He Scorned His Substitute Wife, Now He Begs Her Back novel · Chapter 9 of 24
Chapter 9: The Board Lunch
The notice came on Sunday night, on cream paper, from a law firm with four names.
It said the Benedetti board would meet at noon on Monday, in the private dining room on the top floor, to consider the status of a certain marriage contract.
It was addressed to the Carrano family and Mirella Benedetti.
"It doesn't say you," Mirella said.
"It doesn't have to," Livia said. "I'm the one who signed it."
They went together, in the same black dress, because Mirella said if they were going to be stared at they might as well be good at it.
The dining room had a table for twenty and a view of the whole of Manhattan.
Eight board members sat on one side, with their water glasses and their folders.
Aldo Benedetti sat at the head, and Luca at the foot, with the whole length of the table between them.
Livia's parents sat on the left.
Her mother saw her and went pale.
"Please," Aldo said, rising. "Come in, both of you. I'm so glad you came."
He pulled out chairs for them himself.
When they were seated he put his pen down and folded his hands.
"Gentlemen, ladies, I won't be long. Three years ago this firm merged with Carrano Holdings on the strength of a marriage. Last Thursday we learned that the bride was not the woman who signed the contract."
A board member coughed.
"It's in the papers this morning," Aldo said, gently, "so I won't dress it up. The Carrano family put a substitute at the altar. That is fraud, and it voids the prenuptial agreement and the merger it secured. I regret it more than anyone."
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