## CHAPTER 5 ## THE MAN WHO SOLD HIS FAMILY FOR FIFTY MILLION DOLLARS
The room became silent.
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Not the peaceful kind.
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The kind of silence that comes when someone is finally exposed.
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The document sat between us.
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A bank transfer.
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A payment from Samantha Vale.
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To Grant Holloway.
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$50,000,000
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The description:
FINAL ARRANGEMENT — REMOVE CLAIRE HOLLOWAY
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I stared at the words.
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My hands didn't shake.
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My heart didn't break.
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Because somehow...
The pain had already happened.
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The moment he signed those papers outside the ICU.
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The moment he chose money over me.
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The moment he walked away without asking if his children were alive.
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That was when something inside me died.
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Grant looked like he couldn't breathe.
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"That's not what it looks like."
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I almost laughed.
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It was the sentence every guilty person used.
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"What does it look like, Grant?"
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He opened his mouth.
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Nothing came out.
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Victoria stepped forward.
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"The transaction is verified."
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Grant looked at her.
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"You don't understand."
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"No."
Victoria replied calmly.
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"I understand perfectly."
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"You accepted payment from Samantha Vale."
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"You filed for divorce during your wife's medical emergency."
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"You attempted to trigger the marital separation clause."
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She looked at him.
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"The evidence is clear."
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Grant's face changed.
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For the first time...
He looked less like a billionaire.
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More like a man who knew he had lost.
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"I didn't know."
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The words came quietly.
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I stared at him.
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"You didn't know what?"
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He looked at me.
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"I didn't know she planned to hurt you."
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Silence.
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The worst part wasn't that he denied it.
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The worst part was that he was telling the truth.
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Grant had not planned the attack.
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He had only sold the door.
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He had given Samantha the opportunity.
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"You knew she wanted me gone."
I said.
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His eyes dropped.
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That was answer enough.
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"How long?"
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He didn't respond.
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"How long did you know?"
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Finally...
He whispered:
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"Since before we got married."
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The words cut deeper than I expected.
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Victoria closed her eyes.
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Daniel looked away.
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Even the nurse standing nearby looked uncomfortable.
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"Why?"
I asked.
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My voice was quiet.
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"Why marry me?"
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Grant looked at me.
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And for one second...
I saw the man I used to love.
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The man who held my hand.
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The man who promised forever.
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Then he disappeared again.
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"I thought I could control everything."
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I stared.
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"What?"
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"I thought I could have both."
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"Both?"
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"My marriage with you."
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"The partnership with Samantha."
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"The company."
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"The inheritance."
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I felt sick.
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"You never loved me."
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Grant didn't answer.
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And that was the answer.
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The door suddenly opened.
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A familiar voice entered.
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"Finally."
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Everyone turned.
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Samantha Vale stood there.
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Perfect hair.
Perfect makeup.
Perfect confidence.
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As if she wasn't standing inside a hospital room where her entire plan was collapsing.
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Grant immediately stepped forward.
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"Samantha."
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She smiled.
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"Don't look so surprised."
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Victoria moved between us.
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"You are not allowed here."
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Samantha laughed softly.
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"I think everyone is forgetting something."
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She looked at Grant.
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"He is still my partner."
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Grant's expression changed.
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"Partner?"
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Samantha tilted her head.
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"Don't pretend."
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Then she looked at me.
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"You were always temporary."
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The room went cold.
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I expected anger.
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I expected pain.
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But instead...
I felt calm.
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Because finally...
I understood.
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People like Samantha weren't powerful because they had money.
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They were powerful because they convinced others they were untouchable.
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"You really believe you won?"
I asked.
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She smiled.
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"I already did."
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She walked closer.
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"You lost your husband."
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"You lost your marriage."
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"You almost lost your life."
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"And now you think some papers can change everything?"
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I looked at her.
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"Yes."
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Her smile faded slightly.
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"Because unlike you..."
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"I don't need to steal what already belongs to me."
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Samantha laughed.
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"You still don't understand."
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She leaned closer.
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"Grant chose me."
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"No."
I said.
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"He chose money."
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Silence.
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Even Grant looked away.
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Because he knew.
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Samantha's expression hardened.
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"Fine."
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She turned toward Grant.
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"Tell her."
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Grant froze.
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"Tell her what?"
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Samantha smiled.
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"Tell her about the second agreement."
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My stomach tightened.
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"What second agreement?"
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Grant said nothing.
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That was enough.
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Victoria immediately looked at him.
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"Grant."
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"What did you sign?"
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Samantha answered for him.
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"Before he divorced her..."
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"He transferred his rights."
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My blood went cold.
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"Rights to what?"
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Samantha smiled.
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"Everything."
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Grant looked nervous.
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"That wasn't supposed to happen."
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Samantha laughed.
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"You really believed I was giving you fifty million because I loved you?"
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The room froze.
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Grant stared.
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"You used me."
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Samantha smiled.
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"Finally."
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"You understand."
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Victoria quickly grabbed the documents.
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She scanned them.
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Then her face changed.
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"This isn't just a divorce agreement."
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Everyone looked at her.
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"What is it?"
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She looked at me.
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"It's a transfer agreement."
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My heart stopped.
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"Grant transferred his future ownership rights to Samantha Vale."
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Grant went pale.
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"What?"
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Samantha smiled.
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"The moment you divorced Claire..."
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"Your control over Holloway International became vulnerable."
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She stepped closer.
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"And I made sure it went to me."
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For the first time...
Grant understood.
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He wasn't the mastermind.
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He was the sacrifice.
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Samantha turned toward the door.
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"I think we're done here."
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But before she left...
Victoria's phone rang.
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She answered.
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Her expression changed instantly.
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"Yes?"
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A pause.
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Then:
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"Are you certain?"
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Everyone waited.
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Victoria slowly lowered the phone.
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"The trust found something else."
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I looked at her.
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"What?"
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She looked directly at Grant.
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"Mr. Holloway..."
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"Your divorce was never legally completed."
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Silence.
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Grant frowned.
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"What?"
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Victoria continued:
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"Because Claire was unconscious when the final documents were filed."
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"The court rejected the final approval."
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My heart stopped.
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"But that's impossible."
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Victoria shook her head.
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"No."
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"It's not."
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A pause.
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"Which means..."
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She looked at me.
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"You are still legally married."
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Everyone froze.
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Samantha's confident smile disappeared.
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Because the one thing she wanted most...
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My husband...
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May you like
Was not hers.
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