They Thought I Was A Fool, I Was Their Only Chance Chapter 04

They Thought I Was A Fool, I Was Their Only Chance Chapter 04

What a performance.

I sat on the sofa and crushed the peppermint between my teeth.

In ten years, Blake Mercer had learned every weakness in the Sinclair family.

He knew what my father cared about, where Ethan was vulnerable, and how to make Claire surrender with a few soft words.

He had created the illusion that he had done everything possible and this was the only answer.

He was leading the entire family willingly into the abyss.

I stood and walked straight to the conference table.

I reached for the agreement.

This time, Claire caught my arm.

Her hand was cold, but the grip pulling me back allowed no argument.

“Sloane, stop.”

Her voice was quiet and gentle.

“Sit tight. It’ll be over in a minute.”

She pressed down on my shoulder and forced me back into the chair.

They didn’t see me as a threat.

They didn’t think I could ruin anything.

They only saw a burden that had to be soothed, a piece of furniture that might cause trouble during a crisis.

Blake watched Claire hold me down. The corner of his mouth lifted almost imperceptibly.

He extended the pen again.

“Sign it, Mr. Sinclair.”

My father drew a deep breath and closed his eyes.

When he opened them, they were gray with defeat.

He took the pen.

His hand shook violently.

The tip left a dark blot of ink on the page.

“Once you sign, it will all be over.”

Grant stood to one side like a hunter watching his prey step into a snare.

His smile grew wider.

I watched my father’s trembling hand.

The case files piled like mountains in my previous life rose in my mind, along with all those years of verbal combat in courtrooms.

I had sworn never to touch the law again.

Never again to wade into the mud of human nature.

But as I watched Blake’s sanctimonious face and my family thank the people who were destroying them,

the fire inside me would not go out.

I was irritated.

I was beyond irritated.

The instant my father’s pen made its first stroke,

I shot to my feet.

I ripped my arm free from Claire’s hand.

I moved so fast that no one had time to react.

I reached the table, pressed my palm over the agreement, and stopped the signature.

“Sloane!” Ethan barked.

He strode over to pull me away.

“Let go. Stop acting out.”

Anger had entered his voice.

I ignored him.

Instead, I seized the thick file and flipped it to page three.

Then I slammed it down on the table.

Blake froze.

He instinctively reached for it.

I raised my eyes and gave him one cold look.

His hand stopped in midair.

The conference room fell silent.

Everyone stared at me as if they were seeing a ghost.

I cleared my throat.

Clearly, steadily, I spoke the first words I had said in the Sinclair home in this life.

“The master agreement and the attachment contain conflicting forum clauses. If you sign this, the Sinclairs walk away with nothing and my father is left carrying a billion-dollar debt.”

I looked at Blake, smiling without warmth.

“Counsel Mercer, you really don’t shop clearance sales, do you?”

“A billion-dollar debt package for free? That’s one hell of a discount.”