"Hehe... Sis." I scratched the back of my head. "Why come personally? You could've just called."
"Drop the act." Her voice cut through the air. "Father sent you to the grassroots to gain experience, not play dress-up. You hid your identity to deliver takeout? If my contact at Civil Affairs hadn't flagged your name on a marriage registry, I wouldn't have known where to find you."
I opened my mouth to explain, but she raised a hand.
"You married a woman from a common family," she continued, her tone dropping. "Wholly unworthy of the Ashford name. Were you planning to hide this forever?"
I sighed, dropping the facade. Vivienne had protected me since childhood. She was the public face of our empire, fierce and commanding, while I strategized in the shadows.
"Sis, listen. Delia is gentle and considerate. A rare woman." I met her eyes. "And she's not 'common' anymore. She's a respected businesswoman in Harbor City."
Vivienne let out an elegant snort. "A few hundred million? You call that rich? Her sudden rise, her success—that was all you. You worked yourself to the bone to elevate her, just so the family might accept her."
I chuckled. "You know me too well."
"Why go to such lengths?"