ra''s lips twitched into a faint smile-finally, a chance to get out of the house.
"Yes, Mrs. Ferguson, you don''t have to worry. I can divorce Dn anytime." Her tone was so casual, it almost sounded like she was talking about canceling a lunch date instead of ending a marriage.
Mrs. Ferguson hadn''t even started her usual threats, and ra had already tossed "divorce" on the table like it was nothing. The air in the room shifted, tense and crackling. Mrs. Ferguson had expected a fight, but ra was ying apletely different game.
Mrs. Ferguson narrowed her eyes. "You''d really go through with it?"
"Mrs. Ferguson, Dn only married me because he needed a stand-in. It could have been anyone. He doesn''t love me, and I don''t love him. We both have our own feelings for other people. There''s nothing to hold onto here. Honestly, this marriage has never felt real to me."
She remembered how lost Dn lookedst night, like he''d been hit by something he couldn''t shake off.
It was obvious-Dn respected Mrs. Ferguson too much to stand up to her, especially when it involved Tara.
ra thought she''d made her intentions clear, but Mrs. Ferguson just let out a cold, quietugh.
"No wonder Dn chose you. You''re good at reading people. But I''m not so easily fooled, ra. I''m not like everyone else you can''t get rid of me with a few pretty words."
ra''s expression darkened. So what did Mrs. Ferguson really want?
Turning to Tara, Mrs. Ferguson patted her hand like she wasforting a prized possession.
"ra, Tara is everything you''re not-talented, aplished, and practically born to be the next Mrs. Ferguson. She''s an architectural genius, ys piano, paints, speaks threenguages-she''s been trained for this role her whole life. She''s the daughter-inw I want. If Dn insists on marrying you, he''ll only make himself miserable. His ce in this family isn''t just about him—everyone he loves has suffered for his sess. If you''re the reason it all falls apart, can you really live with that?"
She paused, eyes cool. "I heard Simon has always liked you. I talked to himst night-he said your past doesn''t bother him. If you marry Simon, you''ll cut things off with Dn for good."
So it wasn''t enough just to divorce Dn-Mrs. Ferguson wanted her to marry Simon, too.
ra pressed her lips together, feeling like a pawn in someone else''s chess game, her fate handed off from one yer to another. The whole thing left her feeling small and powerless.
Mrs. Ferguson was clearly done being patient, her gaze sharp as a knife.
"Are you saying yes or no? Dn''s with his father today-they have important family business to handle.
He''ll be tied up until at least noon and won''t see his phone. Don''t expect any rescue."
The threat behind her words was obvious: if ra didn''t agree, anything could happen before Dn had a chance to step in.
"Mrs. Ferguson, as I said, I can divorce Dn. But who I marry is my own
business. I''m just a regr person-I never wanted to get dragged into the Ferguson family drama."
"You? Regr?" Mrs. Ferguson snorted. "You must be something special if Dn married you willingly. Enough with the innocent act. Bring her in."
At that, a dozen bodyguards filed in, each one looking like they''d walked straight out of a spy movie.
It was only then, with the doors to the living room open, that ra realized Mrs. Ferguson''s people and Dn''s people were already facing off, the tension heavy in the air. She hadn''t noticed with the doors shut before.
The guards started to move in, but Dn''s men blocked their way.
Mrs. Ferguson mmed her teacup down, shattering it against the floor. "How dare you!"
The room seemed to shrink under
the weight of her anger. She red at Dn''s men, still standing firm.
"Dn is my son. I nned out his whole future, every step. He wouldn''t dare defy me-so who do you think you are?"
Her words hung in the air, but Dn''s people didn''t budge.
Mrs. Ferguson''s face flushed with rage. "Tara!" she snapped.
Tara nodded slightly, reached into her bag, and before anyone could react, she
pulled out a gun and aimed it straight at ra. Then she pulled the trigger.