Reborn to Dodge the Bad Marriage novel Chapter 6

Chapter 6 Terms They Could Not Refuse

Nora did not bother softening any of it. “One. Whatever the Westons put up for the engagement comes to me, all of it, plus 10 percent of the Sinclair company.”

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Victor bristled and opened his mouth to refuse, but Mandy and Yvette both caught his arm and shook their heads until he swallowed it. “Fine.”

Nora watched all three of them react and let out a soft laugh before she went on. “Two. Mandy and Yvette need to get on their knees and beg me to marry Julian. You’ll change your minds later, so we film it, and you sign a contract.”

Mandy jumped on it before anyone else could. “Done. But you never bring up that night again.”

That meant Nora could never say out loud that she was the one who saved Adrian.

That was precisely what Nora wanted.

Nora let one corner of her red mouth curve. “Done.”

Mandy had the paperwork drawn up before anyone could reconsider, signed over the company shares, and added a statement declaring that she was giving up the Weston marriage of her own free will.

When everything was ready, Nora settled onto the sofa.

Victor stood in frame as the witness while the camera rolled.

Mandy knelt down in front of Nora, flushed with excitement, and nobody had to push her into a word of it. “Today I, Mandy Sinclair, am in love with Adrian Pierce. I’m giving up the Weston marriage of my own free will, and I’m asking Nora Sinclair to marry Julian Weston for the good of this family.”

Yvette knelt beside her and made her own plea. “I’m Mandy’s mother. I’m not after money. All I want is for my daughter to be happy, so I’m asking Nora Sinclair to marry Julian Weston in her place.”

Nora leaned forward a little and looked down at the two of them. “You’re the ones begging me to marry Julian Weston in Mandy’s place. Don’t come back to me about it later.”

“We’re begging you to marry him and we won’t take it back!” Mandy and Yvette said it together with their heads down. “Please.”

Regret it? Mandy smirked. No. The only one who ends up regretting anything is you, Nora.

Mandy could already see the whole thing playing out. She watched Nora bury a husband, get

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Chapter 6 Terms They Could Not Refuse

thrown out of the Weston house, and end up working a bar for tips.

Once she had that image in her head, kneeling on this floor cost her nothing at all.

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Nora watched the excitement on Mandy’s face and laughed under her breath, and part of her wanted to say it out loud. Hand a woman this stupid and this cruel a hundred second chances and she’ll still walk herself into something worse.

Mandy and Yvette had barely gotten off the floor when the housekeeper came in. “Sir, ma’am, the Westons’ butler, Reeve Callahan is here.”

Victor turned his head toward Nora, waited for her nod, and only then said, “Send him in.”

The Westons had sent Reeve alone to handle the settlement. Nobody else from the family

came.

Same as last time. They don’t think enough of this family to show up. All they want is someone to stand at that altar so their heir doesn’t die unmarried.

Victor put Reeve in the best chair anyway and had the staff bring out good coffee, pastries, and a platter of imported fruit.

Reeve took one look around at the assembled Sinclairs and went straight to it. “The senior Westons are tied up, so I’ve come to settle the arrangements between our eldest son and your younger daughter.

“Madam Weston has had the calendar gone over. The only date that works this year falls the day after tomorrow, so…”

Mandy cut in fast. “Mr. Callahan, I’m not the one marrying Mr. Weston. My sister is. There’s someone else I care about.”

Yvette hurried in behind her. “You mustn’t name the wrong girl. It would ruin Mandy’s reputation. It’s her older sister who’s marrying in.”

Reeve frowned across at Victor. “We were told it was your younger daughter. When did it become your elder?”

Victor wiped at a film of sweat and covered himself. “I meant Nora from the beginning. Mr. Callahan misheard me.”

Reeve had come with the family’s lawyer that first time and had never named a daughter at all. Victor and Yvette were the ones who trotted Mandy out to meet him and talked her up like she hung the stars, and Reeve had never once laid eyes on Nora.

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Chapter 6 Terms They Could Not Refuse

Now the misunderstanding was apparently his.

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Finished

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