Chapter 1

I was getting married.

An arranged marriage—good family, good match.

I once met someone extraordinary when I was young, but so what?

I didn't even show up to the blind date. Whatever, it didn't matter who I married.

Until the wedding day, when I saw the groom's familiar face.

I was both relieved and terrified.

Because his jaw was set tight. And he didn't smile at me anymore, not like he used to.

*****

I heard my grandfather had cancer.

I flew back from Averna overnight, landing at four in the morning.

My mom was waiting for me at the airport, her eyes red from crying.

She's always been like that—the more serious things got, the cooler she became.

When our family business was nearly lost when I was a kid, she brought lawyers and fought without hesitation.

Seeing her eyes red meant this was really bad.

"The doctors say eighteen months at most," she said. Then she changed tack. "Your grandfather wants to see you married."

I just stood there, silent.

"And," she paused, her tone softening as if she was trying to negotiate, "your father's been stirring things up lately. Your grandfather thinks you need backup."

She was hurting too, crushed by Grandpa's illness but stayed strong to support me.

I nodded.

She never went into anything without a plan.

So, over the next week, I was set up on four blind dates.

All of them were handpicked from good families in our circle.

A real estate heir, a finance guy, a restaurant family, someone in politics, and another from an energy background.

Each one had better credentials than the last, but I couldn't remember a single one of them.

Honestly, these so-called blind dates felt more like interviews. What I really wanted was an ambitious business partner, and none of them were it.

Reading between the lines, I could tell none of them would ever accept my secret.

And sure, they were all impressive, but there was still someone else in my heart.

The pressure was getting to me. After the fourth date, I stopped by a shopping mall to catch my breath.

And then I looked up—and there he was.

Julian Cross, the man I'd never stopped thinking about.

He'd lost a bit of weight, his jawline even sharper than before.

But his smile was still the same—those eyes crinkling at the corners.

It was still that charming smile that made my heart flutter, but this time, it wasn't meant for me.

He stood outside a dessert shop, holding a two- or three-year-old in his arms. A beautiful woman stood beside him.

The kid called him Daddy and reached for the ice cream in his hand. The woman laughed and wiped the child's mouth with a napkin.

They looked like a picture-perfect family, happy and content together.

If we'd been brave enough to stay together, would I be the one standing next to him?

But there were no what-ifs.

I was still standing there playing the tragic heroine when my mom called.

"Eleanor, I picked out a few more guys today. There's one I think you'll really like. He needs our backing to hold his spot in the family. Want to meet him—"

Perfect. This one worked. We can team up, then went our separate ways afterward.

I cut her off. "Let's just pick him. No need for more dates. Start planning the wedding."

The line went quiet for about three seconds.

Her voice turned careful. "Eleanor, am I pushing you too hard? Take your time. Marriage isn't something to rush."

I watched as the family walked away, the kid clutching a strawberry ice cream and Julian's shoulder.

"Don't bother," I said. "If you and Grandpa already picked him out, he's definitely a safe bet."

After hanging up, I just stood there on the sidewalk, lost in thought for a while.

The March wind was still pretty chilly.

I pulled my coat tighter around myself and thought, 'Alright, I guess.'

A marriage alliance was a marriage alliance. At least it was a proper match.

So what if I met someone amazing when I was younger?

Missed chances were just missed. He'd got a family now—time for me to move on.

Marriage was marriage, didn't really matter who it was with anymore.

What mattered was holding onto what I had.

*****

The wedding was scheduled on short notice—just two weeks away.

I wanted to help with the preparations, but work got in the way.

After Grandpa got sick, some people at the regional offices started making trouble.

I had to go sort out the mess.

So my mom took charge of the entire wedding, handling every last detail herself.

She was totally in her element, bombarding me with a dozen messages every day.

From which brand of wedding gifts to what color the table flowers should be, she reported every little thing, no matter how trivial.

I just replied with one word, [Whatever.]

We never took engagement photos.

I told my mom it wasn't necessary

She agreed, then turned around and sent the wedding planner an old ID photo of mine.

"It's just a formality," she said on the phone. "They'll put it on the welcome table. No one really looks."

I figured she was right.