Chapter 6

This time, I pulled out my phone and dialed 911. "Someone's having chest pain outside the County Clerk's Office. Please send an ambulance."

Charlotte's crying stopped abruptly.

Samuel snapped, "What are you doing?"

"Saving her," I said. "Isn't she in pain?"

Charlotte grabbed his sleeve. "No, Samuel, I'll be fine in a minute."

I raised my voice. "Miss Quinn, don't be scared. The doctors will examine you. If you're sick, they'll treat you. If not, you'll have peace of mind."

Every reporter had their camera trained on her.

Charlotte's face flushed and paled by turns, but all she could do was keep clutching her chest.

The ambulance arrived in ten minutes.

The doctor came over with his equipment and asked where she felt discomfort.

Charlotte mumbled, "Maybe I'm tired."

The doctor frowned. "You can't brush off chest pain. Get in the ambulance."

She wouldn't budge.

One of the reporters snickered, "She was about to faint a minute ago, and now she doesn't want to go to the hospital?"

Samuel looked embarrassed and leaned in to whisper, "Go ahead."

Charlotte stared at him in disbelief. "Samuel, I..."

"Do as I say."

As the nurse helped her into the ambulance, she shot me a death glare.

I waved at her.

Julian muttered, "That was pretty ruthless."

"I'm being helpful," I replied.

Samuel watched the ambulance leave, then turned to glare at me. "Claire, are you satisfied now?"

I showed him the number on the screen right as it popped up. "You spoke too soon."

A staff member poked her head out. "Claire Goodwin, Julian West, it's your turn."

I linked arms with Julian and walked inside.

Samuel shouted from behind, "If you dare to get that marriage certificate, I'll make sure the Goodwin family is all over the headlines tomorrow!"

I stopped and turned around. "Samuel, haven't you figured it out yet?"

His face darkened.

I said slowly and firmly, "The Goodwin family doesn't care about the Grant family's headlines anymore."

The marriage certificate was still warm when we walked out.

Julian held the marriage certificate, turning it over in his hands as if it might burn his fingers.

"Claire, give me a straight answer," he said, standing at the bottom of the steps. "Are you using me as a shield?"

I took the certificate from him and put it in my bag. "Yes."

He was caught off guard by my honesty.

I added, "And it's also my backup plan."

Julian was silent for a moment. "I don't get it."

"You'll understand someday."

Henry was still there, leaning against his car and talking on the phone. When he saw us come out, he deliberately raised his voice. "Samuel, she actually went through with it. Yeah, with Julian. Seriously, it's hilarious. The Goodwin family's heiress married a stand-in."

I walked over and stopped right in front of him.

Henry put his phone down. "What, you planning to hit me?"

"Yesterday at the hall, you said Julian was worse than the Grant family's driver," I said.

"Was I wrong?"

I glanced at Julian. "What's the annual salary for a Grant family driver?"

Julian blinked, caught off guard. "About 32 thousand dollars."

I turned to Henry. "Did your company make payroll last month?"

Henry's face darkened. "What's it to you?"

"Guess not."

Henry's face flushed with anger and embarrassment. "Claire, drop the act. You think that because you got married, you can turn the world upside down? The Cole family and the Grant family are in this together. Go ahead, try messing with me."

"Already tried," I said. "Your dad's probably looking for you right now."

Henry's phone rang.

He didn't want to answer at first, but when he saw the caller ID, his face changed. "Dad."

The shouting on the other end was so loud that everyone nearby could hear it. "You damn fool! Why are you out there sticking up for Samuel?

"The Goodwin family cut off all business with the Cole family. Do you want hundreds of people at the factory to starve?"

Henry's smugness shattered bit by bit.

He stared at me, his mouth opening and closing. "You—"

I cut him off. "Don't ask me. I got my marriage certificate. I'm busy."

His father kept yelling, "Apologize to Miss Goodwin right now! Do it now. Right this second."

Henry gripped his phone, his face turning beet red with embarrassment.

The reporters' cameras were still rolling.

He gritted his teeth. "Miss Goodwin, I'm sorry."

I asked, "Who are you apologizing to?"

Henry turned to Julian, humiliation written all over his face. "Mr. West, I'm sorry. I shouldn't have insulted you."

Julian didn't answer right away.

He glanced at me.

I said, "Whether you forgive him or not is up to you."

Julian said to Henry, his voice steady. "I don't forgive you."

Henry's expression soured more.

I smiled. "Did you hear that?"

Henry blurted out, "I already apologized! What else do you want from me?"

Julian stared him down. "You're not sorry because you did something wrong. You're only saying it because your dad chewed you out."

One of the reporters whispered, "Now that's gutsy."

Henry slunk off, totally crushed.

That was the first thing that actually felt good today.

And the next one came almost right after.