I pulled my hand free—slowly, so he wouldn't notice the revulsion—and kept my tone gentle:
"Silly. Who else would I believe? Those heartless thugs?"
I let out a carefully crafted sigh, letting disappointment cloud my features.
"It's just... with your leg like this, we'll have to postpone the wedding..."
Brent's expression darkened.
Not because he mourned our delayed union. No—he was furious that he couldn't swindle my money in time for the holidays.
I laughed inside, cold and sharp. But outwardly, I remained the picture of devotion:
"Don't worry. I'll make sure every single one of those men ends up behind bars. They'll pay for what they did to you."
The moment I left, I sent Claude a red envelope—sixty-six hundred dollars.
"Treat the boys to something nice."
Then I turned to Brent and said:
"Let me tell you something that'll cheer you up. My parents have prepared a million dollars in cash as my dowry. As soon as you're better, we'll get married right away."
Brent's pained expression froze instantly. His eyes lit up with sudden intensity as he pressed eagerly:
"Really? Mira, are you serious? A million dollars in cash as a dowry?"