The next day, Ethan wasted no time. He sat at his desk, picked up his phone, and called Natalie White directly. When her voice came through the line, calm and warm, he asked straight away, “Natalie, do you have any kind of contract with the Milton family? Do you know a man named Jerry Milton?” There was a short pause before she answered, her voice firm. “No. I’ve never heard of him. And I certainly don’t have any contract with his family.” Ethan leaned back in his chair, his lips pressing into a thin line. It was exactly what he thought. Jerry was a fraud. Natalie’s tone softened. “Why do you ask?” Ethan explained everything—how Jerry had lied to Elsa’s family, claiming he had a deal with her, and how that lie was being used to force Elsa into a marriage she didn’t want. There was silence on the other end for a moment. Then Natalie sighed, her voice heavy. “That’s awful. Poor Elsa… she doesn’t deserve to be treated that way.” “She doesn’t,” Ethan agreed, his tone stead

Jerry opened his tablet and swiped through slides, his grin widening. “So, as I mentioned, Milton Entertainment has secured an exclusive collaboration with none other than Natalie White herself. The famous singer. She’s extremely excited—she even reached out to my family personally to thank us for this opportunity.”Bill raised an eyebrow but stayed silent, letting Jerry ramble.“Now,” Jerry continued, leaning back, “Natalie has agreed to co-produce her next album through Milton Entertainment. She’s promised full promotion, worldwide tours, and—well, you know how much influence she has. This is a once-in-a-lifetime deal.”Bill nodded slowly, pretending to take notes. “That’s… impressive. And how long has this been in the works?”“Oh, quite a while,” Jerry said, waving his hand. “We’ve been talking for months. My father actually spoke to her personally. Family ties, you see—Natalie’s been extremely respectful, very grateful. We have emails, letters, and even signed verbal agreements. E

Elsa moved carefully, taking a seat near her cousin Martin. He smirked immediately, leaning in like a predator sizing up prey. “Look who showed up,” he said, his tone thick with mockery. Elsa felt her jaw tighten. She bit her tongue, refusing to reply. Not tonight. She didn’t want to give him the satisfaction of a reaction. A few minutes passed. Elsa’s cousins leaned in closer to each other, whispering, ignoring her completely. She could hear bits and pieces… enough to make her stomach sink. “…she really has a golden opportunity with Jerry Milton,” one of them said, voice low but sharp. “…and she won’t even take it. Such a selfish human being,” another added. “…she doesn’t even have a choice. The family will force her,” a third said. Elsa’s heart thudded painfully. Her hands curled into fists in her lap. She glanced at the clock on the wall. 8:00 p.m. Sharp. Ethan wasn’t here. And neither was Jerry. Her chest tightened at the thought of him. And then, just like that, t

The room froze. Every single Logan turned their head slowly toward Elsa, then back to Ethan, eyes wide with shock and fury.“Elsa…” her mother whispered, her voice trembling with anger. “Who is this man? Why would you bring… this… this lowlife here?”Her father’s jaw tightened, his brows furrowed. “How dare he walk into my house and spit such nonsense?!”Martin, of course, smirked like a vulture circling prey. “Wow, Elsa. Really? This is who you’ve been waiting for? A nobody?”The whispers grew louder. Aunts, uncles, cousins—everyone stared at her like she’d just committed the worst crime in history.Elsa’s chest rose and fell quickly. She wanted to disappear. “Elsa!” her mother cried, pressing a hand to her chest. “How could you humiliate us like this?”“You’ve brought shame on our family!” her father barked, glaring at her like she was a stranger. “And for what? A man who storms in, insulting Jerry, insulting us all—”“She’s reckless, that’s what she is,” Aunt Clara hissed from the

Ethan’s voice cut sharp and cold. “Jerry… aren’t you ashamed? Scamming these people who trust you? You have no shame. No dignity. But don’t worry… I’ll expose you.” The room went still. Every head turned, eyes wide, hearts pounding. Jerry leaned back casually, a sly smile tugging at his lips. He reached into his bag and pulled out a thick folder, but before Ethan could react, he held it just out of reach. “Ah… boy, you want to see this? Well…” He shook the folder slowly, deliberately, letting it catch the light. “Maybe… maybe it’s better if you just… trust me.” Ethan’s jaw clenched. “No, Jerry. I want to see it. Now.” Jerry chuckled, leaning in slightly. “Patience, my friend. It’s… delicate. You wouldn’t want to… mess it up, right?” His tone was smooth, practiced, almost mocking, but his eyes sparkled with a warning: don’t cross me. Elsa’s parents, however, leaned in as Jerry finally flipped the folder open and held it up for everyone else to see. The glossy pages gleamed under t