Page 20 of Priceless

“I thought you might say that.” My uncle crossed the room and leaned back against his desk. “But you’re going to say yes.”

“The hell I am.”

“You are,” he said calmly. “Because the agreement is only for a year, and at the end of that year, if you do this, I will sign your trust over to you early.”

My aunt’s head whipped around so fast I could have sworn I heard a crack.

“What?” we both asked at the same time.

His eyes went cold. “Stop making me repeat myself.”

More pain spread through my chest, making it hard to breathe. “You could have done that this whole time? Signed it over to me?”

“It’s not easy,” he said with a shrug. “A lot of hoops to jump through. But I need you to do this, and because you’ve never been helpful a day in your life, I knew you would need motivation.”

Hot tears flooded my eyes, and I turned away, breathing through the sharpness of my grief. “Why do they want to marry me?” I asked, voice watery.

“Some kind of PR problem. I don’t really know, nor do I care. What I care about is signing the paperwork that will save McCabe Fabrics, and you are a part of that paperwork.”

One year instead of five. One. ONE.

My mother died when I was twelve. I’d already survived eighteen years of this. I could survive one more. Especially if it wasn’t with them. One jail for another. At least there would be different scenery.

There wouldn’t be anything to tie me to this marriage when the year was over. The implant in my arm was more than enough to prevent any accidental pregnancies. I’d tried to get the surgery Isolde had, preventing them entirely, but no one would perform it on me because of my size. One surgeon even went as far as to say I wouldn’t need it at all. Like me having sex was a crime against humanity.

One year, and I could be free of all of this.

“I want it in writing,” I finally said, looking at him and disgusted by the victory in his eyes. “I want it in writing and notarized, with lawyers and witnesses.”

“Fine.”

The ease with which he said it made me want to crumple. It wasn’t hard, he just hadn’t wanted to do it. They never wanted to do it because it wasn’t worth it to them. As long as they controlled the estate, they could do whatever they wanted and held all the benefits that came with it. No matter if they couldn’t touch the money that was mine. They would still try.

Maybe that was why the paperwork had been thirty-five. Maybe Mom and Dad thought that their closest family wouldn’t hesitate to sign the estate over to me when I became an adult.

I closed my eyes, and a tear finally spilled over. I didn’t bother to wipe it away. “Then I’ll do it.”

“Good. I’ll have the paperwork here for you, with your notary, lawyers, and witnesses, on Saturday.”

“Ellie’s—” I stopped. “Isolde’s sister’s wedding is on Saturday. I did the flowers, and she’s my friend. I have to be there.”

Laura crossed her arms. “I’m sure the flowers will be fine without you.”

“What part of I have to be there wasn’t clear the first time?” I snapped.

Her eyebrows rose into her hairline and she took a step back. I never spoke to her like that. Well, I did, but usually in my head.

Frank interrupted whatever she was about to say to me. “I meant what I said, Ocean. This is an opportunity for all of us, and I will need you to get me information.”

“Sure.” Whoever it was, if they were doing this, I doubted they were stupid. They knew who Frank was, and they weren’t going to let me anywhere near the kind of knowledge he was talking about. I could try if he wanted me to, but that wasn’t on my priority list. My priority list was his signature on the document guaranteeing my freedom.

“We’ll get everything set up. Sign the papers for you on Saturday, and the rest of the deal on Monday. I’ll see if they can come and meet you on Saturday.”

“That’s fine.” I was already retreating into my own mind, making plans and dealing with the repercussions of what I’d just done.

“Do you want to know who?”

I looked at him. “Does it matter?”

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