“Emma, you must think carefully. The Carter family values loyalty and honor. If you marry him…”
“If I marry, it will be real. I’ll get a legal certificate with him and build a home together.”
My voice was firm, leaving no room for doubt. My parents held me and wept for a long time. Remembering my grandfather lying unconscious in the emergency room, they finally agreed.
Once the decision was made, my parents threw themselves into preparing the best wedding they could within their means. I busied myself choosing a new gown and arranging the venue.
For a time, I almost managed to forget those two. But then Daniel called, inviting me to Chloe’s birthday banquet. If I attended, he said, part of the cooperation with Carter Group would begin.
I hesitated, then answered coldly, “Fine.”
On the night of the party, I walked into the grand hall under the weight of countless stares.
Ignoring the whispers around me, I stood quietly in a corner, dressed in a simple black gown, watching Chloe and Daniel at the center of the crowd.
They wore the latest matching outfits from a luxury brand—less like foster siblings celebrating a birthday, more like a pair of newlyweds basking in the spotlight.