Without warning, Andrew threw a legal document onto the table. "You know exactly what happened between us. I need a wife now. Once we have an heir, you can leave it with me and walk away with enough money to live in luxury for the rest of your life."
This plan would finally get his grandmother to stop nagging him about marriage and stop setting him up on terrible dates. Above all, it would give her the great-grandchild she wanted. To him, it was a flawless fix.
Kaitlin felt a cold shiver run through her.
"And why on earth would I agree to that?" she demanded.
He stood up, his tall shadow stretching over her where she sat. "Because I'm the only one who can help you fight against Hugh."
He walked out without looking back. Kaitlin sat there in shock for a moment before she finally picked up the contract to read the fine print.
The amount promised for the divorce settlement was a staggering five hundred million dollars.
That kind of money would guarantee her a life of complete freedom. Besides, the Evans family was far more powerful than either the Williams or Douglas families combined.
She realized that marrying Andrew might actually be a very safe way to protect her future.
She looked down at the platinum bracelet.
It was the very first gift Hugh had given her after he started his career. Even though it didn't really cost much, she had treated it like a priceless treasure for years. Now, it just seemed like a cruel joke.
For the next two weeks, Kaitlin stayed away from work and remained hidden in her home to heal. She ignored everyone except for her close friend, Haley Yates.
Haley had been her roommate back in college. Coming from a wealthy family in Zluasey, she had started her own law practice right after law school. For the last two years, she had been the one handling most of the legal trouble for the Pioneer Group.
Haley was always the first to know the latest gossip, and she spent the whole time trashing Hugh for being so cold-hearted while she spilled all the news. One piece of news was that Rosalie had already started parading around the office as Hugh's fiancee, and she was already moving into Kaitlin's old office to take over as general manager.
Kaitlin didn't have the strength to worry about the office drama. After some consideration, she had decided to accept Andrew's proposal.
She decided to lean into this new reality and forge a different path for herself.
She had been innocent from the very beginning, so she saw no reason to let herself be kicked out of the Pioneer Group in shame just to make room for another woman.
Kaitlin pressed her lips together, reached for her phone, and dialed the number she had been thinking about.
Over at the Evans estate, Doris Evans sat with her reading glasses on, occasionally peeking over them at Andrew, who was relaxing on the couch with a magazine.
"Why aren't you married? You won't even go on a date. I'm eighty years old, and I don't have much time left. Your father is a disgrace, and he clearly likes that other woman's son more than you. If you don't have an heir, who is going to keep your grandfather's company away from them when I'm gone?"
Andrew's father, Glenn Evans, had been unfaithful during his youth. The stress had devastated his wife, who tragically died from amniotic fluid embolism shortly after giving birth to a stillborn baby. Only six months after her death, Glenn had married again and moved in a son who was actually two years older than Andrew.
Andrew gave a cold smirk. "Don't worry, Grandma. I won't let him get anything."
At that exact moment, his phone started vibrating on the table.
Andrew looked at the caller ID, and a small smile appeared. "Grandma, your wish might be coming true sooner than you think."
Doris sat up straight, her eyes bright with excitement. "Oh, is that so?"
Andrew picked up the phone and put it on speaker. "Miss Clarke, do you have some good news for me?"
A woman's voice responded, sounding quiet but sure. "Yes. Is our deal still on?"
