Caden kept his foot firmly planted on Brandon's chest, looking down at the pathetic figure sprawled on the Persian rug. When he spoke, his voice carried the quiet confidence of someone who held all the cards."Marvelous Group is currently seeking a strategic partner in the luxury goods sector," Caden said, his eyes sweeping across the assembled family members. "If the Montgomery family can secure that partnership slot, the returns would be... substantial. We're talking guaranteed revenue streams, access to Marvelous Group's distribution networks, and the kind of backing that makes organized crime irrelevant."The room went silent. Everyone knew what Marvelous Group represented—billions in assets, connections that reached into every corner of California's economy, and the kind of institutional power that could make or break entire industries.Brandon, still pinned beneath Caden's foot, let out a strangled laugh that turned into a cough. "You're insane. You're absolutely delusional. Mar

The grandmother's cane came down on the mahogany table with such force that a hairline crack appeared in the antique wood. The sharp crack echoed through the sitting room like a gunshot, silencing every voice, every whisper, every breath."ENOUGH!" she roared, her voice carrying a strength that seemed impossible from her frail frame. "All of you will be SILENT! Now!"The room fell into immediate, terrified quiet. Even Helen, who had been mid-shriek, snapped her mouth shut.The grandmother remained standing, though her legs trembled with the effort. Her knuckles were white where they gripped the cane, and her breathing came in short, labored gasps. But her eyes—those sharp, intelligent eyes that had guided the Montgomery family for decades—burned with absolute authority.She turned to face Caden fully, and when she spoke, her voice was low and cold as a winter grave."You want Brandon arrested. Sent to prison. Removed from this family permanently." It wasn't a question. "Very well. I a

The Marvelous Group headquarters rose into the Los Angeles skyline like a monument to corporate power—fifty stories of gleaming glass and steel that caught the morning sunlight and scattered it across downtown like diamonds. Vivian stared up at the building from the passenger seat of the taxi, her stomach tight with anxiety she would never admit to feeling.Seventy-two hours. Three days to secure a partnership that seasoned business executives spent years trying to obtain. Three days to validate Caden's impossible claims or watch him be destroyed by her grandmother's promised vengeance."You ready?" Caden asked from beside her, his tone as casual as if they were going out for coffee."No," Vivian said flatly. "This is insane. We should have prepared more, researched their partnership criteria, assembled a proper pitch deck—""It'll be fine.""You keep saying that." Vivian turned to look at him, her glacial blue eyes searching his face for any crack in that infuriating confidence. "But

Sebastian's phone buzzed on the table between them. He glanced at the screen, and something flickered across his face—amusement, maybe, or anticipation."Excuse me one moment," he said to Vivian, picking up the device. "I need to take this."Vivian nodded, grateful for the brief reprieve. Her heart was still pounding from the impromptu love story she'd just fabricated. She reached for the coffee cup in front of her, taking a sip to steady her nerves while Sebastian spoke into his phone."Yes?" Sebastian said, his tone professional but with an undercurrent of something Vivian couldn't quite identify. "Mm-hmm. I see. Already?" A pause, then a soft chuckle. "Well, you always did have interesting timing. Don't worry, I'll wrap this up quickly."He hung up and set the phone down, that same amused smile playing at his lips.Vivian took another sip of coffee, her mind racing. Thank God Caden hadn't come upstairs. If he'd heard her spinning that ridiculous romantic tale—comparing them to Rome

Vivian emerged from the elevator into the Marvelous Group lobby, her heels clicking against the polished marble with a rhythm that matched her racing heartbeat.Clutched in her hand was a leather portfolio containing the signed partnership agreement—real, official, almost impossible to believe.Fifty million dollars in guaranteed revenue over the next three years, with options to expand. Distribution through Marvelous Group's luxury retail network. Access to their marketing resources and global clientele.It had actually happened.She'd walked into Sebastian Mitchell's office expecting to beg, to negotiate, to fight for scraps. Instead, he'd practically handed her everything she'd asked for and more.The meeting had lasted less than an hour, and most of that had been spent discussing her relationship with Caden, of all things.Her cold, indifferent mask slipped for just a moment as a genuine smile tugged at the corners of her mouth. Not the practiced, professional smile she used in bu