Georgina chatted excitedly the entire way to her house, talking about her parents, about how her mother always cooked too much food and her father always told the same old jokes at dinner. Her voice was light and happy, filled with genuine affection for her family.Declan listened quietly, enjoying her enthusiasm. As they approached a modest two-story house with a small front garden, a bodyguard stepped forward and handed Declan a beautifully wrapped gift box. The packaging was plain, just a basic brown paper bag with no fancy decorations or logos. The kind you might get from any regular store.Georgina glanced at the bag, then smiled at Declan. "What's that?""A meeting gift," Declan replied simply. "For your parents."Georgina's expression softened. "That's really thoughtful of you, Declan. You didn't have to do that.""I wanted to," Declan said. "It's just a small thank you for welcoming me into their home."Georgina nodded, touched by the gesture. She didn't question it further

Georgina stared at her parents in disbelief. "What are you talking about? What do you mean I deceived you?"Mr. Harper's face was red with anger and disappointment. "Don't play innocent with us, Georgina. A security guard couldn't possibly have enough influence to help you get an offer at Elyxir Corporation. That's one of the most prestigious companies in Boston. They don't hand out internships based on recommendations from hotel security guards."Mrs. Harper nodded sharply, her voice tight. "Exactly. So either you're lying to us about how you got the offer, or you're lying about who this young man really is. Which is it?""Neither!" Georgina protested, her voice rising with frustration. "I'm not lying about anything. Let me explain what actually happened."She took a deep breath, trying to calm herself. "The internship offers were already predetermined. Two spots had been reserved for other students—students who paid bribes to secure those positions. But Declan exposed a senior exec

Declan frowned, his patience finally wearing thin. "That's not my intention at all. I simply brought a gift to show respect for Georgina's parents."He gestured toward the bottle still clutched in Mr. Harper's hand. "Please, just taste the wine. I think you'll find it's quite good."Mr. Harper let out a harsh laugh. "We're not drinking this.""Why not?" Declan asked, his voice steady despite his growing frustration.Mrs. Harper stepped forward, her expression dismissive. "Because it's not classy enough. It doesn't match our status. We may not be wealthy, but we have standards. We're not going to drink some cheap wine just because you brought it."Declan's frown deepened. "You really think this wine doesn't match your status?""Obviously," Mr. Harper said, setting the bottle down on the table carelessly. "Look at it. The packaging is worn. The label is faded. This is clearly bottom-shelf wine.""It's good wine," Declan insisted, his voice firm. "Very good wine."Mrs. Harper scoffed, cu

Georgina's lips quivered as she turned and looked at Declan.She looked desperate and heartbroken.Then she looked back at her parents. Then at Declan again.Her whole body was shaking."I..." she started, but her voice broke. Tears streamed down her face freely now. "I never imagined you would treat me this way. Never. You're supposed to be my parents."She wiped her face roughly. "But you don't care about my happiness at all. You only care about what I can do for you."Mr. Harper's expression didn't soften. "Choose, Georgina."Georgina turned to Declan, her face crumpling. "I'm so sorry. I'm so, so sorry. I never expected things to turn out like this."Declan stepped forward and took her hands gently. "It's okay. None of this is your fault."Declan squeezed her hands. "Since this is the case, I'll comply with your parents' wishes. I'll reduce contact with you.""What?" Georgina looked up at him sharply. "No.”"I don't want this either," Declan said quietly, suppressing the ache in h

Declan studied Sophie's troubled expression. Something didn't quite add up. "Why is Nathan so determined to pursue you specifically? There are plenty of wealthy heiresses in Boston. What makes you his target?" Sophie sighed, returned to the sofa and sat down heavily down heavily. "Nathan sees me as the ideal marriage candidate. We're both from Boston, so our families know each other's backgrounds well. Our social circles overlap. From his perspective, it's a perfect match." She paused as her expression darkened. "But there's more to it than that. My family's company, Sterling Financial, is weaker than Vanguard Corporation. That power imbalance is exactly what Nathan wants. He knows that if we married, he could easily control me. My family would have no leverage against his." Declan felt anger rising in his chest. "So this is about power and control." "It always is with people like Nathan," Sophie said bitterly. "He's been using various methods to win me over. Expensive gifts. Pub