The Ruthless Billionaire's Unwanted Defiant Bride

ine in her glass, "that Professor Albright's le

nts. It didn't work. Her father, Arthur Evans, just stared at his plate of untouche

s heavy, thick enough to choke on

ke gravel grinding. "Aracely," he began, hi

Roy Holdings, the corporate leviathan that ow

glistening with unshed tears. "It's... a

ced her fork and knife down, the clin

ant?" she asked

hed with the desperation of a man watching his life's wor

d over her, cold and sickening. She felt the blood drain from he

's graying hair, the deep lines of exhaustion carved around her mother's mouth. Refusing wo

ly dinner. It was a negotiation. And she was the asset on the table. If she co

Her calm was so absolute it startle

ng in his expression. "You're meeting his gra

ious, began to form in

other had laid out. Instead, she chose a sequined monstrosity she'd bought for a Vegas-theme

ick black liner, and a slash of garish red lipstick. Just bef

ring oak trees, and a level of wealth that felt like a physical weight. The house wasn't a ho

ed, his face a mask of polite neutrality. But Aracely saw the flicker

led in a stone fireplace the size of her car. Seated in a leather armchair was a man who lo

rward, chewing her g

she said, blowing a pink

He kicked her ankle under the

sharp and intelligent. They scanned her from head to toe, and to h

he said, his vo

with glee. She gushed about her favorite reality TV

rittany on 'Island of Love'," she exclaimed, leaning fo

hasis and "accidentally" sloshed its cont

dabbing at it ineffectually

lips. He looked like a man enjoying a particularly fine piece of theater. Her

ric a party guy? I hear rich dudes really

ghed. It was a loud, booming sound that filled the entire roo

a tear from his eye as he looked at Arthur

ed, vapid smile f

ng on his cane. He tapped it once on the floor

the same page..." he began, hi

e ignited in her chest. Mayb

" he continued, "I see no reason to

red brighter

he declared. "The invitations will

r lungs, leaving a hollow, ringing silence. Her perfec

sealed