The Housemaid's Secret
by Freida McFadden
Contents
Chapter 48
Overview
Wendy meets with Douglas and his friend Joe Bendeck to review a prenuptial agreement before the wedding. Although Wendy protests and tries to appeal to Douglas’s trust, Douglas insists he will not marry without it. Wendy ultimately signs a prenup guaranteeing ten million dollars in divorce, revealing both leverage in the relationship and Wendy’s guarded expectations.
Summary
Wendy sits with Douglas Garrick in their living room while Joe Bendeck walks her through a prenuptial agreement. Joe calls the terms “extremely generous,” explaining that Wendy would receive ten million dollars in a divorce but would have no claim to Douglas’s other assets.
Wendy objects that she is uncomfortable with a prenup and appeals to Douglas emotionally, saying she thought Douglas trusted her and wanting to “get married in peace.” Joe pushes back bluntly, accusing Douglas of being manipulated, while Douglas comforts Wendy and insists he loves and trusts her.
Despite the reassurance, Douglas draws a hard line: he will not marry Wendy without the prenup. Wendy recognizes Douglas means it and believes Joe has influenced him.
Wendy reviews the highlighted key points and notes that ten million is far less than half of Douglas’s wealth but would still keep her comfortable if the marriage ended. Though she expects to stay with Douglas for life, she privately acknowledges uncertainty and thinks of Douglas as a “fixer-upper.”
Accepting Douglas’s ultimatum, Wendy agrees to the terms and signs the prenup.
Who Appears
- WendyDouglas’s fiancée; resists but ultimately signs a prenuptial agreement.
- Douglas GarrickWealthy groom-to-be; insists on a prenup despite Wendy’s objections.
- Joe BendeckDouglas’s friend; pressures Wendy and frames the prenup as extremely generous.