As it turned out, there was no such thing as a free lunch. Amara wasn''t upset, just curious. "Dad, what''s the condition?"


    "Marriage," Larry said, his voice low and serious. "The day you get married is the day I sign this document."


    Amara froze.


    The demand for her to marry was bothpletely unexpected and, in a twisted way, perfectly logical. Larry was a man who prized family stability above all else; it was why he''d rescinded his offer of the shares the moment he heard she was divorcing Finnian.


    Seeing her silence, Larry pressed, "Do you have a problem with that?"


    Amara shook her head. "No, I don''t."


    His expression softened slightly. "I know you''re not seeing anyone right now. Don''t rush it. Take your time, find someone suitable, date for a few months to make sure he''s right for you, and then get married."


    For a moment, he almost sounded like a concerned father, but Amara had to suppress a bitterugh. If Larry truly cared about her, would he have ignored her for all those years, leaving her to be tormented by Fiona and her daughter? If he were such a good man, would he have treated her mother the way he did?


    Pushing down the wave of resentment, Amara stood up. "I should get going, Dad." Larry simply nodded. "Go on, then."


    Leaving the study, her mind grew heavy. She had to get her hands on those Sullivan family shares. They were rightfully hers, but more than that, she despised Fiona and Elowen. The best way to get revenge on them was to take away the one thing they coveted most.


    No matter what, she needed a controlling stake in the Sullivan Group. Byt Larry''s condition was a strange one-simple on the surface, yet as difficult as reaching for the sky What was she supposed to do? Marry a random stranger? Ne that? was far too reckless.


    Lost in thought, Amara reached the first floor, only to find two figures blocking her path: Fiona and Elowen. She paused, confused. It hadn''t even been half an hour. Why had Fiona changed her clothes?


    Fiona''s eyes were fixed on her, her voice a low, deliberate hiss. "Just finished your little chat with your father? You''re a divorced woman. No one decent will want you. You should stop fantasizing about things that don''t belong to you."


    Amara''s eyes flickered. So, they already knew about Larry''s decision to give her the shares upon her marriage. A slow smile spread across her lips. "Mrs. Sullivan, have you been a housewife for so long that you''ve lost touch with the real world?"


    "Getting remarried is hardly a


    scandal these days, especially for someone who looks like me. Surely you''re not that behind the times? You''d think we were still living the dark ages." She leaned in conspiratorially. "Even back then, divorced women had no trouble finding new husbands. I happen to be a bit of a history buff. Would you like me to give you some examples?"


    Fiona was left speechless, her eyes zing with hatred. "You''re all talk. Don''t think for a second you''ll ever get your hands on those shares."


    Amara justughed. “You sound like a cornered animal,shing out at anything that moves. It''s almost pitiful to watch."


    The insult hit its mark. Fiona''s hands


    clenched into fists, her knuckles white. But just as she was about to explode, Amara''s gaze fell to the ne around her neck. A brilliant emerald suspended from a delicate gold chain. It was stunning, regal... and disturbingly familiar


    A distant memory flooded her mind, and she looked up sharply. "That''s my


    mother''s ne. How did you get it?"