He Sent Me Overseas to Marry Her, I'm Staying Overseas to Never See Him Again novel · Chapter 4 of 32

Chapter 4: Not Mine to Sign

"No," I said into the receiver.

"No to what? You don't even know what I'm going to say."

"I know exactly what you're going to say. I'm not signing it."

He laughed, the little laugh he used when a supplier asked for more money.

"Friday. Video call. We'll do it properly."

He hung up first.

On Friday at three, Oliver set the old laptop on the cutting table and propped it against a trunk frame.

I didn't ask the crew to stay.

They stayed anyway.

The six bench workers stood behind me in their aprons.

The old cutter leaned on the rack with his arms crossed.

The apprentices sat on the end of the table, swinging their boots.

Peggy kept stitching, because Peggy always kept stitching.

Pierce came on screen from his office in Tribeca with the Hudson behind him.

He'd had a haircut.

He was wearing a wedding ring.

"Laura. Everybody." He flashed a bright, practiced smile at the crew. "Thanks for having me."

Nobody said anything.

"So I'll be quick. The London operation isn't sustainable. We all know it. Laura's going to certify that today, and we'll make sure everyone's looked after."

"How?" the old cutter said.

Pierce blinked.

"Sorry?"

"How are we looked after? Statutory redundancy? I've been here forty-four years. That's about nine weeks' pay."

"We'll talk details later."

"We'll talk them now," Peggy said, without looking up.

Pierce kept smiling, but he turned his eyes to me.

"Laura. Share your screen. The certificate's in your inbox."

"I'm not certifying it."

"You're the Head of International."

"Yes," I said. "And as Head of International, I've looked at the books. The workshop didn't fail. You routed every order away from it eighteen months ago. As of Tuesday, I've routed them back."

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