"Let it go, Sophia. Stop bothering her. The child, her own life... This time you''ve really gone too far. It ends here."


    He walked to the door, pulling it open without looking back. "If you keep pushing, whether it''s Julian or her, you and I—we''re no longer family. Even if it breaks me, I''ll fight you to the end."


    Bang!


    A ss mmed into the closed door, water trickling down its surface before pooling around the shattered pieces on the floor.


    Sophia pped the table, her palm pressed over a crumpled red invitation. Her face grew darker and darker.


    "Useless fool!"


    She''d had enough.


    M, of course, had no idea the Pembroke siblings were on the brink of falling out over an engagement invitation. She was busy handling the details for the engagement party.


    Most of the work, honestly, was left to Forrest. When it wasn''t him, she''d simply hire people to take care of things. But some important calls she had to handle herself-old friends, business partners, people from her design circle-either confirming details or sending their congrattions...


    Her throat felt raw from the constant talking.


    Stepping out onto the study''s small balcony after another call, M took a sip of tea and leaned back in the rocking chair, hoping to bask in the sun for a few minutes'' rest. But her phone rang again.


    "Seriously?"


    She exhaled twice, answered without looking at the screen, and slipped automatically into her usual greeting. "Hello, this is M."


    No one answered. Frowning, M repeated herself. Still nothing. Her voice, already hoarse, faltered for a second. She braced against the chair''s arm and slowly sat upright.


    "...Hello?"


    "It''s me."


    Conrad Montgomery''s voice.


    M nced at the contact name to be sure, and whatever rxation she''d felt instantly vanished. Her tone grew wary, all business. "... Did you need something?"


    "You''re getting engaged?"


    Being questioned about this by Lysander''s father was bizarre, but she answered anyway.


    "...Yes."


    "Are you sure? He''s the one?"


    "I am."


    "So why didn''t you invite us?"


    Conrad sounded calm, almost casual. "We are your elders, after all. I remember promising you if you ever remarried, I''d make sure to give you a generous gift."


    Thest thing M wanted was avish gift from the Montgomerys.


    She hadn''t invited anyone from that family. Not a single one. She was genuinely curious-what was Conrad thinking? Did he really not understand her intentions, even after not receiving an invitation? And how could he talk about it so calmly, as if nothing had happened-like this was all perfectly normal?


    How did he manage it?


    The Montgomerys never ceased to amaze her.


    Calling them shameless was almost apliment.


    He could act like nothing had happened, but M was done pretending. Since


    he''d called, she''d make things clear.


    "Chairman Montgomery."


    Her voice was icy. "You know as well as I do-all of you knew-while I was the only one left in the dark, wracked with guilt and pain. I was paraded around like a fool, every move judged and manipted for your own victory."


    "Was it fun for you?"


    Silence.


    After a moment, she continued, "I don''t want you there. None of you. There''s no need, and I don''t want to see any of you."


    There was no way they could be "family" now. Not after all that deceit.


    Before Conrad could reply, M hung up. She blocked and deleted his number, switched her phone to silent, and tossed it on the table. Then shey back in the rocking chair.


    The sheer curtains drifted in the breeze. Summer sunlight poured through the white fabric—not too harsh now, just warm enough to soak into her skin and ease the chill from her bones.


    The rocking chair creaked softly.


    "Did you hear that?"


    Conrad''s face was ashen in the quiet study. The calm from his phone call had vanished, reced by a brittle anger as he stared into the corner.


    A man stood in the shadows.


    "I told you this would happen, but you wouldn''t listen. Your grandfather won''t touch your mess anymore, youe running to me.


    Embarrassing yourself and dragging me with you-get out of here.Fix your own problems. Don''t expect my help again."


    He mmed his phone down, rattling the desk.


    "Forrest is a good kid, you know. Doesn''t have the pedigree, but he''s got ambition. More importantly, he genuinely cares about M. He knows how to look after her. Not like you-where do you think you''re going?!"


    The door mmed before he could finish. The man in the shadows was gone.