If the Montgomery family''s wealth had be chains to shackle M, then so be it-she would break them herself.


    Whatever the Montgomerys could offer, she could match, and more.


    "And as for Adrian," Jade said, her expression cool and steady, "if the child truly needs his mother, then let''s draft an agreement. Send him back to Ennd. After all, M gave birth to him-he belongs with the Suthends."


    As long as Adrian was officially M''s son, she would devote every resource, every ounce of energy, to raising him-and wee him into the Suthend family. Otherwise, he might as well not exist.


    If it came to that, they could always have another child. M was still young, after all.


    Jade''s determination was clear in her voice, and Lysander''s grandfather''s smile faded ever so slightly. He restrained himself from outright refusal, keeping his tone conciliatory. "Shouldn''t we ask M what she wants? And even if she''s willing, shouldn''t we consider Adrian''s wishes as well? Perhaps we could-"


    "She''ll do as I say." Jade''s interruption was icy, dismissing Adrian''s opinion entirely. "Of course, if you refuse to return the boy, that''s your prerogative. But there''s a condition."


    Her gaze was sharp as she continued, "If the Montgomerys insist on keeping him, then Adrian is your responsibility-he''ll have nothing more to do with M. We''ll provide the required support, visit every few months at most, and when hees of age, all ties are severed. He''ll be your child, and yours alone."


    She spat out thest sentence, her tone clipped and biting.


    Lysander''s grandfather felt his chest tighten-a rush of anger at his useless grandson for creating this mess and pushing the old man out to bear the shame.


    But there was no backing out now.


    Despite his fury, years of self-restraint kept his demeanor pleasant. Heunched into a stream of titudes about how Adrian was still young, how he''d been raised by the Montgomerys, how deep the family bonds were, and how such drastic change would harm the child.


    Jade''s patience wore thin.


    She shot back with a coldugh, "So what''s the point? His father''s been dead a year-why does he still belong with you? The mother''s alive; just return the boy to her!"


    She didn''t bother to soften her words.


    A heavy silence fell.


    Across the video call, both butlers sensed the tension in their respective rooms; neither dared say a word.


    Jade remained calm. If negotiations crumbled, so be it—she''d lose nothing important. She already had other ns: Find M a good man, let her start anew, and if need be, have another child.


    And if this n worked, it wouldn''t matter how much the Montgomerys protested.


    None of this should have been soplicated; once her husband died, the two families should have gone their separate ways. But the Montgomerys had refused to let M go, clinging on shamelessly.


    As far as Jade was concerned-marrying into the Montgomerys didn''t mean marrying the whole dysfunctional n.


    They were all mad.


    She was about to prompt the old man, who''d fallen silent on the other end of the call, when his face suddenly lost all warmth. He spoke, t and measured:


    "Lady Jade, let''s set this aside for now. Whatever happens, M is Adrian''s legal guardian. Given what''s happened, she has a responsibility to deal with this." "What do you mean by that?" Jade''s expression hardened instantly.


    Lysander''s grandfather said nothing more. He simply signaled to Marshall, the butler, to send over a file, then ended the call without another word.


    If civility wouldn''t get them anywhere, it was time to y hardball.


    In the Montgomery study, Butler Marshall hesitated. "Sir, hanging up on Lady Jade


    will only make her furious. Will Madam reallye?"


    "She has no choice if she wants to save Adrian from disaster." Lysander''s grandfather pinched the bridge of his nose, weariness clear in his voice. "And tell that brat this is thest time. If he gets into trouble again, I won''t be cleaning up after him. Not ever."


    Just then, the phone buzzed again-Lady Jade calling. Marshall looked uneasy. "Should I answer?"


    "Why bother? Just looking for a fight?" The old man waved him away. "Take the phone and theputer-get them out of here. I''ve made my point."


    Though his anger still simmered.


    At Rose Manor, in the study:


    "They''re not answering." The butler, sweating nervously, addressed Jade, who was ring at a stack of documents on her screen, close to losing her temper. No one had expected Adrian to cause such a scandal.


    Seeing her struggle to breathe, the butler quickly offered her medicine.


    "No point calling again," Jade said, epting the pills. She took several deep breaths before wiping her brow with a handkerchief, her voice faint.


    The butler took away theputer, anxious not to let her see more. "Should we


    tell Miss M, or keep it from her?"


    As far as he was concerned, the more they could shield M from the


    Montgomerys'' scheming, the better.


    Jade shook her head. "There''s no hiding this."


    The Montgomerys were never careless. With rtions so strained, they''d surely guessed her intentions. By now, the news had certainly reached M-there''d be no stopping her.


    Meanwhile, across the garden ballroom, Miranda dashed in with her phone in hand. She spotted the two figures standing close together in the center of the dance floor, deep in conversation, and waved her phone urgently.


    "M!"


    "Your son is calling!"