In that moment, Megan was far too exhausted for another useless argument, far too tired of the endless back-and-forth that had swallowed her entire day, and far too emotionally worn down to keep standing there while Rebecca and Marcus clashed in the driveway like two opposing forces fighting for the right to define a life that had somehow become hers and yet felt increasingly beyond her control. More than anything else, she wanted one thing: she wanted Marcus gone, and gone for good. Not tomorrow in theory, not someday after explanations and negotiations and mysterious promises, but out of her life entirely, permanently, cleanly. Yet wanting that and being able to make it happen were not the same thing, and she knew it.She also knew something else.If they made a scene now—if Rebecca openly refused to let Marcus come, if they locked him out of the car, if word got back to her grandfather that his instruction had been ignored so soon and so bluntly—then the old man would not take it li

His voice lowered then, edged with something heavier than frustration.“And Megan doesn’t even like him. She doesn’t like Marcus. That is plain to everyone. I don’t even know why we forced this through with such speed, and I am scared on her behalf.”That was the point at which Old Master Bushman rose from his seat, the movement was enough to silence the room completely.He stood slowly, but there was nothing hesitant in it. Age had not weakened the authority in his bearing; if anything, it had sharpened it. And when he turned his gaze on his son, that gaze was hard enough to stop weaker words before they could form.“Like I said before,” he said, each syllable controlled, “do not ever make the mistake of speaking carelessly about Marcus. Do not ever make the mistake of talking as though he is a nobody. Do not ever make that mistake again.”The warning was not loud, but it cut through the room like steel.“I have lived too many years,” he continued, “and I have carried too much for thi

At that moment, after his wife’s whispered panic and after the dark warning Old Master Bushman had left hanging over the room like a blade, Megan’s father gave a slow, deliberate nod, the kind of nod meant not only to reassure her but also to steady himself, because if there was one thing he still trusted in a situation full of confusion, it was information, facts, background, records, and the ability to drag the truth into the open no matter how carefully it had been hidden.“You have nothing to worry about,” he said quietly, though his own eyes remained serious. “At least not in the sense of being completely blind. When we were signing the marriage documents, I saw his name clearly. I made sure of it. And I already sent it to someone—someone reliable, someone who is very good at this kind of thing and can dig up detailed background information on anybody.”His voice sharpened slightly with the confidence of a man returning to a method he understood.“I’m talking about real informatio

Megan raised her brows just a little, listening.James continued, obviously pleased with his own foresight."Remember who you are now," he said. "You're one of the top actresses in the country already, and even globally you're climbing very fast. You're already among the top twenty in the world in terms of attention and public conversation. That means you have fans everywhere. You have people who would queue for hours just to see you, just to say hello, just to take a picture, just to ask for an autograph, or to beg you to sign something for them. So yes, I made sure the security was tight. I didn't want anyone stressing you."That explanation made Megan smile again, this time with a touch more genuine appreciation, because in truth it did explain quite a lot."No wonder," she said. "I was wondering why I barely saw anyone on the way in. The few I did see were easy enough to avoid. I was actually surprised it wasn't more chaotic."James looked delighted by her response, as though he ha

A moment later, Damien approached.He was the kind of man who had clearly learned very early how to wear his appearance as an advantage. He was tall, handsome in the polished and camera-friendly way that required no explanation, impeccably dressed, with the kind of posture that announced confidence before he said a word. He had the face of someone who photographed well from almost every angle and the easy ease of a rising actor already becoming accustomed to admiration.As he reached them, James smiled and began the introduction in a tone loud enough for those closest to hear.“I’m sure you already know Megan,” he said. “I mean, who doesn’t know Megan? Everybody knows Megan.”There was a soft ripple of amusement and agreement from nearby listeners.Then, with a faintly sarcastic glance in Marcus’s direction, James continued, “And he”—the emphasis on the word was impossible to miss—“is supposed to play a very important role with Megan in a movie. A movie Mr. Bushman must already know ab