Contract to Love Read Online Free
Author: Annie Sauder-Wallen
Why had he wanted to get rid of her business? Then it hit her. It must be what Sabin wanted. Lawrence always did what Sabin wanted because he wanted to take over one day.
Elizabeth sat thinking about the furniture store. The fire, meeting Lawrence, the break in, robbery, and the proposal. It all seemed to be planned to the very last detail. Was this whole marriage a ploy? It made sense, though it grieved Elizabeth to think that. After the marriage, Lawrence was so distant, and he never said he had loved her. Her heart begged it not to be true, but somehow she knew she was right. How could she find proof of this? Tomorrow she would find out.
Chapter 14
Elizabeth woke up nauseous again this morning. She was kind of glad Lawrence was gone this morning as he was every morning. She didn’t want him to know what she was suspecting about herself.
When the nausea passed, she dressed and went to the Karapelli mansion. She knew Lawrence and the other men would be at the store like every Thursday. It would be easy to find what she needed.
She was let in by the maid who showed her upstairs to Rosetta’s music room. She chatted easily with Rosetta. She enjoyed learning how she has lived with Sabin all these years, but it hurt because she knew her and Lawrence wouldn’t be happy like that so many years down the road.
Elizabeth glanced at the large grandfather’s clock on the opposite wall. It was getting late. She had to find the proof today.
Elizabeth thanked Rosetta for the time, and said she would show herself out. Rosetta smiled and bade her goodbye. Elizabeth walked out of the music room and looked around cautiously. No one was around, so she continued to the offices. Lawrence had showed her around most of the house after they married. He hadn’t showed her the offices, but she knew where they were.
Her heart pounded in her ears, and her stomach churned. She crept into Sabin’s office. She found a huge filing cabinet. She tried the first drawer. It was locked. They all were. Would Sabin keep the key just lying around? Somehow she doubted it. She tried to pick the lock. Then she heard voices in the big meeting room. The men were back. She had to find a way to sneak out, but how could she leave without proof. Elizabeth hid under the desk. The voices came closer. Then the light came on. Elizabeth prayed she wouldn’t be caught. What would Lawrence say? She had no idea what Sabin would do if he caught her in here. The office was his sacred place. He would probably kill her if he was as ruthless as she thought. She could hear two feet walking around the room. Then coming right to the desk and yanking the chair out. She found herself looking into two dark, furious eyes.
Chapter 15
“What in the ?!!? Do you think you’re doing in here?” demanded Lawrence.
Elizabeth crawled out from under the desk, but kept her head down cast.
“I was, uh, um, looking for those papers I signed.” Elizabeth sorrowfully stated.
“Why?” growled Lawrence.
“I wanted to know if it was what Sabin ordered you to do, or if, if maybe you really love me?” Elizabeth silently prayed for him to take her in his strong arms and tell her he really loved her, and not for what Sabin said to do.
Lawrence's silence said it all. Finally, after what seemed like an eternity, he spoke.
“All right, I will tell you the truth.” Lawrence said quietly. “Your business interfered with ours. It had to be crushed. If you had a successful business, people would think the Karapellis had no control anymore. That would threaten our power and prestige. Sabin wouldn’t have it. So I was ordered to court you.”
Each word delivered a crushing blow to Elizabeth’s heart. She had this already figured out, but Elizabeth so wanted
Elizabeth sat thinking about the furniture store. The fire, meeting Lawrence, the break in, robbery, and the proposal. It all seemed to be planned to the very last detail. Was this whole marriage a ploy? It made sense, though it grieved Elizabeth to think that. After the marriage, Lawrence was so distant, and he never said he had loved her. Her heart begged it not to be true, but somehow she knew she was right. How could she find proof of this? Tomorrow she would find out.
Chapter 14
Elizabeth woke up nauseous again this morning. She was kind of glad Lawrence was gone this morning as he was every morning. She didn’t want him to know what she was suspecting about herself.
When the nausea passed, she dressed and went to the Karapelli mansion. She knew Lawrence and the other men would be at the store like every Thursday. It would be easy to find what she needed.
She was let in by the maid who showed her upstairs to Rosetta’s music room. She chatted easily with Rosetta. She enjoyed learning how she has lived with Sabin all these years, but it hurt because she knew her and Lawrence wouldn’t be happy like that so many years down the road.
Elizabeth glanced at the large grandfather’s clock on the opposite wall. It was getting late. She had to find the proof today.
Elizabeth thanked Rosetta for the time, and said she would show herself out. Rosetta smiled and bade her goodbye. Elizabeth walked out of the music room and looked around cautiously. No one was around, so she continued to the offices. Lawrence had showed her around most of the house after they married. He hadn’t showed her the offices, but she knew where they were.
Her heart pounded in her ears, and her stomach churned. She crept into Sabin’s office. She found a huge filing cabinet. She tried the first drawer. It was locked. They all were. Would Sabin keep the key just lying around? Somehow she doubted it. She tried to pick the lock. Then she heard voices in the big meeting room. The men were back. She had to find a way to sneak out, but how could she leave without proof. Elizabeth hid under the desk. The voices came closer. Then the light came on. Elizabeth prayed she wouldn’t be caught. What would Lawrence say? She had no idea what Sabin would do if he caught her in here. The office was his sacred place. He would probably kill her if he was as ruthless as she thought. She could hear two feet walking around the room. Then coming right to the desk and yanking the chair out. She found herself looking into two dark, furious eyes.
Chapter 15
“What in the ?!!? Do you think you’re doing in here?” demanded Lawrence.
Elizabeth crawled out from under the desk, but kept her head down cast.
“I was, uh, um, looking for those papers I signed.” Elizabeth sorrowfully stated.
“Why?” growled Lawrence.
“I wanted to know if it was what Sabin ordered you to do, or if, if maybe you really love me?” Elizabeth silently prayed for him to take her in his strong arms and tell her he really loved her, and not for what Sabin said to do.
Lawrence's silence said it all. Finally, after what seemed like an eternity, he spoke.
“All right, I will tell you the truth.” Lawrence said quietly. “Your business interfered with ours. It had to be crushed. If you had a successful business, people would think the Karapellis had no control anymore. That would threaten our power and prestige. Sabin wouldn’t have it. So I was ordered to court you.”
Each word delivered a crushing blow to Elizabeth’s heart. She had this already figured out, but Elizabeth so wanted
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