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&quot;So your boyfriend betrayed you at the wedding and slept with your bridesmaid?&quot; The young billionaire whispered with his hand grabbing Isabella&#039;s, who was in a wedding gown.<br /> &quot;Do you need me to help you seek revenge? Whether it&#039;s the scumbag who betrayed you or your stepmother, they&#039;re nothing in front of me.&quot;<br /> Isabella looked at the handsome man in front of her and nodded.<br /> &quot;Marry me, and we&#039;ll let them regret it for the rest of their lives.&quot;<br /> <br /> Chapter 1 Betrayal<br /> Up on the massive screen, a couple in their birthday suits were all tangled up, getting hot and heavy, and the surround sound was blasting every moan and breath.<br /> <br /> The lady had curves for days and her skin was mad smooth. Then there came a close-up of their faces.<br /> <br /> Isabella Sorenson was struck dumb, staring up at the screen, and she felt like she&#039;d just been punched in the gut. The naked couple were none other than her main squeeze Zachary Winslow and her bestie Scarlett Pearson.<br /> <br /> And no joke, they were both right there next to her because today was supposed to be Isabella and Zachary&#039;s engagement party.<br /> <br /> Just a second before, that screen was showing cute throwbacks of Zachary and Isabella growing up together, while some dude was talking all mushy about it. It went from little Isabella at three to Zachary at seven, and then instead of more childhood pictures, the screen switched to the hookup video.<br /> <br /> &quot;Ah!&quot; Scarlett let out a scream and threw her arms around Zachary.<br /> <br /> Now, if anybody was still clueless about who were up on that screen, everything was out in the open. While Isabella was stuck on the spot, Zachary was hugging Scarlett.<br /> <br /> The whole place exploded with whispers and gasps.<br /> <br /> &quot;Yo, ain&#039;t that Isabella&#039;s ride-or-die?&quot; one guest whispered.<br /> <br /> &quot;Seriously, Ms. Sorenson got played?&quot; chimed in another.<br /> <br /> &quot;Yo, check out that bod!&quot; somebody else hollered.<br /> <br /> &quot;What&#039;s going on?&quot; Isabella&#039;s father, Nathan Ingram, was freaking out, trying to cover up the screen, but this screen was enormous. Though he was like pushing six feet, he looked straight-up silly trying to block it.<br /> <br /> Terence Winslow, Zachary&#039;s father, was beet red but he bolted toward the control room to turn off the screen.<br /> <br /> Scarlett, her eyes leaking like a faucet, hit Isabella with the puppy dog eyes. &quot;Isabella, didn&#039;t you pinky swear to let this go? I promised I&#039;d ditch Zachary and leave town the second you&#039;re engaged. Why you gotta blast this now? Are you trying to ruin me?&quot;<br /> <br /> When Scarlett clung to Zachary, he looked kinda red-faced but went wide-eyed the second he heard what Scarlett said. Holding her firmly, he asked, &quot;What are you saying, Scarlett? Isabella forced you to leave?&quot;<br /> <br /> It was as if a bomb had detonated within Isabella&#039;s mind, leaving her stunned and disoriented. She stared blankly at Zachary, her childhood sweetheart. Ever since she could remember, Isabella had made up her mind to spend the rest of her life with Zachary.<br /> <br /> &#039;When did he and Scarlett become a thing? And when did I ever agree not to pursue this matter? What&#039;s going on here? What are they talking about?&#039; Isabelle wondered.<br /> <br /> &quot;How could you be so vicious, setting up your own fiancé and best friend?&quot; Zachary&#039;s sister, Megan Winslow, shoved Isabella on the shoulder.<br /> <br /> Isabella, in a daze, didn&#039;t see that coming and staggered backward until she ended up right beside Nathan.<br /> <br /> Nathan was filled with fury. Raising his hand, he slapped her in the face. &quot;Look at what you&#039;ve done! You&#039;ve brought disgrace upon both our families!&quot;<br /> <br /> Before Isabella could even regain her balance, she was knocked to the ground by the slap. Zachary grew anxious and instinctively wanted to help her up, but Scarlett tightened her grip on his arm.<br /> <br /> Isabella turned and caught a glance of the smugness in Scarlett&#039;s eyes.<br /> <br /> &quot;How can you hit your child? Come on, get up, Isabella.&quot; A voice was heard as a pair of hands helped Isabella to her feet.<br /> <br /> Terence sighed, &quot;Isabella, don&#039;t blame your father. What you did was really out of line.&quot;<br /> <br /> Lorelai Winslow, Zachary&#039;s mother, pointed at Scarlett and said, &quot;Where did you come from? You must have seduced my son. Get out of here! I&#039;ll never let you become part of our family!&quot;<br /> <br /> Scarlett hid behind Zachary like a scared puppy.<br /> <br /> Zachary positioned himself protectively in front of Scarlett, his voice firm as he addressed his mother. &quot;Mom, don&#039;t blame Scarlett. Isabella, she&#039;s your best friend. You can&#039;t push her to the brink like this!&quot;<br /> <br /> With Terence&#039;s support, Isabella finally got back to her feet. A solitary tear traced its path down her cheek. As she gazed up at Zachary, the man she had loved for most of her life, she realized he had become a stranger in the blink of an eye.<br /> <br /> &#039;Scarlett&#039;s supposed to be my best friend. He knows that. They play me and now it&#039;s my bad?&#039; she thought.<br /> <br /> &quot;Isabella, I can&#039;t even with you. Zach, how can you tie the knot with her? After you&#039;re hitched, who knows what stories she&#039;ll spin? Can&#039;t trust her. Not one bit!&quot; Megan was throwing shade at Isabella before turning to Zachary, all concerned.<br /> <br /> Megan had been in the same class as Isabella back in high school, but they never really hit it off. Megan always teamed up with Yvonne Ingram to give Isabella a hard time. Plus, Megan detested the idea of Isabella becoming part of her family.<br /> <br /> &quot;Zip it! Isabella is the eldest daughter of the esteemed Sorenson family. And who&#039;s that chick? Does she possess the same standing as Isabella? How could the Winslow family be cool with letting just anyone in?&quot; Lorelai snapped off, not realizing she was pretty loud.<br /> <br /> Lorelai wasn&#039;t Isabella&#039;s number one fan, but she was all about that social ladder. Having Isabella marry in was like a major level-up for Zachary. No other high-class family had a daughter that could touch Isabella&#039;s status. Plus, Isabella was the kind of person one could sway pretty easy.<br /> <br /> So yeah, Lorelai had to make it crystal clear—they couldn&#039;t let Isabella slip away.<br /> <br /> At first, Isabella kind of felt thankful to her future mother-in-law for stepping up, but then it hit her why she really did it.<br /> <br /> &quot;Yes! Isabella, you&#039;re the eldest daughter of the Sorenson family. You should consider the reputations of the Sorenson family, the Ingram family, and the Winslow family before doing this!&quot; Yvonne chimed in, looking all stressed.<br /> <br /> &quot;Isabella, you&#039;ve just crushed your dad. His heart&#039;s in pieces,&quot; Winona said, sounding all sweet but sad.<br /> <br /> Winona and Yvonne dropping those lines just made Nathan and Terence pull grumpier faces. &#039;She&#039;s gotta grow up. Can&#039;t be airing our dirty laundry like this!&#039; they thought.<br /> <br /> Chapter 2 Proposal<br /> Isabella looked at the people around her.<br /> <br /> Her father, Nathan, was boiling mad.<br /> <br /> Her stepmother, Winona, and her half-sister, Yvonne, were getting a kick out of the drama.<br /> <br /> Her future father-in-law Terence was just shaking his head, and future mother-in-law Lorelai was cringing.<br /> <br /> Her would-be sister-in-law Megan was glaring holes through her.<br /> <br /> Her fiancé, Zachary, didn&#039;t know what to do. In his arms was the pitiful woman, Scarlett, who was once her best friend.<br /> <br /> These folks were Isabella&#039;s whole world. And just like that, the world flipped, leaving Isabella as the one everyone was pointing fingers at.<br /> <br /> Isabella brushed away the tears and said lightly, &quot;I hereby announce that Zachary Winslow and Isabella Sorenson&#039;s marriage contract has been canceled. We have nothing to do with each other from now on. I wish you happiness!&quot; Then she bounced off the stage.<br /> <br /> Her dad Nathan jumped in, &quot;Hold up, you think it&#039;s just up to you? You and Zachary were a done deal before you were even a twinkle. Don&#039;t even try to ditch this without my say-so!&quot; Nathan had always been tough on Isabella, mostly because having Isabella around was a constant reminder that he was kind of a live-in son-in-law and his kids had to take their mom&#039;s last name. Big-time embarrassment for a guy who made it big.<br /> <br /> &quot;And Isabella, cool it, will ya? Zachary messed up, and we&#039;ll make him say sorry. This marriage thing wasn&#039;t just your call, it&#039;s our families&#039; deal. Don&#039;t go and have a meltdown. I got your back,&quot; Terence tried to smooth things over.<br /> <br /> Then he whirled around and snapped at Zachary, &quot;Zachary! Drop that girl already!&quot;<br /> <br /> Zachary looked like he didn&#039;t know what hit him.<br /> <br /> Scarlett, all tears and drama, shoved Zachary away. &quot;Go after Isabella, Zachary. My bad, it&#039;s all on me. I&#039;m no match for Isabella. I&#039;m sorry, Isabella. Forgive me, okay? Don&#039;t go.&quot;<br /> <br /> Zachary just stood there, silent as a ghost.<br /> <br /> &quot;Isabella, hold it! Are you deaf?&quot; Nathan was beside himself with rage. He thought, &#039;She&#039;s always done what I said, like a perfect little robot. Why&#039;s she ignoring orders today?&#039;<br /> <br /> Isabella stopped cold, her hands balled into fists so tight they hurt. She spun around to face Nathan.<br /> <br /> Now Nathan got real. &quot;Come on, it&#039;s nothing. Why you making a big deal? Zachary and his folks are cool now. What more do you need? Who else would deal with your drama? You gotta see where your bread&#039;s buttered!&quot;<br /> <br /> Isabella just felt this chill and said real slow, &quot;He deserves better than me. I&#039;ll find someone else, no biggie.&quot;<br /> <br /> Nathan lost it, &quot;Who else would even look at you?&quot;<br /> <br /> But Isabella, she didn&#039;t even flinch. Shoulders back, head high, she walked right out the door.<br /> <br /> The crowd was eating up the drama like it was prime-time TV.<br /> <br /> Zachary and Isabella&#039;s engagement was like the hot gossip among the rich folks. Their families were tight, and with Isabella and Zachary set to tie the knot, the business was booming.<br /> <br /> The engagement party was just for show. They were heading for the altar anyway. But then, the plot thickened like in a soap opera.<br /> <br /> Zachary did Isabella dirty with her own bestie. Feeling burned, Isabella put them on blast right there in front of everyone.<br /> <br /> Instead of feeling sorry for her, people were ragging on Isabella. She was pretty shaken up when she realized that nobody seemed to care about her side of the story. But could she really get mad when her own dad dissed her too?<br /> <br /> Isabella stepped down from the stage and nearly took a spill in her killer heels. Just in time, one guy reached out and saved her from a faceplant.<br /> <br /> &quot;Thanks,&quot; Isabella mumbled, looking down.<br /> <br /> A chill voice came from up top, &quot;Watch your step.&quot;<br /> <br /> Isabella regained her balance, raised her head, and met a pair of deep, calm eyes. She was momentarily stunned, charmed by the handsome face before her. This guy was something else—strong brows, dark blue eyes, the works. He was all smiles and chill vibes.<br /> <br /> She took a breath and laid it all out there, completely honest. &quot;Hi! Are you single?&quot;<br /> <br /> He was stunned but nodded.<br /> <br /> Ignoring the crowd&#039;s shocked gasps, Isabella was like, &quot;I&#039;m Isabella Sorenson, 22, still in college at University of Moulmore. I have 40% shares in Sorenson Multimedia and will inherit all the inheritance left by my granddad and mom when I turn 25. But for now, I&#039;m penniless. I need to marry someone. You in?&quot;<br /> <br /> Isabella locked eyes with the guy. She was ticked off for sure, but she didn&#039;t give a flip. Her life&#039;s been no cakewalk. She fell hard for Zachary, and he didn&#039;t even say &#039;my bad&#039; for stabbing her in the back.<br /> <br /> Her mom&#039;s parting advice to Isabella was to play it cool, to roll with the punches. For years, she put up with the drama and what&#039;d she get? Zilch, just a slap in the face and zero backup.<br /> <br /> Isabella thought, &#039;I&#039;d rather throw the baby out with the bathwater at this point. They&#039;re all drooling over my wealth and gearing up to rip me off, right? Fine! I&#039;ll marry someone random and not give them a dime!&#039;<br /> <br /> Then, like clockwork, someone in the peanut gallery was like, &quot;Holy cow! Did Isabella just lose it? What&#039;s she yapping about now? Poor Zachary.&quot;<br /> <br /> &quot;Totally shameless! Just grabs a guy and pops the question? And after Zachary&#039;s folks bent over backwards to get her to forgive him!&quot; added another voice.<br /> <br /> Chapter 3 It Is Him<br /> Isabella stood next to the stage, and everybody caught every word she said. Nathan, Terence, and the crowd beelined to her.<br /> <br /> &quot;Isabella Sorenson! Have you flipped your lid?&quot; Nathan&#039;s face was all red.<br /> <br /> &quot;No kidding! What&#039;s that even mean?&quot; Winona added, looking all shook up.<br /> <br /> &quot;Are you crazy? You&#039;re practically giving away your assets by doing this!&quot; Lorelai was devastated.<br /> <br /> Isabella completely ignored the people behind her and focused on the man before her. &quot;Sir, do you hear me? Marry me, and you will have a fortune in three years. It&#039;s a bargain.&quot;<br /> <br /> The man&#039;s clear gaze met hers, and he chuckled. &quot;You know, guys usually do the proposing.&quot; His voice was low and sexy.<br /> <br /> Isabella was speechless, the crowd zipped it for a hot second, then split their sides laughing. They figured he ditched her.<br /> <br /> Nathan almost couldn&#039;t resist the urge to storm forward and kick Isabella. &quot;Isabella! Get back here right now!&quot;<br /> <br /> The man&#039;s low voice sounded right after Nathan finished his sentence. &quot;I&#039;ll marry you.&quot;<br /> <br /> Complete silence ensued.<br /> <br /> &quot;My name is Clayton Murray. I&#039;m 28 years old and single. I work at Rayson International. Ms. Isabella Sorenson, will you marry me?&quot; Clayton fixed his gaze upon Isabella.<br /> <br /> Tears fell from Isabella&#039;s big eyes. &quot;Thank you! Yes, I will!&quot;<br /> <br /> Inside, she&#039;s throwing high fives to luck. Finally, she could breathe. Didn&#039;t matter who he was as long as she was pulling herself out of the quicksand.<br /> <br /> And just like that, the crowd went wild.<br /> <br /> &quot;Say what? That&#039;s Clayton Murray from Rayson International?&quot; someone gasped.<br /> <br /> &quot;Whoa, the legendary second son of the Murray family?&quot; someone else hollered.<br /> <br /> &quot;No way! I heard Clayton doesn&#039;t mix with ladies. Could this be a fake?&quot; somebody wondered.<br /> <br /> &quot;Bummer. Mr. Murray&#039;s like a ghost—never seen in public or snapping selfies. How can we even know if it&#039;s really him?&quot; another person pitched in.<br /> <br /> &quot;He looks legit. I mean, who would have the guts to fake being Mr. Murray? Plus, dude&#039;s got charm—I hear the real Clayton&#039;s a looker,&quot; came a comment from the crowd.<br /> <br /> Isabella dried her eyes and spun around to face the stage crowd. &quot;Just to be clear—Zachary and I are done. We&#039;re out of each other&#039;s lives. Next up, I&#039;m marrying—&quot;<br /> <br /> She had to check with Clayton because she blanked on his name.<br /> <br /> &quot;Clayton.&quot; He gave her a small grin.<br /> <br /> &quot;Yeah, Clayton!&quot; Isabella said, staring them down without a wince.<br /> <br /> Nathan boomed, &quot;Hold up; you&#039;re the Clayton Murray?&quot;<br /> <br /> Clayton just gave a cool nod. &quot;That&#039;s me.&quot;<br /> <br /> Terence&#039;s expression darkened. He glared at Zachary and Scarlett, thinking, &#039;It&#039;s all this little punk&#039;s fault!&#039;<br /> <br /> Megan and Yvonne were stunned. &#039;How&#039;s he so drop-dead gorgeous?&#039; they wondered incredulously.<br /> <br /> Clayton swept his glance across the stage. &quot;You all must be Isabella&#039;s family. Sorry for taking the liberty to announce our marriage in this way today. I&#039;ll pay you a visit someday.&quot;<br /> <br /> After saying that, he turned around and linked arms with Isabella, his tone gentle as he spoke to her. &quot;Let&#039;s go. What&#039;s going on here is none of our business.&quot;<br /> <br /> &quot;Mr. Murray, don&#039;t be fooled by Isabella! Over the years, she has been a nuisance, trying all means to curry favor with Zach just to get married to him. A woman even Zach has abandoned doesn&#039;t deserve you!&quot; Megan shouted eagerly. &#039;&#039;I won&#039;t let Isabella have such an excellent man all to herself! I&#039;m better than her. Mr. Murray should marry me. Isabella is nothing compared to me!&#039; she thought.<br /> <br /> &quot;Yes, Mr. Murray. Please wait! Isabella hasn&#039;t gotten my dad&#039;s permission.&quot; Yvonne&#039;s soft voice was filled with anxiety. She wasn&#039;t as foolish and reckless as Megan, but she, too, wanted Clayton to herself. &#039;Everyone will think Clayton and Isabella are engaged if they leave like this. I won&#039;t allow this! Such an outstanding man should be mine,&#039; she mused.<br /> <br /> &quot;Dad, say something! How can you let Isabella leave like this? Mr. Winslow hasn&#039;t agreed to cancel the engagement yet!&quot; Yvonne urged.<br /> <br /> Nathan met his beloved daughter&#039;s gaze and cleared his throat. &quot;Isabella! Come back!&quot;<br /> <br /> Terence and Lorelai exchanged glances before the latter shouted, &quot;Isabella, stop messing around. Come back and let&#039;s talk things out.&quot;<br /> <br /> Isabella tightened her fists, and Clayton patted her on the arm as reassurance.<br /> <br /> He stopped, turned around, and glanced at the people on the stage. &quot;Thank you, Mr. Zachary Winslow, for falling in love with someone else and giving Isabella to me.&quot;<br /> <br /> Everyone, including Isabella, looked at Clayton in surprise.<br /> <br /> Gazing at Clayton&#039;s side profile, Isabella thought, &#039;I&#039;m so lucky today. This random man that I chose supports me without hesitation.&#039;<br /> <br /> Clayton then looked at Nathan. &quot;Mr. Ingram, do you have a problem with your daughter marrying me?&quot;<br /> <br /> His voice was gentle and calm, but his domineering aura made Nathan flinch.<br /> <br /> &quot;Zachary, my stomach hurts.&quot; An anguished voice rang out at that moment. Scarlett, grabbing Zachary, held her stomach and bent over in pain.<br /> <br /> &quot;Scarlett, what&#039;s wrong?&quot; The anxiety and concern in Zachary&#039;s voice were obvious.<br /> <br /> Isabella&#039;s gaze dimmed, and her heart ached when she saw how much Zachary cared for Scarlett. Lorelai and Terence looked at Scarlett furiously.<br /> <br /> Scarlett admitted timidly, &quot;I-I have been pregnant for two months.&quot;<br /> <br /> &quot;What? A-Are you pregnant with Zachary&#039;s child?&quot; Lorelai was in shock.<br /> <br /> Scarlett nodded in pain. &quot;Zachary, my stomach hurts.&quot;<br /> <br /> Zachary panicked and said, &quot;T-Then, what should we do?&quot; He didn&#039;t expect Scarlett to be pregnant. He looked at Isabella below the stage and averted his gaze upon noticing her tear-filled eyes.<br /> <br /> Chapter 4 Conspiracy<br /> &quot;What are you still standing around for? Quick, get her to the hospital. The child&#039;s safety comes first,&quot; Lorelai said urgently, placing her future grandchild&#039;s well-being above all else.<br /> <br /> Clayton covered his mouth and stifled a chuckle. &quot;Even in this situation, you still want your daughter to marry into a family like this, Mr. Ingram? What exactly do you hope to gain from the Winslow family?&quot;<br /> <br /> His words caused a visible shift in everyone&#039;s expression.<br /> <br /> Meanwhile, Nathan&#039;s expression was grim.<br /> <br /> Marrying Isabella to Zachary was a strategic move for both families. However, if Clayton was willing to wed Isabella, he would become Nathan&#039;s son-in-law, with Rayson International as Nathan&#039;s backing.<br /> <br /> The value of one hundred Avid Ventures Real Estate paled in comparison to Rayson International. In the face of years of friendship and mutual benefits, Nathan was torn between loyalty and opportunity. He was a businessman, and he knew what he wanted.<br /> <br /> Clayton saw the calculative glint in Nathan&#039;s eyes, turned to Isabella, and softly inquired, &quot;Shall we go?&quot;<br /> <br /> Isabella tore her eyes away from Zachary and Scarlett, nodding gently.<br /> <br /> She visited the graves of her granddad and mother, George and Irina Sorenson, tenderly wiping their photos clean with a tissue.<br /> <br /> &quot;I&#039;m sorry, Granddad, Mom. Zachary and I are no longer together. Our marriage won&#039;t be happening,&quot; she murmured.<br /> <br /> Caressing Irina&#039;s photo on the tombstone, she couldn&#039;t control her tears. &quot;I&#039;ve tried to heed your advice, Mom, enduring everything. But now, I&#039;m at my wit&#039;s end. I&#039;m only 22 years old, still too young to take over the company with my current ability,&quot; she confessed.<br /> <br /> &quot;I thought things would be fine once I got married, but now...&quot; Isabella muffled her sobs with her hand, her body trembling as she knelt before the tombstone, curled into a small ball of grief.<br /> <br /> Since Irina&#039;s passing, Isabella had learned to endure silently through countless trials, enduring disdain from Nathan, Winona, and Yvonne. Growing up in a home that no longer felt like hers was a constant struggle, yet she clung to the hope that marrying Zachary would bring her freedom. She believed that everything would soon be fine.<br /> <br /> When Nathan told her about the engagement party that was about to be held, Isabella was overjoyed. They had planned to get married after her university graduation the following year, and once that happened, she&#039;d finally be free.<br /> <br /> Zachary was the man she loved dearly, and she believed the union arranged by George and Irina must be the best course. After all, Zachary was the guardian angel George and Irina had chosen for her.<br /> <br /> Throughout her childhood, Zachary had been her constant companion, treating her with great care.<br /> <br /> George passed away when Isabella was just eight years old, followed by Irina when Isabella turned ten, enveloping her world in hues of gray.<br /> <br /> When Isabella turned twelve, Zachary left for his studies abroad.<br /> <br /> Tearfully, Isabella clung to his hand, reluctant to let him go, fearful of losing the sole connection she had left to George and Irina.<br /> <br /> She vividly recalled Zachary&#039;s promise as he held her hand and said, &quot;Isabella, wait for me. I will come back and marry you when I&#039;m grown up.&quot; Those words echoed constantly in her mind.<br /> <br /> Throughout the years, Isabella dedicated herself entirely to Zachary. She nurtured their relationship meticulously, treasuring their brief annual reunions, and worked tirelessly to mold herself into the person he admired, adapting to his preferences.<br /> <br /> Despite enduring ridicule, sarcasm, and insults from Megan and Yvonne, she clung to the belief that everything would be fine after she married Zachary.<br /> <br /> Marrying Zachary had been Isabella&#039;s primary motivation and ultimate goal throughout those years. Every future scenario she envisioned concluded with her union with Zachary.<br /> <br /> She firmly believed that marrying him would breathe new life into her existence, heralding a fresh chapter and a brighter future.<br /> <br /> Whenever she faced punishment and was locked in a dark room, whenever she suffered from hunger, whenever she faced difficulties, the mere thought of that envisioned future fueled her with boundless courage.<br /> <br /> Alas, that hope was shattered. The day she had dreamed of would never materialize. The envisioned future dissolved, leaving behind a shattered world. Isabella felt as though her heart had been torn from her chest, leaving behind an agonizing void.<br /> <br /> After a long while of weeping silently, Isabella raised her head, wiping away tears with trembling hands, and pledged, &quot;Granddad, Mom, from now on, I&#039;ll live for myself. I&#039;ll do my best to not let you down.&quot; Despite the pain, she knew that life must persist, regardless of the circumstances.<br /> <br /> As Isabella left the cemetery, the sun had already descended below the horizon.<br /> <br /> Clayton&#039;s car waited silently by the gate, catching Isabella off guard. Stepping out of the vehicle, Clayton opened the passenger seat door for her. She said in a low voice as she settled into the seat, &quot;Thank you.&quot;<br /> <br /> Clayton got back in the car and glanced at Isabella. Her eyes and nose were red, and she looked exhausted. &quot;Let&#039;s find a place for you to rest,&quot; Clayton suggested.<br /> <br /> Isabella shook her head, recognizing the inevitability of confronting what lay ahead. &quot;Mr. Murray, thanks for your help today,&quot; she croaked, her voice strained from emotion.<br /> <br /> Clayton started the car and asked, &quot;Where do you want to go?&quot;<br /> <br /> &quot;Could you please drive me home?&quot; Isabella requested softly.<br /> <br /> After confirming the address, Clayton fell into silence as Isabella leaned against the window, closing her eyes for the journey home.<br /> <br /> Meanwhile, at the Ingram residence, Nathan, Winona, and Yvonne sat facing each other on the couch in solemn silence.<br /> <br /> Breaking the silence, Yvonne implored, &quot;Dad, you can&#039;t allow Isabella to marry Mr. Murray.&quot;<br /> <br /> Nathan, having deliberated the matter during his return journey, felt a disquieting unease despite acknowledging the potential benefits of Isabella&#039;s union with Clayton. When pressed by Yvonne, he couldn&#039;t help but raise his gaze to meet hers, questioning, &quot;Why?&quot;<br /> <br /> Yvonne hesitated, not knowing what to say, thinking, &#039;I can&#039;t say I should be the one to marry Mr. Murray, right?&#039; She glanced at Winona.<br /> <br /> Winona, pouring a cup of coffee for Nathan, said with composure, &quot;Nate, it&#039;s widely known that Isabella and Zachary have been engaged to each other since childhood. Considering her background, it&#039;s not suitable for her to wed into the Murray family. Won&#039;t they look down on her?&quot;<br /> <br /> Chapter 5 Stirring Up Trouble<br /> Nathan furrowed his brow in response, stating, &quot;That&#039;s her decision to make. If she chooses to marry Mr. Murray, and if the Murrays look down on her, she only has herself to blame.&quot;<br /> <br /> Winona exchanged a meaningful glance with Yvonne before continuing, &quot;While that may be true, she&#039;s still your daughter. If there&#039;s talk about her outside, it inevitably reflects on us as well. That&#039;s not good.&quot;<br /> <br /> Winona looked up at Nathan, who listened intently. &quot;I&#039;m not her biological mother, so I have no authority to discipline her,&quot; she began. &quot;As you can see, she rarely communicates with us these years and has her own ideas. What happened today was saddening. She humiliated you in front of everyone. It&#039;s one thing for her to disrespect me over the years, but the way she treated you today was unacceptable. Despite my efforts, she only acknowledges Irina as her mother, thinking that we owe her.&quot;<br /> <br /> Tears welled up in Winona&#039;s eyes as she sniffled. &quot;I know what you&#039;re thinking. A marriage of convenience with the Murray family will benefit the company greatly. However, if Isabella doesn&#039;t stand by you, then...&quot;<br /> <br /> Her words trailed off, but her meaning was clear.<br /> <br /> Yvonne&#039;s gaze flickered as she inwardly praised her mother&#039;s wisdom. &quot;Exactly, Dad. We can&#039;t squander resources. Even if Isabella married into the Winslow family, there&#039;s no guaranteeing she&#039;ll put in a good word for you. Your partnership with Mr. Winslow has been smooth-sailing, and that&#039;s based on your friendship with him, not Isabella&#039;s involvement,&quot; Yvonne chimed in.<br /> <br /> Nathan suddenly realized what had been bothering him. Isabella&#039;s defiance had caught him off guard. He desired a compliant daughter, not one with her own convictions. He glanced at them, took a sip of coffee, and asked in a deep voice, &quot;So, what do you guys suggest?&quot;<br /> <br /> Winona and Yvonne exchanged a glance. Winona gently proposed, &quot;Nate, we can&#039;t trust Isabella, but we can rely on Yvonne. She&#039;s our biological daughter.&quot;<br /> <br /> Nathan&#039;s focus shifted to Yvonne, who appeared bashful. &quot;Mom, we&#039;re talking about Isabella. Why bring me up?&quot;<br /> <br /> Winona&#039;s expression grew stern. &quot;Yvonne, I&#039;m serious. You&#039;re our daughter. You can&#039;t just enjoy the privileges your father provides. You must share his burden, understand?&quot; she chided.<br /> <br /> Yvonne straightened up, raising her hand in a playful gesture. &quot;Yes, Mom, I understand. I&#039;ll be there for Dad whenever he needs me,&quot; she vowed with a smile.<br /> <br /> Nathan was reassured by her promise. Nodding, he remarked, &quot;Winona, you&#039;ve raised her well. Isabella, on the other hand, is truly disappointing.&quot;<br /> <br /> Winona smiled faintly, &quot;My hands are tied. Anything I say as her stepmother could easily be misinterpreted as having ulterior motives.&quot;<br /> <br /> &quot;Hmph! It&#039;s because she doesn&#039;t know what&#039;s best for her,&quot; Nathan snorted. Then, he frowned. &quot;Are you suggesting that Yvonne should marry into the Murray family?&quot;<br /> <br /> Winona nodded, affirming, &quot;We can trust Yvonne. She&#039;s our sweetheart.&quot;<br /> <br /> &quot;But Yvonne is only twenty,&quot; Nathan voiced his concern. He had always cherished Yvonne and had never contemplated marrying her off at such a young age.<br /> <br /> Knowing that he was wavering, Winona smiled reassuringly, &quot;So what if she&#039;s twenty? We can arrange for the marriage now and wait for Yvonne to graduate from university before holding the wedding. That doesn&#039;t make much difference.&quot;<br /> <br /> Nathan cradled his forehead, contemplating her proposal.<br /> <br /> &quot;Dad, if it benefits our family, I&#039;m in. Trust me; I&#039;ll try my best to ensure our family&#039;s prosperity,&quot; Yvonne declared resolutely, biting her lip as if determined to sacrifice herself for the family.<br /> <br /> Nathan eventually nodded in agreement, which put a smile on Yvonne&#039;s face.<br /> <br /> However, Winona intervened softly, &quot;But, Nate, we&#039;re not acquainted with Mr. Murray. Perhaps we&#039;ll need Isabella to introduce us?&quot;<br /> <br /> Yvonne was taken aback, immediately objecting, &quot;Why should she introduce us? As we saw today, she asked Mr. Murray to marry her on the spur of the moment. Mr. Murray agreed as soon as she mentioned it. So, why can&#039;t we approach him directly?&quot;<br /> <br /> Yvonne considered herself superior to Isabella. She mused inwardly, &#039;In terms of appearance and figure, I&#039;m much better than that country bumpkin. Why should Isabella, who&#039;s inferior to me, get to marry such a perfect man? Since Mr. Murray agreed to Isabella&#039;s proposal, he&#039;d agree to mine too.&#039;<br /> <br /> Nathan thought her words made sense and pondered for a moment. &quot;Well, how about we pay a visit to Rayson International tomorrow?&quot;<br /> <br /> Outside the Ingram residence, Clayton parked the car and glanced at Isabella who was already asleep in the passenger seat.<br /> <br /> It should&#039;ve been her engagement party that day. She wore a white knee-length dress, her pinned-up hair already disheveled, with several strands hanging down. Her delicate face appeared particularly pale. She didn&#039;t change much since childhood. As she jumped down from the stage, Clayton was struck by the pain and resolution reflected in her eyes.<br /> <br /> &#039;It seems like she&#039;s been struggling all these years,&#039; Clayton thought, tenderly tucking her hair behind her ear.<br /> <br /> Isabella&#039;s long lashes quivered slightly as she stirred awake at his touch, momentarily confused upon seeing Clayton.<br /> <br /> &quot;Are you awake?&quot; Clayton asked gently.<br /> <br /> Isabella blinked, and the memories of what happened flooded back. She took a deep breath, attempting to quell the overwhelming pain pulsating through her veins.<br /> <br /> Gazing toward the Ingram residence, she was enveloped by a chilling coldness. This place had been her home, yet since the age of ten, she felt like a superfluous presence there.<br /> <br /> Previously, Zachary&#039;s presence had somewhat eased the void left by George and Irina. However, at present, she was all alone.<br /> <br /> The gate of the residence was like a gaping maw, ready to devour her and the legacy of George and Irina at any moment.<br /> <br /> &quot;Do you need me to go in there with you?&quot; Clayton asked softly, observing Isabella, who was staring into space.<br /> <br /> Isabella slowly shook her head. Staring directly ahead, she spoke to Clayton in a composed but distant manner. &quot;Mr. Murray, can we make a deal? I need to leave this place now, but they won&#039;t allow me to rent a house independently. Our school&#039;s in the middle of renovations, and once the new semester kicks off, students like us who are in the senior year will have to find internship positions on our own, and we can no longer live in dorms. The only option left for me is to get married. Once I get married, I can leave for good.&quot;<br /> <br /> Clayton tightened his grip on the steering wheel.<br /> <br /> &quot;I propose we marry, and I&#039;ll move into your residence. I&#039;ll reside there and pay you rent. If I face financial constraints, I&#039;ll provide you with a promissory note. I&#039;ve mentioned that I&#039;ll inherit some assets after turning twenty-five. At that point, I&#039;ll settle all my debts to you. Then, we&#039;ll proceed with divorce proceedings, and I&#039;ll allocate half of the inheritance I receive to you as compensation for marrying me now,&quot; Isabella explained.<br /> <br /> Chapter 6 Realization<br /> Isabella declared resolutely, &quot;I will draft a formal agreement stating our rights and responsibilities. Our union will only be a sham marriage. Should you happen to develop feelings for someone else during this time, I ask that you wait until we&#039;ve been married for at least a year before seeking a divorce. I assure you, my commitment to our arrangement stands firm, and you will receive every cent of your compensation as promised. With this agreement in place, we can ensure fairness for both parties.&quot;<br /> <br /> Noticing a pen and paper tucked under the armrest, Isabella grabbed them, jotting down her phone number before passing it to Clayton. &quot;Here is my contact information. Take your time to ponder my proposal; however, I expect your response within three days. Do not delay.&quot; With that, Isabella exited the car and left, leaving Clayton staring at the note in his hand blankly.<br /> <br /> Her decisiveness left Clayton momentarily stunned.<br /> <br /> He couldn&#039;t help chuckling as he watched Isabella walk away in determined strides. &quot;Isabella, I&#039;m back. I&#039;ll stand by your side no matter what you do,&quot; Clayton murmured, thinking, &#039;I&#039;ll let her do whatever she wants. Whatever happens, I&#039;ll clean up after her.&#039; Even if she didn&#039;t know who he was, Nathan did. Nathan&#039;d never dare to lay a hand on her.<br /> <br /> *****<br /> <br /> Dinner was served in a peaceful ambiance.<br /> <br /> &quot;Ms. Sorenson, you&#039;ve returned.&quot; One of the maids, Elsie Anderson, was surprised to see Isabella.<br /> <br /> Isabella paid no heed to the mix of surprise and disdain the other three were displaying. &quot;Dad, Winona.&quot; Dipping her head, she greeted them before settling at the table, accepting the soup bowl offered by Elsie.<br /> <br /> She hadn&#039;t eaten anything since morning and was starving. Clayton had suggested taking her to dinner earlier, but she had declined. She would have to face this sooner or later, so why delay it?<br /> <br /> &quot;Isabella, why are you only back now? Mom and Dad were too worried to eat,&quot; Yvonne said, sharing a meaningful glance with Winona.<br /> <br /> Nathan&#039;s expression darkened.<br /> <br /> Isabella finished her soup and put down the spoon. Disregarding the cold leftovers on the table, she explained, &quot;I went to visit Grandpa and Mom. I needed to inform them that Zachary and I have called off our engagement.&quot;<br /> <br /> Nathan sneered, &quot;And they didn&#039;t reprimand you?&quot;<br /> <br /> Isabella lowered her head in silence.<br /> <br /> &quot;Isabella, you&#039;ve pissed your dad off today. How could you embarrass him in front of everyone?&quot; Winona said softly.<br /> <br /> &quot;Mom, don&#039;t blame Isabella. Remember, she&#039;s the eldest daughter of the Sorenson family and the designated heiress of Sorenson Multimedia. Dad wouldn&#039;t hold it against her. Who knows what those shareholders might say if he did?&quot; Yvonne interjected, stealing glances at Nathan.<br /> <br /> Nathan&#039;s expression darkened further as his gaze bore into Isabella.<br /> <br /> Isabella quietly ate the food Elsie gave her. She had gotten used to such drama. Winona and Yvonne always sowed discord between her and Nathan. Then, endless insults would ensue that would sometimes escalate into physical abuse.<br /> <br /> She was a Sorenson, and her father was an Ingram. That was one of her sins.<br /> <br /> Nathan didn&#039;t lose his temper. Instead, he snorted derisively before leaving the dining room.<br /> <br /> Winona shot a glance and Yvonne and Isabella before following Nathan out.<br /> <br /> As soon as her parents left, Yvonne abandoned her facade of dignity. Casting a scornful glance at Isabella, who remained meek and reserved as always, she said sarcastically, &quot;I&#039;m amazed you still have the nerve to stay alive. If I were in your shoes, I&#039;d have put an end to it all by now. Maybe flung myself into a river or hung myself. Anything&#039;s better than living like this. Your fiancé despises you and cheats on you with your closest friend. Aren&#039;t you devastated? How do you even have an appetite?&quot;<br /> <br /> After taking the final bite, Isabella met Yvonne&#039;s gaze with indifference. &quot;I&#039;ve found someone willing to wed me.&quot;<br /> <br /> Yvonne scoffed, &quot;Wake up, will you? Do you honestly believe you&#039;re the eldest daughter of the Sorenson family?&quot;<br /> <br /> Isabella merely looked at her coldly. Yvonne often carried herself with elegance and composure in public. Isabella was perhaps the only person who had seen her true colors.<br /> <br /> She thought, &#039;Does Yvonne ever get tired of pretending? I pretend to be indifferent and weak because Winona and Yvonne forced me to, but no one&#039;s forcing Yvonne. So why is she pretending?&#039;<br /> <br /> &quot;What&#039;re you looking at?&quot; Yvonne bellowed at Isabella. Isabella&#039;s charming face never failed to anger her. &#039;Why does she get all the luck? A wealthy grandfather and mother, and even that envy-inducing face!&#039; she seethed inwardly.<br /> <br /> Yvonne sent her plate hurtling toward Isabella.<br /> <br /> Isabella rose from her seat, narrowly dodging the plate as it crashed to the ground.<br /> <br /> &quot;What&#039;s wrong?&quot; Winona asked loudly.<br /> <br /> Yvonne glared at Isabella.<br /> <br /> Normally, Isabella would&#039;ve quickly apologized to Winona, saying she had accidentally broken the plate. Yet, today, Isabella simply turned to face the incensed Yvonne in silence.<br /> <br /> Elsie interjected fearfully, &quot;Mrs. Ingram, I&#039;m sorry; I accidentally dropped a plate.&quot;<br /> <br /> Both Isabella and Yvonne looked at Elsie at the same time.<br /> <br /> Yvonne shot daggers at Elsie before exiting the dining room.<br /> <br /> Elsie tugged at Isabella&#039;s arm, whispering, &quot;Ms. Sorenson, just endure it. This too shall pass.&quot;<br /> <br /> Endure. It was a mantra instilled in Isabella since childhood by Elsie and also what her late mother said to her. Today, however, she realized that enduring only made things worse.<br /> <br /> Isabella hurried to the bathroom, changing out of the dress and cleansing herself of the shame it carried. She then returned to her room on the second floor, a windowless storeroom bereft of sunlight year-round. She even had to use the maid&#039;s bathroom. Besides Elsie, no one would regard her as the family&#039;s eldest daughter.<br /> <br /> The luxurious room that her grandfather and mother decorated was handed over to Yvonne just a month after Winona and Yvonne&#039;s arrival. Isabella&#039;s living quarters changed each time she made a &quot;mistake&quot; until she found herself relegated to the storeroom, a decision that satisfied Winona and Yvonne at last.<br /> <br /> This was the consequence of endurance.<br /> <br /> Isabella curled up on the cramped bed, the air stifling and hot. The wind could only filter in when the door was opened. Yet, she didn&#039;t want to move, let alone open the door.<br /> <br /> Isabella closed her eyes, the events of the day replaying in her mind. She watched them unfold once more like a distant observer.<br /> <br /> The moment Zachary started dating Scarlett remained a mystery to her.<br /> <br /> Since Zachary&#039;s return from abroad, he started work in his family&#039;s company, leaving little opportunity for him and Isabella to spend time together. Isabella was never one to inconvenience others, so she never interrupted Zachary&#039;s work. Understanding his desire for a compliant girlfriend, she made every effort to fit that mold.<br /> <br /> Ever since Zachary returned, the two families celebrated festivals together, which Isabella enjoyed.<br /> <br /> Zachary didn&#039;t treat her poorly or particularly well, but he and Yvonne were tight. They got along well, even though Zachary used to dislike Yvonne as a kid.<br /> <br /> Chapter 7 Truth<br /> Today, Scarlett claimed Isabella had forgiven them, which was nonsense. Isabella didn&#039;t know anything about their affair.<br /> <br /> Isabella wondered, &#039;Why would she say that? Was it to make Zachary turn against me? If that&#039;s the case, it&#039;s obvious who played the video. However, Scarlett isn&#039;t stupid. There are so many ways to let me know, so why did she choose this one? Doing so will only cause her more harm than good. Oh, right, because doing so makes it seem like my handiwork. No one will suspect Scarlett of selling herself out. As for Zachary, he is always on Scarlett&#039;s side. He never admitted his mistake or apologized. He kept emphasizing that Scarlett is my good friend and that I should be nice to her. Zachary, am I being nice to her by letting you go? Why do you take everything I do for granted?&#039;<br /> <br /> Isabella&#039;s heart ached as she recalled the tender look Zachary reserved for Scarlett.<br /> <br /> Zachary had never looked at her like that before. &#039;I&#039;m just not worth his affection, huh?&#039; she pondered.<br /> <br /> Lorelai&#039;s words hit Isabella like a sudden storm. Throughout the years, Lorelai treated Isabella well. Isabella once believed she was sincere and even vowed to take good care of Lorelai after the marriage.<br /> <br /> However, it turned out that Lorelai valued her social status and assets. That was probably her second original sin.<br /> <br /> Isabella held a significant 40% stake in Sorenson Multimedia, making her the company&#039;s largest shareholder. However, because of her youth, all the dividends from this ownership were directed into a trust established by her grandfather, which remained inaccessible until she reached the age of 25. She wouldn&#039;t receive her inheritance from her grandfather and mother until that time.<br /> <br /> Today, she finally realized that the Winslow family&#039;s acceptance of her wasn&#039;t based on genuine affection or sympathy for her loss of her mother. It also wasn&#039;t due to their acquaintance with her late mother and grandfather either. Instead, it was because of the assets she would eventually possess.<br /> <br /> They were kind to her because of her assets, and cruel to her for the same reason.<br /> <br /> Nathan had always been eyeing the property Isabella could inherit, especially because Yvonne didn&#039;t have any. When Isabella turned 18, Nathan deemed her old enough to handle her inheritance. He once pressured her to draft a document pledging half of the property to Yvonne. However, his plan was thwarted when the lawyer and four key company shareholders intervened.<br /> <br /> George and Irina foresaw the possibility of someone coveting the assets and therefore imposed an age restriction of 25. At 18, Isabella didn&#039;t have the authority to transfer her future assets.<br /> <br /> Nathan had married into the Sorenson family, so any child he had with Irina must carry the Sorenson name, while offspring from other relationships would not inherit this family name.<br /> <br /> Thus, Isabella was the only heiress of the Sorenson family.<br /> <br /> Furthermore, if Nathan decided to transfer his shares to Yvonne rather than Isabella, the four main investors would pull out their money from Sorenson Multimedia. The company had always been in the hands of the Sorenson family, and it would stay that way.<br /> <br /> If the major investors withdrew their support, the company would collapse, as Nathan&#039;s 30% stake alone wouldn&#039;t be enough to sustain it. Nathan&#039;s family eventually gave up on their plan.<br /> <br /> Instead of trying to butter Isabella up to get their way, they chose to resent her even more. Isabella couldn&#039;t help but admire them for that, for they didn&#039;t yield in the face of greed.<br /> <br /> Another way to access her wealth was by letting her marry Zachary.<br /> <br /> In this scenario, her property would serve as her dowry, to be shared with the Winslow family upon marriage. Given Isabella&#039;s infatuation with Zachary, she would likely agree to this arrangement. Consequently, Nathan collaborated with the Winslow family on various investment and development endeavors in recent years, aiming to reap the maximum benefits in due time.<br /> <br /> &quot;Grandpa, Mom, 25 isn&#039;t a safe age either. If I were an idiot, I&#039;d still be an idiot at 25 years old,&quot; Isabella murmured.<br /> <br /> Luckily, misfortune wasn&#039;t the only thing the heavens bestowed upon her. At least Zachary found his true love. She wondered if that had anything to do with divine intervention.<br /> <br /> Getting out of bed, she used a nearby book to fan herself.<br /> <br /> &#039;Time to draw up a contract for Clayton. If he&#039;s sensible, he&#039;ll agree to my terms,&#039; she thought. Isabella needed to move out as soon as possible. She had neither the energy nor the mood to deal with Yvonne and Winona&#039;s tricks anymore.<br /> <br /> They wouldn&#039;t let her rent a place outside, because that would make it hard for them to control her. Also, that would bring disgrace upon the Sorenson family. The only escape route left was to get married.<br /> <br /> The identity of her partner hardly mattered, as long as he was a true gentleman. She would draft a pact, ensuring her safety and rights were protected. And in return, she would offer him the benefits he rightly deserved, for he would be her savior.<br /> <br /> She needed to find a place to settle down and focus on earning money, aiming to gather 300 thousand dollars within a year to finance her studies in Upria for the next five years. It wasn&#039;t much, but she could continue earning while studying.<br /> <br /> Her future needed replanning. This time, she was on her own, and she vowed to protect herself from harm.<br /> <br /> The next morning, Nathan took Yvonne to Rayson International. As they stood outside the towering structure, Yvonne was exhilarated.<br /> <br /> Amidst the bustling heart of the city, the building stood tall and majestic. The employees were in a hurry, but their demeanor radiated confidence and pride unmatched by those of other companies.<br /> <br /> A smile crept onto Yvonne&#039;s face as she envisioned herself as the owner of this impressive building and the wife of its esteemed boss, overseeing these elite professionals in the future.<br /> <br /> Clayton accepted the document from his assistant, Johnny Lawton, signing it before instructing, &quot;Get in touch with Kayson and have him find a place for me near University of Moulmore. Something around 1,000 square feet, suitable for two people, and fully equipped with all the essentials.&quot;<br /> <br /> Johnny answered, &quot;Okay.&quot;<br /> <br /> Seeing that Clayton was reading a contract, Johnny called Kayson.<br /> <br /> After a while, Kayson entered. &quot;Boss, what do you think about Moonlight Apartment near University of Moulmore? It&#039;s just a ten-minute stroll from the campus, and boasts a thriving community with all the amenities you could need.&quot;<br /> <br /> Clayton thought for a moment, but the name didn&#039;t ring a bell. &quot;Okay. Go ahead and purchase a unit.&quot;<br /> <br /> Kayson laughed, &quot;Boss, that&#039;s our property. You reserved a suite for yourself on the 28th floor. I was wondering why you never brought it up again. Turns out you forgot.&quot;<br /> <br /> Johnny glared at him. &quot;Cut the crap and get it sorted already.&quot;<br /> <br /> Clayton glanced at Kayson but remained silent. Kayson stuck out his tongue playfully, heading toward the door. &quot;Boss, will you be living alone or will Mr. Maguire be joining you?&quot;<br /> <br /> Without looking up, Clayton responded, &quot;It&#039;ll be me and my wife.&quot;<br /> <br /> Chapter 8 Will You Marry Me Instead?<br /> Clayton continued working on the document while Johnny and Kayson stiffened. Johnny, usually collected, also stared at Clayton in disbelief.<br /> <br /> Kayson&#039;s mouth hung open. &quot;Y-You and who, Boss?&quot;<br /> <br /> Clayton glanced up at them, answering flatly, &quot;My wife. Do you have a hearing problem?&quot;<br /> <br /> Kayson gaped in shock at Clayton, who kept working, then turned to the equally dumbfounded Johnny.<br /> <br /> Another assistant, Weston Quinn, entered the office. &quot;Mr. Murray, Mr. Nathan Ingram and his daughter are here to see you.&quot;<br /> <br /> Clayton didn&#039;t look up. &quot;Did they make an appointment?&quot;<br /> <br /> Weston shook his head. &quot;No, but he mentioned Isabella Sorenson. Said you&#039;d know right away.&quot;<br /> <br /> Clayton&#039;s head snapped up at once. &quot;All right, bring them up.&quot;<br /> <br /> Weston was stunned, for he seemed to have caught a glimpse of a smile on Clayton&#039;s face.<br /> <br /> However, he blinked and thought his eyes must&#039;ve been playing tricks. Noticing how Kayson was rooted in his spot, Weston presumed Kayson had been lectured again and hurriedly turned to leave.<br /> <br /> Clayton glimpsed at Kayson. &quot;Why are you still here?&quot;<br /> <br /> Kayson jolted out of his daze, murmuring, &quot;T-This feels too surreal...&quot;<br /> <br /> Clayton glanced at Johnny, who quickly composed himself, clenched his fists, and cleared his throat before saying, &quot;This information is somewhat... unexpected. It&#039;s only normal that Kay needs a moment to process it, Mr. Murray.&quot;<br /> <br /> Johnny then glared at Kayson. &quot;What are you still waiting for? Go get it done.&quot;<br /> <br /> Promptly, Kayson exited the room, still looking thunderstruck.<br /> <br /> He had just shut the door when he saw Hendrix Henderson working in the personal assistants&#039; office. &quot;Hens, let me pinch you and see if it hurts!&quot; Kayson reached for Hendrix&#039;s handsome face, but Hendrix swatted Kayson&#039;s hand away with a folder.<br /> <br /> &quot;Oh, get lost. Pinch yourself.&quot; Hendrix scowled. &quot;What&#039;s the matter with you this early in the morning? You got scolded again? You were in there for so long.&quot;<br /> <br /> Kayson retracted his throbbing hand in a heartbeat. &quot;Ouch, that hurts! So this isn&#039;t a dream!&quot;<br /> <br /> Hendrix rolled his eyes, used to how Kayson would act up at least a few times a day.<br /> <br /> All four of Clayton&#039;s personal assistants were men. Johnny had been with Clayton the longest and resembled Clayton most, as cold and aloof. Weston and Hendrix, while mostly reserved, still wore their emotions on their faces from time to time. As for Kayson, he was the lone constant jokester of the group.<br /> <br /> Kayson looked at Hendrix intently. &quot;Do you have any idea what I was tasked with?&quot;<br /> <br /> Hendrix couldn&#039;t be bothered to answer, knowing Kayson would continue talking regardless of whether there was any response.<br /> <br /> Kayson&#039;s Adam&#039;s apple bobbed. &quot;Boss told me to buy him an apartment. He said it&#039;s for him and his wife.&quot;<br /> <br /> Hendrix&#039;s fingers that were flying over the keyboard froze. &quot;Are you still half-asleep? You must&#039;ve heard wrong, and so absurd at that. Watch yourself, or Johnny will come give you an earful!&quot;<br /> <br /> Kayson snatched the folder from Hendrix and insisted, &quot;It&#039;s true! Johnny is in there. He heard it too. Ask him if you don&#039;t believe me.&quot;<br /> <br /> Before Hendrix could reply, they spotted Weston leading Nathan and Yvonne over. Kayson&#039;s eyes widened at the sight of Yvonne while he nudged Hendrix.<br /> <br /> Hendrix looked over, thinking, &#039;My, isn&#039;t she a beauty? What&#039;s going on here? Could she be the &quot;wife&quot; that Boss was referring to?&#039;<br /> <br /> Weston was perplexed when he caught sight of the duo&#039;s transfixed gazes. &#039;What&#039;s up with those two? Why do they look so stunned?&#039; he wondered.<br /> <br /> Yvonne had been pumped up the moment she stepped into the lobby. The low-key yet lavish interior of Rayson International made the Sorenson Multimedia and the Winslow family&#039;s Avid Ventures Real Estate that she was familiar with seem like night and day.<br /> <br /> As she expected, meeting Clayton was no easy feat. Clayton never entertained visitors without appointments despite Nathan making his identity known.<br /> <br /> Luckily, Isabella&#039;s name had worked in their favor. &#039;Looks like he still remembers yesterday&#039;s incident. In that case, he will surely recognize me, too. The gown I wore was tailor-made and cost ten times more than Isabella&#039;s, practically making me the star of the event. There&#039;s no way he&#039;ll forget my pretty face,&#039; she mused in glee.<br /> <br /> Yvonne&#039;s heart raced involuntarily when she saw Clayton&#039;s assistant coming to escort them upstairs. She thought giddily, &#039;My goodness, Weston&#039;s quite the looker. What a pity that he isn&#039;t pursuing a celebrity career.&#039;<br /> <br /> They had taken the private elevator up to Clayton&#039;s office, where another two astonished yet dashing men stood by the entrance. Yvonne was beyond thrilled on the inside, confident they were amazed by her beauty. &#039;I knew it. No one will overlook my looks with Isabella absent. See, even Mr. Murray&#039;s assistants are mesmerized by me,&#039; she pondered, brimming with confidence and anticipation.<br /> <br /> After Weston knocked on the door, a deep voice rang out from inside. &quot;Come in.&quot;<br /> <br /> Weston opened the door and politely gestured for Nathan and Yvonne to enter. &quot;Mr. and Ms. Ingram are here, Mr. Murray.&quot;<br /> <br /> Clayton looked up, his gaze and voice turning cold as he questioned Weston, &quot;Didn&#039;t you say Ms. Isabella Sorenson was here?&quot;<br /> <br /> Weston turned quizzically to Nathan.<br /> <br /> Nathan was all smiles as he stepped forward eagerly. &quot;Hello, Mr. Murray! I&#039;m Nathan Ingram. Isabella&#039;s my daughter.&quot;<br /> <br /> Clayton did not get up or spare a glance at Nathan&#039;s extended hand. &quot;Where&#039;s Isabella?&quot;<br /> <br /> Nathan awkwardly retracted his hand. &quot;Ah, Isabella. She&#039;s, uh...&quot;<br /> <br /> &quot;Mr. Murray, my sister wanted us to inform you that she can&#039;t marry you,&quot; Yvonne chimed in gently while staring at Clayton.<br /> <br /> Clayton arched an eyebrow at the father-daughter duo.<br /> <br /> Nathan clenched his fist at his side and said solemnly, &quot;That&#039;s right. We&#039;ve come to explain the situation. Isabella is already engaged, so she can&#039;t marry you. But I have another—&quot;<br /> <br /> &quot;Mr. Ingram!&quot; Clayton interrupted frigidly. &quot;Hasn&#039;t it already been made clear to everyone yesterday? Isabella called off the engagement with her ex-fiancé and asked me to marry her. If she wants to go back on her word, she&#039;ll have to tell me herself!&quot;<br /> <br /> Nathan&#039;s face fell as it dawned on him that Clayton was serious about the marriage.<br /> <br /> Yvonne became anxious. &quot;I don&#039;t think you understand, Mr. Murray. Her and Zachary&#039;s marriage contract is set in stone. It was personally arranged by her mother. Isabella can&#039;t call the shots!&quot;<br /> <br /> Clayton leaned back, arms crossed. &quot;Oh? How about me, then? Mr. Ingram, as I said yesterday, nobody has dared to stop me from doing anything I want. Have you forgotten that, or did you choose not to believe me?&quot;<br /> <br /> Clayton stared at Nathan, who instinctively lowered his head in the face of Clayton&#039;s overwhelmingly imposing aura. A shiver ran down Nathan&#039;s spine. &quot;O-Of course not, Mr. Murray.&quot;<br /> <br /> &quot;Then what are you doing here now?&quot; Clayton&#039;s voice was utterly icy.<br /> <br /> Yvonne boldly met his eyes. &quot;Mr. Murray, I&#039;m Yvonne Ingram, 20 this year, currently a sophomore at the University of Moulmore, majoring in economics and management, and future heiress to Sorenson Multimedia. Will you marry me instead?&quot; She had dressed to the nines to meet him today, convinced that she could catch his fancy.

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