Page 94 of Fight Or Flight

Emily looked at her cousins before sparing her mother the briefest of glances.

“Don’t you dare sign any—”

“I’m in.”

“Excellent, Ms. Monroe,” Speeler said, handing her his pen. “Is this agreeable, Mr. Monroe?”

Victor looked at his lawyer, who nodded. “Yes.”

“Good,” he said, turning his focus on Anne and her lawyer, who watched in horror as Emily flipped through the pages of Speeler’s document, signing each one. “Will I be hearing from you again?” he asked.

Anne spun on her heel and stomped off out of the room. Her lawyer followed.

When Emily finished signing, she passed the papers and pen to Victor , who signed off that the matter would be closed from his end as well.

“Do you live with your mom?” Chelsea asked.

Emily nodded.

“You can always stay at the manor if you need to.”

“That’s very nice, thanks. I may end up on your doorstep at some point,” she said with a laugh.

“Anytime,” Chelsea said. “But I should warn you, I have a four-year-old who is very busy and loud.”

Emily smiled briefly, but it dropped. “We’ll see what happens.”

Victor finished up signing. He slid the papers to Natalie but didn’t pass her the pen.

“You happy?”

Natalie tipped up her chin. “Almost.”

“What now?”

“I don’t think that’s any of your business,” she said.

“Do you have work here?”

“Why?”

“I value a cool-headed and tough negotiator. Perhaps you’d be interested in joining the family business? I know your grandfather wouldn’t have hesitated to offer you a position in the company. He would have wanted me to do the same.”

Natalie stared at him with her mouth open . “Uh, thank you, but no. I have something lined up already.”

Victor nodded. “Very well. If you change your mind, call me.”

He shook Speeler’s hand and walked out the door with his lawyer in tow.

“Oh my God,” Chelsea said. “That is the most terrifying person I have ever met.”

Emily laughed. “He has a shih-tzu named Primy that he sleeps with, and he watches Hallmark Christmas movies. All year round.”

Shaking her head and laughing, Natalie scrawled her signature on all the lines and passed the papers to Chelsea to do the same.

When the last signature was inked, Chelsea threw open her arms and pulled Natalie into a hug.

“Oh my God! I’m a homeowner!”

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