He let that breathe for a moment."You came in here with a purpose. I understand that. I respect it, actually. You saw an opportunity and you moved on it, and you moved on it intelligently." He tilted his head slightly. "But I also have a purpose. I also want something out of this situation. And the way I see it, what I want and what you want do not have to be in conflict. They can work together. You help me, I help you. You protect my interests, I protect yours." His eyes held hers, direct and unwavering. "It is a simple arrangement. A clean one. You scratch my back, I scratch yours, and we both walk away with exactly what we want."He paused, and when he continued the lightness in his voice dropped away completely, leaving something considerably more serious underneath."But if you are not interested, if you would rather pretend this conversation never happened and go back to telling my father you are carrying his grandchild, then I will simply bring him into it. Today. Right now.

David's voice stopped her before she had taken two steps.She turned back, one eyebrow raised."That is not how this is going to work," he said, his voice carrying the calm certainty of someone correcting a misunderstanding rather than starting an argument. "I am not providing a sample. I am not doing this clinically or at a distance or like some kind of transaction conducted between strangers."Emily stared at him. "Then what exactly are you suggesting?""I am going to sleep with you," he said simply, as though he were stating something entirely unremarkable. "That is it. That is how this happens. That is how you get pregnant." He held her gaze without any awkwardness or apology. "I do not do things halfway. I do not like the idea of approaching something this significant like a medical procedure between two people who have never looked each other in the eye properly. We are not strangers conducting a transaction. We have one goal, a shared goal, and we are going to pursue it the wa

The friend watched them go, his expression shifting from amusement to something slightly uncertain, and then he turned to Marcus with a short laugh."What is wrong with your sister?" he said, gesturing vaguely in the direction Penelope had walked. "From the look on her face I could tell she was offended. Why is she getting angry? What did I say?"Marcus looked at him for a moment before answering."The reason she is angry," he said, his voice measured, "is because everything you just said was an insult to Liam. Whether you intended it that way or not. He is an E-level citizen. He does not have much. And you stood there and made sure he knew that you knew it."The friend stared at him for a second and then burst out laughing, the kind of loud, unself-conscious laughter that fills a space and demands attention."I did not need you to tell me he is E-level," he said, shaking his head with a wide grin. "That was obvious. It was written all over him. The suit, the shoes, the way he carries

One of the guests.An older man, well-dressed in the understated way that speaks to old money rather than new, his expression pleasant and carefully composed.He addressed Penelope first, his voice warm and practiced."What a beautiful gown you are wearing," he said, his eyes moving over the dress with the kind of appreciation that was just polite enough to avoid being uncomfortable. "I do not think I have ever seen you in something quite like this before. It suits you perfectly."Penelope nodded politely, her smile automatic and professional."Thank you," she said simply.The man held her gaze for just a moment longer than necessary, and then he turned his attention fully to Liam, his expression shifting into something more deliberate, more focused."It is nice to meet you," he said, extending his hand. "I have known this family for many years, and I have never once seen my friend acknowledge someone as a special guest of honor the way he just did for you. You are the very first." He

The officers came to a halt directly in front of Penelope's father, their formation precise and deliberate, and the older man's expression shifted immediately from confusion to outright anger."Who is in charge here?" he demanded, his voice sharp and carrying across the now-silent room.One of the officers, tall and composed with the kind of face that belonged to someone who had spent years maintaining authority in difficult rooms, stepped forward."Detective Brown," he said, his voice even and professional. "I am leading this investigation."Before he could continue, Penelope's father raised his hand sharply, his jaw tight with barely restrained fury."What is the meaning of this?" he said, his voice rising. "Why would you storm into my party like this, unannounced, uninvited, in this manner? Why would you do this?"Detective Brown inclined his head slightly, a small gesture of acknowledgment that carried neither apology nor submission."I apologize for the disruption," he said. "But