I Fled My Wedding, Slept With a Stranger, and He's My New Boss novel · Chapter 21 of 24

Chapter 21: The Real Contract

Brody put himself between us before I could speak.

"Step back," he said, to the man in the camel coat. "Hands where I can see them."

"I'm unarmed. I'm a talent agent." The man held up both phones. "Mr. Kincaid, I'm here because I've been fired, and I'm bitter, and I'd like to be useful."

"Fired by who?"

"By Hayes. This afternoon. Twelve years, and he sent the letter by courier."

"Brody," I said. "Let him talk."

We sat in three armchairs by the dead fireplace.

The night manager brought coffee and left, and the agent drank his without looking at either of us.

"Before I say it, I need you to understand," he said, "that I didn't think it was cruel. I thought it was strategy."

"Say it."

"Hayes doesn't love you, Ms. Stanwood. He didn't love you at the altar. He didn't want to marry you."

My hands were very still in my lap.

"Then why ask me?"

"Because the Aldine deal had a clause." He took a folder from his coat and opened it on his knee. "A morality clause. If Hayes ended his own engagement, Aldine could cancel the contract and take back the signing bonus. Twelve million dollars."

"And if I ended it?"

"Then he was the wronged man, and Aldine paid him a reputation fee. Eight million, tax free. And a new five-year renewal."

Brody had gone very quiet beside me.

"He was already tired of you in March," the agent said. "He had somebody else. He couldn't leave you without losing the money. So he needed you to leave him."

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