Claire’s face crumpled under the weight of her confession.Her lips trembled, her hands clasped tightly in front of her as if they could shield her from the judgment closing in around her.Her voice was shaky, her words spilling out in uneven gasps.“I… I liked Ethan,” she began, her eyes darting nervously between the others in the room.She couldn’t bear to meet Ethan’s piercing gaze.“I’ve liked him for a long time. But I thought we could never work out. He was poor, always working oddjobs just to get by. My family…”Her voice hitched, and she swallowed hard.“…my family would never accept it. They’d call him beneath us.”The room fell silent, the only sound Claire’s shallow breathing as her words lingered in the air like a damning echo.Ethan stood frozen, his jaw clenched, his hands fisted at his sides.Beside him, Sanaya crossed her arms, her expression a mixture of shock and mounting fury.“But then,” Claire continued, her voice breaking into a pitiful whimper.“I found out it

Ethan’s hunch was spot on.Just a few minutes after the eerie footsteps, four men emerged from the shadows, their faces partially obscured by the dim light.They spread out, encircling Ethan and Lisa like predators closing in on their prey.One of them stepped forward, a cruel smile stretching across his scarred face as he brandished a gun.“Alright, kids,” the thug sneered, his voice dripping with malice.“Hand over everything—wallets, jewelry, phones, all of it. Or else...” He trailed off, letting the glint of the weapon speak for itself.Lisa clutched Ethan’s arm tightly, her breathing shallow and panicked.Her nails dug into his sleeve as if she could anchor herself to his calm presence.Another thug, his grin even filthier, chuckled darkly.“Pretty girl you got there,” he said, his eyes lingering on Lisa in a way that made her stomach churn. “Seems like a waste to let her go without a taste. What do you say, boys?”The other thugs laughed, their crude remarks making Lisa tremble.

The grand ballroom of the Ritz-Carlton sparkled with crystal chandeliers and flowing champagne.Ethan adjusted his midnight blue tie for the hundredth time, his fingers trembling slightly despite his composed exterior.This is it, he thought, the moment our love becomes official in front of everyone who matters."Son, come meet Senator Richards," his father called, beaming with pride.The older man's hand settled warmly on Ethan's shoulder as he guided him through the crowd."This is my boy, the one I've been telling you about.""Pleasure to meet you, sir," Ethan said, shaking hands firmly while scanning the entrance for any sign of Lisa.She was due to make her bridal entrance soon, and his heart raced at the thought."Where's that stunning fiancée of yours?" a socialite in pearls asked, champagne glass swaying dangerously in her manicured grip."She'll be making her entrance shortly," Ethan replied, masking his anxiety with a practiced smile.Everything has to be perfect tonight. We

“This is unacceptable,” Lisa said, her voice cutting through the murmurs.“You’ve not only insulted Ethan but humiliated me and our entire family in front of everyone. If you think you can get away with this, think again.”Vivian, her face pale but her defiance still intact, sputtered, “Lisa, I was only trying to protect you! I didn’t want you to make a mistake—”“A mistake?” Lisa interjected, her tone icy.“The only mistake here is you believing you have the right to meddle in my life. You spread baseless rumors about Ethan, tried to embarrass him, and tarnished his name without a shred of proof. This is my engagement, and you’ve turned it into your circus.”Lisa’s uncle, Bernard, attempted to step in.“Lisa, don’t raise your voice at your elders. We were only doing what’s best for you—”“What’s best for me?” Lisa snapped.“What’s best for me is being with the man I love, someone who’s honest, kind, and doesn’t stoop to your level of petty manipulation. I demand a public apology to E

. “Dad, stop,” he said gently, trying to mask the tremor in his voice.“You don’t need to worry about anything right now. Just rest and recover.”But Mr. Elliot shook his head, his frailty doing little to diminish the sheer willpower in his eyes.“You don’t understand,” he rasped, his voice like sandpaper.“This isn’t just about me or my health. It’s about the family, the legacy. You have to take over… everything that is yours.”Ethan froze, his throat tightening. His father’s words carried a weight that threatened to crush him.“Dad, I know the company is important to you, but right now, none of that matters. What matters is that you get better. We’ll deal with everything else later.”“No, Ethan,” Mr. Elliot said firmly, his grip on Ethan’s hand surprisingly strong for someone so weak. “There’s no later for men like us.The moment you hesitate, the vultures will come circling. I’ve seen it happen before.They’ll use my absence to question your capability. That can’t happen.”Ethan cl