Blackmailed by the Beast by Sam Crescent Page B

ever.
    “Please, just tell
me.”
    “Okay. Erm...right, the
basis is the usual stuff—money, and securing his wealth in case of
divorce, and settlement figures for you and your family in case of
any long term problems that can’t be fixed.”
    “He was going to pay me
and my family off?”
    “If this marriage
didn’t work out, you, in your own right would become a very wealthy
woman but with the understanding you wouldn’t use it on your
family.”
    Lily smiled, touched by
the sentiment of his caring.
    “There’s more. Wayne
wanted you so badly....”
    “Don’t make excuses,
just tell me.”
    “If there was a baby
born during this union then Wayne automatically has sole custody
and responsibility for the child and, indeed, for any other child
born from this union.”
    “But I’m the
mother.”
    “You signed your right
away on the day you were married.”
    Lily lost her breath.
The wind knocked out of her. Placing a hand against her neck, she
tried to calm her nerves.
    “Anything else,” she
asked.
    Wayne would take her
baby away.
    “If at any time you
wished to end your marriage, the child would stay with him, and
you’d have supervised visits once a month for an hour. Also, if you
divorced, you would remain attending to his wishes for the near
future.” Richard bit his lip, and Lily wiped the tears from her
eyes.
    “What do you mean?”
    “The polite term would
be remaining as his companion,” he said.
    “I’d be forced to be
his whore!”
    “I think that is a
horrid term.”
    “Is there any way out
of this contract?”
    Richard shook his head.
“I did warn you to get another lawyer to read it.”
    “And suffer the
humiliation of what you’ve told me. Can a prenuptial agreement even
contain stuff like this?” Her cheeks shined red from the shame.
    “It’s worded
appropriately, and I believe Wayne never intended for it to get
that far but as for it being possible, anything that can be written
and verified can be placed in an agreement. I mean I think I read
somewhere it was even illegal to eat a mince pie on Christmas day,
somewhere.” Lily knew he tried to make light of the situation, but
it didn’t help.
    “Please leave me alone.
Thank you.” She rolled over staring at the bland cream wall,
wondering how many people had lain in the very same bed,
broken-hearted and alone.
    The tears fell, and she
held her stomach.
    “Wayne does love
you.”
    The words failed to
help. She didn’t need anyone. She’d lived most of her life alone
and she could continue to live for the sake of her child.
     
     

Chapter
Nineteen
     
    Wayne watched Richard
enter his wife’s room and thought about what she could want from
the good man to discuss. He followed Tony to the waiting room. A
nurse stood guarding a man.
    “Mr. Brown, this
gentleman refuses to leave.”
    He nodded for her to
leave him, and he gave his full attention to George Jones, Lily’s
father.
    The man looked pale and
older since the last time he’d seen him, but after having Lily in
his life, he didn’t see the need getting in touch with the man
who’d hurt her and risked thousands of people’s jobs from his
carelessness.
    “What are you doing
here, George?” He had no time to deal with spiteful families.
    “I’ve just heard about
Lily. Is she all right?” The older man pulled off his cap to reveal
a full head of grey hair.
    “As good as can be
expected in her current condition.”
    Wayne was guarded. Her
father, for the first time in all of her life, was taking notice of
Lily.
    “Thank God. I couldn’t
believe they wouldn’t give me any information,” he said
exasperated, pointing at the reception desk.
    “I’m her next of kin. I
get to know everything.”
    “Can I see her?”
    “You’re responsible for
making her life a fucking misery, and you expect me to let you see
my wife who’s been through enough already?” Wayne knew they were
attracting attention but he no longer cared.
    Fear and panic at the
possibility of