Marry Me Instead

8

Chapter 8 — New Terms

Evelyn rested her hand on the contract. She didn’t open it again. Instead, she looked directly at Sebastian.

“I won’t sign it.”

Nathan, who had just stepped into the office with fresh coffee, froze. Sebastian didn’t.

“I expected as much.”

Nathan quietly placed the cups on the table before excusing himself, closing the door behind him. The office fell quiet. Evelyn slid the contract back across the table.

“I won’t sign your contract.”

Sebastian’s eyes moved to the folder.

“Go on.”

“If this is going to be a partnership, the agreement shouldn’t belong to one person.”

She reached for the fountain pen beside the folder.

“It should belong to both.”

Without waiting for permission, she opened the contract to the first page. A neat line appeared through one sentence. Sebastian watched without interruption. She wrote beneath it.

Amendment One

Neither party shall make decisions that significantly affect the other without prior discussion and mutual consent.

She placed the pen down.

“I’ve spent too many years living with people deciding my future for me.”

“I’m not repeating that mistake.”

Sebastian picked up the document. His eyes scanned the amendment. A few seconds passed. Then he nodded once.

“Accepted.” No argument. No negotiation. Just acceptance.

Evelyn blinked.

“…That easily?”

“I included the clause because I believed you’d ask for something similar.”

“You anticipated it?”

“I anticipated several possibilities.”

She couldn’t help shaking her head.

“You plan everything.”

“I try.”

“That sounds exhausting.”

“It can be.”

The answer slipped out so naturally that even Sebastian seemed to pause for half a second. He took another sip of coffee before setting the cup down.

“I prefer preparation over regret.”

Evelyn noticed the faint shadows beneath his eyes. The untouched breakfast on the side table. The stack of files waiting on his desk. For someone who appeared perfectly composed…He looked like he hadn’t slept much either.

“You drafted twenty-eight pages overnight.”

“I did.”

“You were working until morning.”

“I was.”

“And you’ll probably continue after I leave.”

“If necessary.”

There wasn’t a trace of pride in his voice. Only fact. Evelyn leaned back.

“You know…”

“If you’re always carrying everything yourself, eventually something will slip.”

Sebastian looked at her. It wasn’t annoyance she saw. It was surprise. Almost as though no one had ever said that to him. He changed the subject.

“You said you wouldn’t sign my contract.”

“I did.”

“What else would you change?”

Evelyn reopened the document. She flipped through several pages before stopping.

“This clause.”

Sebastian glanced down.

Public appearances shall be determined solely by mutual convenience.

She drew a single line through it.

“Convenience?”

She looked up.

“If we’re going to convince two powerful families, investors, and the media that this marriage is real…”

“We don’t choose convenience.”

“We choose credibility.”

She wrote another amendment.

All major family functions, shareholder meetings, charity galas, and corporate events requiring either spouse’s attendance shall be attended together unless both parties agree otherwise.

She handed the pen back to him.

“If we’re doing this…”

“We do it properly.”

Sebastian read the new clause twice. Then he signed his initials beside it.

“Accepted.”

A faint smile appeared on Evelyn’s face.

“So that’s how we negotiate.”

“No.”

Sebastian uncapped the pen again.

“This is.”

He crossed out one of his own clauses. Evelyn watched curiously as he rewrote it in clean, precise handwriting. When he slid the contract back, she read the revised paragraph.

Neither party may withhold information that could materially affect the other’s safety, reputation, or business interests.

She looked up.

“You changed your own clause.”

“It was incomplete.”

“You admitted it?”

“I prefer accurate contracts over perfect ones.”

Evelyn laughed quietly.

“You really are impossible to read.”

“I’ve been told that before.”

This time, the silence between them felt different. Less guarded. Not because trust had suddenly appeared…But because they had both done something unexpected. They had listened And neither had tried to win.

A sharp knock broke the quiet. Nathan entered, his usual composed expression replaced by something more serious.

“Mr. Hawthorne.”

Sebastian looked up.

Nathan placed a tablet on the table.

“You should see this.”

Sebastian picked it up.

A news article filled the screen.

JILTED BRIDE SECRETLY MEETS GROOM’S DISOWNED BROTHER

Beneath the headline was a photograph. Evelyn. Stepping out of her car in front of Hawthorne Capital less than an hour ago. Another photo showed Nathan escorting her through the lobby. More articles were appearing by the second.

SINCLAIR HEIRESS SWITCHES SIDES?

IS A NEW ALLIANCE FORMING?

DID THE WEDDING SCANDAL HIDE A SECRET RELATIONSHIP?

Nathan refreshed the page. The comments multiplied faster than he could read them.

“She wasted no time.”

“Poor Ethan.”

“Maybe this was planned from the beginning.”

“I knew something felt suspicious.”

Evelyn quietly took the tablet. She scrolled through the articles. Then stopped. A familiar username had shared one of the stories.

SophiaSinclairOfficial

I hope everyone will stop attacking my sister. She deserves privacy just like anyone else. Please don’t spread rumors.

Evelyn’s gaze lingered on the post. To anyone else…It looked kind. Compassionate. Supportive. She handed the tablet back.

“She didn’t deny it.”

Nathan frowned.

“She asked people to stop spreading rumors.”

“Exactly.”

Evelyn folded her arms.

“She acknowledged the rumor without correcting it.”

Nathan’s eyes widened.

“So people assume it’s true…”

“…because she never said it wasn’t.”

Sebastian had been watching Evelyn instead of the screen.

“What are you thinking?”

“She’s intelligent.”

Evelyn spoke calmly.

“If she defended me too strongly, people would suspect something.”

“If she attacked me, she’d look jealous.”

“But this…”

She tapped the screen lightly.

“This makes her look like the caring sister.”

“And me?”

Nathan answered before anyone else could.

“The guilty one.”

The room grew quiet. Sebastian finally set the tablet aside.

“I’ll have our communications department release a statement.”

“No.”

Evelyn’s answer came immediately. Nathan looked between them. Sebastian’s gaze remained on Evelyn.

“No?”

“If we deny every rumor, we give them more attention.”

She stood and walked toward the windows.

“The story isn’t that I came here.”

“The story is why.”

“And nobody knows that.”

She turned back.

“Let them speculate.”

“The truth will eventually make the rumors look ridiculous.”

Nathan nodded slowly.

“That’s… actually a good strategy.”

Sebastian remained thoughtful.

“You understand public opinion better than I do.”

“I’ve spent years surviving it.”

There was no bitterness in her voice. Only experience. Nathan’s phone vibrated. He glanced at the screen. Then his expression changed.

“Sir.”

“What is it?”

“The Hawthorne Group has called an emergency board meeting.”

Sebastian didn’t seem surprised.

“They’re moving faster than expected.”

Nathan hesitated.

“That’s not the important part.”

He looked at Evelyn.

“Chairman Richard Sinclair has just arrived.”

Evelyn’s brows drew together.

“My father?”

Nathan nodded.

“He’s downstairs.”

“He isn’t asking for Miss Sinclair.”

Nathan took a slow breath.

“He’s demanding a meeting with you, Mr. Hawthorne.”

Sebastian buttoned his suit jacket.

“What reason did he give?”

Nathan met his eyes.

“He said…”

A brief pause.

“…that if you’re the reason his daughter is destroying the Sinclair family’s reputation…”

“Then he’ll end this before it begins.”

Neither Sebastian nor Evelyn moved. Outside the office, the elevator chimed.

Richard Sinclair had arrived….And judging by the determined stride echoing through the executive floor…

He wasn’t here to negotiate.