"To be honest, I''m still against it, for reasons you''re well aware of. But he''s infatuated with you and wouldn''t stop begging us, so I gave him one condition. If he leaves the entertainment industry andes home to take over the family business, I''ll approve the marriage."


    "Fortunately, the boy isn''tpletely clueless. He''s already agreed to my terms."


    "So, from now on, he will no longer be an actor. He wille home and work in the business with his father."


    "And you should do the same. It''s time to give up your screenwriting work. Don''t you have argepany to inherit? If you don''t take it over, you can''t possibly let your stepmother''s daughter inherit it, can you?"


    "That''s all I have to say. Since you''re about to marry Keith, that makes me your elder, so it''s not out of line for me to say this. You should think about it and start nning your life ordingly. I have another appointment, so I''ll be leaving now."


    Amara was stunned. She never imagined the price for the family papers was Keith leaving his career. How could this be?


    Keith loved acting so much, and he despised business or rather, he despised his parents'' control. How could he make such a sacrifice for her?


    In that moment, Amara was both shocked and furious-furious with Keith for giving up his career for her, and even more furious with the stubborn couple, Edith and Nathan.


    She couldn''tsh out at Edith directly, so she clenched her jaw and said, "Mrs. West, Keith is passionate about acting. He''s happy when he''s working, even though it''s demanding. If he goes back to take over the family business, he''ll be miserable."


    "You''re his mother. You''re the person who loves him most in this world. Can you really bear to see him unhappy?"


    Amara tried to reason with Edith, appealing to her emotions, but Edith waspletely dismissive.


    "What is this ''passion for acting''? He''s only passionate because he''s invested in it. Once he invests himself in the business, he''ll be passionate about that too."


    "Besides, responsibility is the most important thing in life. You can''t just do whatever makes you happy. That''s absurd."


    Edith''s logic waspletely tyrannical.


    With anyone else, Amara wouldn''t have bothered arguing over such a difference in values. But this was This was


    about Keiths career important. She had to fight back!


    Amara said, "Mrs. West, I have a different opinion."


    "Keith isn''t an irresponsible person. He works hard and earns a lot of money. He can provide for his future wife and children, and he can support his parents. He''s working hard to support his family. How is that irresponsible?"


    Edith, who had been merely cold and disdainful, now grew angry.


    She mmed her hand on the table. "How is that responsible? Is the entertainment industry, that den of iniquity, a ce for decent people?"


    "And he doesn''t just live for himself;


    he lives for his parents too! If he doesn''t take over the family business, what will happen to West Winter Group? Are we


    Suppose were over


    to let a stranger


    thepany his father and I worked


    so hard to build??"


    "Amara, your family owns apany too. How can you say such things!"


    ""


    Amara was so furious at Edith''s stubborn, twisted reasoning that she felt like her lungs would explode.


    WestWinter Group was something she and Nathan had built. It was *their* dream, not Keith''s.