my lips

ou, Mrs.

ng up, I jus

House

hotel was

g waited, th

to Bellamy House and fo

red suit got out

s Ca

es

personal assistant. He a

a thick cre

se's debt was settled, plus a detaile

page twice. Every

er envelope, my name

a sing

dding arrangements are und

, but I didn

ed at

cer always mo

r likes ef

urse h

ed - polite

tend a private dinner tomorrow night. He says it'

row

ho

mot

ght me o

ow about the

you're gett

know it's

l hes

ing Mr. Mercer

n before the

l him I'll

nodded

, holding the d

ved th

n who seemed determined to c

nder just how much he th

stood in his study, readi

istant

ught harder than he expected - not

hone

sage

ally chosen a bride. I hope you k

jaw tig

d a qui

decision

sage, almos

e she understands wha

red at h

ld never accep

n't the

ruth about Bellamy House, she might

e phone f

iage wou

ook, he'd mak