Sign the Papers Mr. Langford novel Chapter 247

The best thing he could do was put everything on the table and make sure it could withstand any scrutiny.

The next day, Harrison met with Clara Thorne.

They met at a private club owned by the Thorne family.

Clara arrived right on time.

Dressed in a dark green suit, her hair pinned up flawlessly and wearing minimalist earrings, she carried no unnecessary softness, yet didn't come off as overly aggressive either.

Harrison had met her a few times before.

The eldest Thorne daughter—highly capable and fiercely uncompromising. Word around town was that Clara was far too pragmatic to ever bow to anyone.

But even pragmatic people faced dilemmas.

With the recent power struggle within the Thorne family, she desperately needed a flawless, ironclad partnership to claw her way out of the role of the "marriageable eldest daughter."

Harrison needed something similar.

The Xander Fund couldn't enter the medical philanthropy sector based solely on his personal whim. The Thorne Philanthropy Trust provided the perfect external backing.

Once they sat down, they skipped the small talk.

Clara tossed the file onto the table. "I've reviewed the Stellaris project. Professionally, it's solid, but the risks aren't small."

Harrison poured the tea. "Are you afraid of risks?"

"I'm afraid of people wrapping up risks in a package of romantic devotion."

Harrison looked up at her.

Clara didn't look away, her tone completely even. "Harrison, people aren't blind to your history with Wren. I can write off your investment in Stellaris as a business move. But I refuse to let the Thorne Philanthropy Trust be used as a weapon to defend your long-lost love."

It was a brutally direct statement.

So direct that the assistant standing nearby immediately lowered his head.

Harrison merely laughed.

"Are you always this ruthless with your words, Clara?"

"Depends on who I'm talking to." Clara picked up her teacup. "You don't look like you have a fragile ego."

Harrison nodded. "Then I'll be direct too. I do admire Wren, and I did have feelings for her in the past. But Stellaris's value doesn't hinge on her."

Clara stared at him.

"In the past?"

Harrison's hand hovered over his cup.

Clara leaned back in her chair. "There's one more thing. My family is currently breathing down my neck to get married."

The pivot was abrupt, but it felt entirely rehearsed.

Harrison wasn't surprised.

"The Xander family is doing the same."

Clara gently swirled the tea in her cup. "Then perhaps we have another partnership to discuss."

The private room fell quiet.

Bamboo shadows swayed outside the window, and a waiter softly closed the door.

Harrison watched Clara, finding her utterly fascinating.

She didn't feign coyness or fake some deep romantic longing. She pitched marriage like a corporate restructuring, and yet, it wasn't the least bit off-putting.

Because she wasn't lying to anyone.

"You want a marriage of convenience?" Harrison asked.

"I want to buy some time," Clara replied. "If the Thornes demand a marriage, I'll marry a man who won't meddle in my business. You need a wife to shut your family up. We can act as a shield for each other. It's a win-win."