Chapter 3

【Eliana Fox! Where the hell did you disappear to?】

【If you won't show up, then send the risk report over. Do you want me humiliated in front of every last shareholder?】

【I'm raising your risk rating to 1,000. No, to 100,000!!】

I was about to reply.

Then Clifford's father called.

"Eliana."

"I heard you and Clifford had a fight. Come have dinner with me, talk it out, don't let it hurt what you two have."

So.

I went to the Farley house.

Seven years ago, the Farleys had sold off nearly everything they owned and been forced to rent.

Five years ago, with my help, they climbed out of the crisis and had a home of their own again.

Now they had bought back the standalone mansion they once lost.

And renovated it into something even grander.

Like a palace.

I walked in just in time to see Clifford and Charlotte laughing together on the sofa.

"Charlotte, which sports car do you like? Which oceanview house, or which bag? Take your pick. You've done so much for the Farleys, you deserve a reward."

Clifford was beaming, his eyes full of admiration.

It sat wrong with me, hearing it.

Seven years together, seven years of giving, and all I'd ever gotten from him was verbal praise. Never anything real. Not so much as a holiday gift.

I used to think that was just his nature.

Only now did I understand: in his heart, I simply wasn't worth it.

"Eliana's here. Sit, sit."

Ned Farley's voice came from across the room.

Only then did Clifford and Charlotte look up and see me, and their smiles vanished at once.

Then Charlotte spoke up first: "Clifford, Uncle Ned, to keep this conflict from escalating any further, I've decided to resign."

"I won't be the risk analyst anymore."

And with that she stood, as if to leave.

A textbook move. Retreat to gain ground.

And it worked beautifully.

Clifford grabbed her arm at once, soothing her. "It's not your fault."

Then.

He turned to me and said coldly, "Look at yourself. Look what you've driven Charlotte to."

"The assessment report, I'm willing to let that go."

"But you have to apologize to Charlotte!"

For a moment I had nothing to say.

I was the one wronged here.

Yet in his mouth I'd become the villain.

"All right, all right, that's enough from both of you. Sit down and we'll talk it through."

Ned smoothed things over, pulling me down into a seat as he went on. "I have an idea. See what you think."

"Eliana's company merges into Farley Group. We'll all be one family soon anyway."

I froze.

I'd thought Ned genuinely wanted to fix the problem. Turned out he was a sly old fox too.

Setting his sights on my company.

Bleed me dry first, then swallow whatever's left.

"Uncle Ned, that's a good idea."

Charlotte adjusted her glasses. "Merging into the Farleys solves the mismatch in status."

"The risk rating drops to 20. Ordinary level. Acceptable."

And off she went into another analysis.

"Fine."

"If Charlotte says it's acceptable, then I agree."

Clifford sat with his arms crossed, chin still tilted high, wearing the airs of an emperor.

"Then let's sign the agreement."

Ned produced it with a smile.

From start to finish, no one had asked what I wanted.

As if they were certain I'd sign.

Ned held out a pen. "Eliana, this is the biggest concession I could win for you. If you still want to marry my son, don't let it slip away."

I gave a small smile and didn't take it.

"This agreement, I won't sign."