Chapter 49
“You said that my father added a new clause to his contract with my grandfather,” Derek said promptly. He was eager to get to the meaty part of the story.
“Ah, yes,” said Alfred. “He did and it turned out that he had discovered that old James had a pretty daughter who had just graduated from college. Jeremy then told James that the only way he would sign off on the deal was if James let him marry his daughter. Of course, your grandfather was livid but he was a desperate man grasping at straws now. What other choice did he have? He reluctantly agreed to your father’s terms and permitted him to marry your mother.”
Derek felt as if he had been punched in the gut. Confirming that his father had indeed been an asshole all those years ago was way too shocking for him to believe. He felt as if he never knew his father and that the man who raised him was a stranger.
“Why? Why did he do that?” Derek wanted to know.
“Do what?” Alfred asked.
“Insist on marrying my mother?”