Part 3

The following Monday, Arthur called six times before noon.

I answered the seventh call.

“Hey,” I said calmly.

His voice was tense.

“Did you hear anything strange about Northbridge?”

“No. Why?”

“Our financing meeting got canceled.”

“That sounds inconvenient.”

“Very.”

Voices murmured behind him.

Then Charles took the phone.

“Claire, Arthur says you work in consulting. Do you know anyone in finance?”

I looked through the window of my forty-second-floor office.

“A few people.”

“Northbridge pulled out without explanation.”

“I’m sure they had a reason.”

Silence followed.

That evening, Arthur arrived at my apartment furious.

“This could destroy my father’s company.”

“I’m sorry.”

“You don’t sound sorry.”

I folded my hands.

“Sit down.”

He stared at me.

“What?”

“Sit.”

For the first time since we met, Arthur obeyed without arguing.

I put the prenup on the table.

Beside it, I placed another folder containing debt summaries, project exposure reports, and the refinancing proposal.

The color disappeared from Arthur’s face.

“Where did you get these?”

“Through my business.”

He frowned.

“What business?”

I slid one last document across the table.

Northbridge Logistics Solutions.

Founder and majority shareholder: Claire Bennett.

Arthur stared at my name.

Then me.

Then the document again.

“No.”

“Yes.”

His mouth fell open.

“You own Northbridge?”

“I own the company that owns Northbridge Capital Partners.”

Arthur jumped up so quickly his chair scraped backward.

“You knew?”

“I heard you at the restaurant.”

His expression changed.

I repeated his own words quietly.

“‘She’s sweet, but she has no money, no connections, nothing.’”

His face went white.

“Claire—”

“And your mother said I’d be useful.”

“That was just—”

“Your sister said I should sign whatever your father’s lawyer gave me.”

He fell silent.

I pushed the prenup toward him.

“You weren’t marrying a poor woman.”

He swallowed.

“You were marrying someone you thought you could control.”

Silence filled the apartment.

Then Arthur’s phone rang.

Charles.

He ignored it.

It rang again.

And again.

Finally, Arthur answered.

His father was shouting loudly enough for me to hear.

“Our lender just froze discussions! What did you do?”

Arthur looked at me.

I remained silent.

Charles continued.

“Northbridge withdrew completely!”

Arthur lowered his voice.

“Dad… Claire owns Northbridge.”

Silence.

Even from across the phone, I could feel the shock.

Then Charles finally spoke.

“What?”

Arthur closed his eyes.

I removed my engagement ring and set it beside the prenup.

“The wedding is off.”