Chapter 24: Arrange A Billion-Dollar Deal

    “It doesn’t matter,” Sean said, tightening his grip around her waist. “Let’s go.” “No, I want to know,” she insisted. “What deal are you backing out of?” A long, tense silence filled the room. Her aunt and cousin smiled like cats that had eaten a canary, and her uncle scuffed his loafers against the carpet. Sean’s face was emotionless as always, but his entire body was tense beside her. “What deal?” she repeated. Sean swallowed hard, “Your uncle and I made a deal a few months ago. He claims he upheld his end, but only technically.” Understanding filled her with a horrible sinking feeling. Her stomach dropped, and her head spun. She wasn’t sure how she knew, but she knew. “I was the deal, wasn’t I?” she asked calmly. No one answered, but the guilt on their faces was answer enough. Her heart hammered as she looked between their faces. Slowly, everything began to make sense: the strange and sudden proposal, the rushed wedding, her aunt and uncle’s weird insistence that it happened. Of