Chapter 11 - The Postnuptial Ultimatum
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Lucinda laughed, a sharp, metallic sound that echoed in the small office.
“You will say them, Mara,” Lucinda promised, tapping her manicured nails on a thick, leather-bound folder resting next to her. “Because the vows are just the performance. This is the reality.”
She opened the folder, revealing a massive legal document. The title read: Postnuptial Agreement and Corporate Proxy Transfer.
“Once you say the words before four hundred people, you won’t dare refuse to sign the papers at the reception,” Lucinda said smugly. “It’s a flawless psychological trap. You won't ruin your own perfect day in front of the city's elite.”
“And the transfers?” Evan asked his mother, completely oblivious to the fact that his voice was currently being recorded by the police.
“The final six hundred thousand will be routed to the Larkspur account right after the vows,” Lucinda confirmed.
I looked at Evan, pretending to be broken. “Why are you doing this to me? I loved you. I trusted you with the electronic signatures.”
Evan scoffed, finishing his bourbon. “Love is a liability, Mara. You were weak after your dad died. I just took advantage of the structural integrity of this company. If you fight me on the altar tomorrow, or refuse to sign this agreement, the warehouse fire makes your father look like the thief who burned his own evidence. You’ll be begging for a settlement from your own company just to pay your legal bills.”
He had said it. The forgery, the transfers, the fire, and the blackmail. All of it on tape.
“Okay,” I whispered, looking down at the floor. “I’ll read your vows.”
May you like
Evan smiled, victorious. “Good girl.”
Across the street, Detective Alvarez had everything she needed. But the trap wasn't fully sprung yet.
