ng the walls – it all pressed down on me. My father, Edmond, sat in his usual armchair, a crystal glass of scotch in his hand. Beside him, Charlie, perfectly coiffed and dressed in

eavy with judgment, as I walke

low growl, "do you know what time it i

em, my head held high, towards the gra

"Is it true? About the engagement?" Her eyes, however, hel

re you worried your 'beloved' Griffin might be left without a

ugh. Griffin Cooper is a catch. The Cooper family is one of the oldest and most respecte

rhaps, finally, free? I've made my dec

s we make for family. For stability. Some of us understand our roles. But then again, you've always been so... flighty. I wonder who will ever

ice dropping to a dangerous whisper, "understand how to crawl their way into a positio

rious shade of red. "Hayden

d and ascended the stairs, the echoing silence of the

t 9 AM, as if summoned by a corporate memo. He stood t

yden," he said, his voice

offee mug in my hand. "Oh, that? Sorry, I must have misp

ou made a public spectacle last night. You are my

is earned, Griffin, not demanded. And I don't give a damn about your

nvelope in her hand. "Griffin, darling," she cooed, her eyes darting to me with a triumphant glint. "Hayden seemed a little... occupie

s. He unfolded the letter, scanning the perfectly penned sentences. Then, he looked at me, a flicker of

ctually believed her. He

re's a corporate gala tonight. You wi

t you take Charlie? She's clearly more suited t

are my fiancée, Hayden.

t was about possession, about control, about the image he had meticulously cra

embarrass you." She then turned to me, her voice dripping with faux concern. "And Hayden, dear, don't forget the Quinn family rules. We always present a united front." She reac

"You manipulative little snake. You think you've won, don't you? You

thing. You're just... letting go. And frankly, Griffin deserves someone who wants

ou and your pathetic ambition. You'll never be me. You'

But who needs to be 'you' when I can have Griffin? And everything else that comes with him. P

ispered, the word a promise. "And you, Charlie

den