The Five-Year Contract. (#arrangedmarriage)

Chapter 11 - Jack Van Lowden

Connecticut, Greenwich, 18th November 

It was around one in the morning when Woolworth, Honiton, Elle and I emerged from the office room. In the living room, everyone was still there, wanting to know what had we talk about so much. We quickly explained that Woolworth and Honiton had suggested that we obliged by our fathers will but keep everything a secret so we can in a way have our normal lives. As I look around the room, I can see that everyone was tired. They weren't the only ones, over all, it had been a very tiring and mental challenge day for everyone. First with the church service, then the reception and finally with the opening of the wills that culminated in the utmost bombshell of all. God, I don't think that I even had process the news about my father's death yesterday and adding to that we're the wills. 

Woolworth and Honiton stayed in the living room for a at least fifteen more minutes, basically feeling in my mother who kept asking questions. Then they said their goodbyes and promised to be here tomorrow after lunch. Apart from that wedding clause from hell, there were also other issues that needed to be taken care of. Appreciative of all their dedication and work, I accompanied them to door. Since I was also out of ear shot from everyone I took the chance to ask for a request. 

"Woolworth," I called him and he turned around, adjusting his glasses as Mario opened the door behind him and Honiton. "I need you to do me a favour."

"Now?" The lawyer asked surprised. He was clearly tired.

I chuckled, "No, for tomorrow. You have done enough for today."

The man took a deep breath, relieved that it wasn't for today. "What do you need?" 

"An NDA." I say shortly.

Woolworth looks at Honiton before looking at me confused. "An NDA? For you and Elle? What terms should I write it?"

"Not for me and Elle, that won't be necessary. It's for her stepmother." I reveal, maybe too casually but still it was something there I needed.

Previously, when we were discussing about keeping the marriage a secret, Dianna popped into my mind. It had already been very good that she hadn't stayed for the full reading of the wills, so she didn't know nothing about the interlinked clause. If she knew, it could have been worse. Nonetheless, we weren't out of the woods. I knew the type of woman Diana was. Tomorrow, she was going to grace us with her presence and the presence of her lawyer, informing us that she is going to contest the will because she's  the wife and for that soul reason she cannot stay with only 8 million dollars. 

Thus, in order to keep her at bay and from digging in where she's not concerned, I was going to offer her money in return for her silence. By doing this, I knew I was going to make a few people in my house very furious with me, stranding with Mulroney, but I didn't care. We had to be practical here and if we wanted things to work, there was only a path and this was the path. 

"I don't know if you know what kind of person Dianna Mulroney is," I start explaining. "But she's something and not in a flattering way. Most probably, she's coming here tomorrow to inform us or threaten us with the contesting of Gerald's will. We already concluded that it's in our best interest to not contest it. So, I'm going to propose to her a profitable sum in return of her sitting quiet and doing nothing."

"How much are we talking?" 

I shrugged. "One hundred should be enough to keep her mouth shut. I want the offer in paper with a clause about her revelling stuff privately and publicly from what was written in the will and anything she hears or discovers related to my family and Elle. Also, I want another clause put in there, stating that if anything ends in the press that comes out of her mouth, the money will return to me."