Chapter 10: The Lawyer

The story broke on Monday morning, Day 13, at six minutes past seven.

Shawna sent it to me in a text with eleven exclamation points.

BILLIONAIRE'S BRIDE WAS PAID FIVE MILLION, SOURCES SAY.

Under the headline was a photo of me in my apron, mid-laugh, ringing up a customer.

Under that, a paragraph.

I read it standing in the white bathroom with a toothbrush in my mouth.

The marriage of Merrick Defense CEO Leon Merrick and shop owner Lilia DeGraff is a paid contract.

The contract runs one year, according to a source close to the family.

DeGraff allegedly received five million dollars.

The agreement reportedly includes a ten million dollar penalty for whichever party first says the words I love you.

I spat in the sink.

By the time I got downstairs, Leon was already in the kitchen, in a suit, with a phone at each ear.

He hung up both.

"You've seen it," I said.

"Yes."

"It has Clause Fourteen in it."

"Yes."

"Your uncle's gone to the press."

"He's gone to three board members first. They've all seen it. It's why my phone has been ringing since six."

His lawyer had been sitting at the end of the island with a laptop open.

He was a gray, careful man, about fifty, who had never once looked surprised in my presence.

He looked a little surprised now.

"The chairman of the audit committee wants a hearing," he said.

"He says a sham marriage is a breach of the will."

"He says Leon misled the board."

Keep reading free with an account. Start Don't Toy with My Heart, Mr. Billionaire from Chapter 1, then sign up free to read the rest of this chapter.