Page 37 of Merciless Sinner

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It’s just past eight in the morning.

I’m at Antonov Resources, walking down the corridor leading to my father’s office. I’m about to enact phase two of my sketchy plan and give my father the news of my marriage.

I expect all hell to break loose, but that’s nothing new.

I didn’t get to see Olivia before I left this morning, and I didn’t see her last night either. It was too late by the time I returned home. She was asleep.

Asleep in my bed.

It was a sight to carry with me. The way I have the last memories I had of her before the incident.

I continue on the path and turn by the floor-to-ceiling glass windows. There I find Brandy, my father's secretary, standing in reception. I acknowledge her with a curt nod; she does the same. Then I continue to my father's office.

As the door is open, I walk straight inside. He's sitting behind his desk on a call while looking through some paperwork. He looks at me when I walk in and motions for me to sit with a cock of his head.

I close the door first and watch him take note of that. We only ever close the door when we have something important or serious to discuss.

I make my way over to the chair he pointed to, but he keeps his curious gaze fixed on me.

Although he knows I wanted to see him today, he doesn't know what I needed to discuss.

"All right, Paul, I'll get back to you later. My son's just arrived," Father says into the phone before he hangs up.

His curious stare morphs into that I-own-you look I hate, and he places his hands on the desk before him to steeple his fingers.

"Morning, son," he greets me, with emphasis on the wordsonas if he thinks I could forget. "I have good news."

"What kind ofgoodnews do you have, Father?" I humor him. He knows I’m not interested in his fucking news, good or bad.

"I've just arranged all your dates with Vanessa. She's looking forward to meeting you, which a good sign."

Vanessa Sarkova is the hotel heiress he wants me to marry. He's interested in the union because her father just expanded their empire to the Caribbean. It's going to be worth billions by the end of next year.

I give my father a crude smile and lazily incline my head. "You can cancel those dates."

His smile drops like a plate landing on the floor and shattering. Venom relaces the spark of arrogance that lit up his eyes, and he glares at me as if he wants me dead.

"What the fuck do you mean by cancel it? We spoke about this only a week ago. You knew that you would have to get married to take over the company, and you agreed. We even signed a contract."

"Yes, we did. But things have changed since."

"What sort of things? Are you going to tell me that you no longer want the company?"

"I found my own bride."

"Who?" His gaze hardens to stone.

"Olivia O’Ridian."

My father is already pale-skinned, but I swear his skin turns at least ten times lighter at the mention of Olivia's name.

"How? She's dead."

"No, Father. She's very much alive and in my home, in my care. I found her. She's been living in Monte Carlo. But she's lost her memory."

He takes a moment to process this information, then his lips apart and he straightens.

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