Page 20 of Her Fiance’s Father

“Well, Katie, I’ve never told anyone this, but there’s a clause in my grandfather’s will saying that if I’m not married by my twenty-first birthday, I get nothing.”

“Oh, wow,” I reply in my best commiseratory voice. “That puts you in quite a jam, doesn’t it?”

Kyle nods quickly, looking more pathetic than ever in his pieced-together designer outfit. He actually seems quite sincere as he looks at me.

I bet that would change if he knew why I was really here.

“Katie,” he says, his voice strained, “I will give you ten thousand dollars if you go through with the wedding.”

“Wow, ten thousand?” I repeat. “That’s a lot of money.”

If only he knew his father spent almost ten times that buying me a new wardrobe.

“That’s right. Ten grand, a diamond necklace, a vacation to anywhere you want—doesn’t even have to be with me. I just need you to say I do.”

The muscles on the corners of my lips are starting to twitch. I have to pinch the back of my thigh to keep from smiling.

“You don’t have to sleep with me. I can get that from Clarice. I just need us to be married. On paper.”

I nod slowly. “On paper.”

His left leg twitches as he stares at me. “The wedding’s in five days, Katie. I need your answer.”

He’s really starting to piss me off now. But this is good, good stuff.

“And I guess you need me to finish planning it too?”

For the briefest moment, Kyle actually tries to show some humanity. Tries to pretend like he’s commiserating with me. And he almost pulls it off. Almost.

“You don’t want me planning it, Katie. Not if you want it to be any good.”

Well, he’s not wrong there.

“Okay, just to be clear,” I say slowly. “You’ll give me ten grand—and other things—to marry you just so you can get your grandpa’s money?”

He sighs. “I know it sounds callous, but he’s leaving me millions, Katie. I’ll never have to work again!”

Twisting my lips, I force the fakest half-smile I’ve ever given in my life and nod. “Give me a few hours to think about it?”

It’s got to be a question so he doesn’t feel like me, a little girl compared to him, is telling him what to do. And it works. He nods, rising off his heels with excitement.

“Okay, but don’t take too long!” His phone buzzes in his pocket. “Shit, that’s my lawyer. I’ve got to take this. Call me soon, okay?”

I nod as he takes the call and walks away. Once he’s gone, I reach into my pocket and pull out my phone. The recording app is open. It got our whole conversation.

Hell yes.

“No way am I marrying Kyle Reed.”

Now all I have to do is bring this to Robert, and he’ll have even more solid proof of his son’s betrayal.

But just as I’m about to grab the door handle and leave the drawing room, the door opens inward, bonking me in the nose. I stumble backward and let out a pained groan as Clarice wiggles in.

She’s dressed in all white: baggy white pants, a white top, white cardigan, and white slip-ons. Something about the outfit just doesn’t work for me. It’s like she’s trying to show the world that she’s some pure, virtuous woman. But in reality, she’s a gold-digger who has no problem sleeping with her boyfriend’s son if it benefits her.

By the look on her face, I can tell she wants to talk. There’s nothing I want less.

“I was just on my way out—”