The Runaway Bride Is Marrying His Billionaire Boss novel · Chapter 20 of 24

Chapter 20: Mrs. Hartwell

Laurence's POV

The Heron Inn's function room had a long table, a pitcher of water and three trustees.

My grandfather had named them in the trust forty years ago.

The board chair sat in the middle, with the dry gray look of a man who had read the Ledger twice.

On his left sat an old woman who had been my grandfather's lawyer.

On his right sat the third trustee, a retired judge who had never smiled at me.

My cousin sat across the table with his two lawyers and a stack of folders.

I sat alone on my side.

I had asked Delaney to sleep.

She had been up two nights, and I had told her this hour belonged to my family and not hers.

I knew that was a lie as I said it.

"We are here," the board chair said, "on a motion that the marriage of Laurence Hartwell does not satisfy the trust."

"Thank you," said my cousin, and he opened the first of his folders.

"The trust requires a marriage in good faith." The lawyer on his left opened a folder. "We submit a signed contract with a term of one year and a divorce clause."

"Torn up yesterday on a lawn," I said.

"After it was published."

"After it was published, yes."

"We submit a statement from the former regional president of Hartwell Midwest, that his employer never met the bride before she walked into his office with an offer."

"That's true."

The lawyer paused.

I had not argued.

"It's true," I said again. "She offered. I accepted in a minute, because I'd wanted to for three years."

My cousin smiled with one side of his mouth.

"Then you admit you used her."

"I admit I needed a wife, and she needed a name. We were honest with each other about both."

"You paid nothing."

"She wouldn't take it."

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