Chapter 2

I worked fast.

After hanging up, I quickly drafted a prenuptial agreement and handed it to the model.

His name was Julian Cross.

He stopped his agent from arguing, quietly signing the contract. He was much more cooperative than I expected.

My secretary, Sarah, was stunned. She leaned in and whispered, "Elena, I think this guy is just a gold-digger. Don't let him steal your heart and your money."

I looked around the studio. It was filled with handsome men and beautiful women, but the man in front of me was easily the most striking.

I had only come to inspect our newly launched entertainment branch, but I ended up walking away with a husband.

I shrugged. "What can he steal from me? Money? I have plenty. Once I inherit the Vance Group, I can easily afford a trophy husband."

"He has great genetics. For me, this is a highly profitable deal."

I glanced over Julian's background check.

As for Tristan, Harvey, and Jasper—since they didn't want to marry me, they were useless. They didn't need to stay in my life anymore.

"Take him for a full medical checkup," I told Sarah. "Bring the results to my house."

Having settled a major issue, I walked out of the building in a great mood. But as I turned the corner, I bumped into a fragile figure.

Chloe gasped, covering her mouth as if she had uncovered a scandalous secret.

"Elena, I didn't mean to eavesdrop. I just didn't expect you to go after other men when you already have three amazing boyfriends..."

Knowing she was about to make a scene, I reached out to grab her arm to quiet her down.

But she flinched as if I were a monster, stumbling backward right into Tristan's arms.

Tristan held Chloe tightly, glaring at me. "Elena, what did you do this time? Why are you terrorizing Chloe?!"

Harvey and Jasper rushed over, immediately pointing fingers at me.

"Elena, don't cross the line! Chloe is a Vance too. Why do you always bully her the moment she steps into the office?"

"You haven't even taken over the company yet, and you're already acting like a tyrant. Some sister you are."

Chloe clutched their sleeves, looking helpless. "Tristan, don't blame Elena. It’s my fault. I made her angry."

"I didn't know Elena was hooking up with a male model. I didn't mean to interrupt them..."

"Maybe you guys haven't been paying enough attention to her lately. She must have been lonely, which is why she’s looking for other men..."

In just a few sentences, she turned me into a loose woman.

But over the past few years, I had never claimed to be anyone's girlfriend.

First, because I wanted to respect them. I didn't want the media to paint them as gold-diggers living off my allowance.

Second, because every time I brought up marriage, they dodged the question.

They claimed they were men of pride. Marrying into my family was emasculating, and they needed time to prepare themselves psychologically.

Tristan, in particular, always looked at me with disgust.

"Why are you so desperate to get married? Is the allowance the Vance family gives you not enough for you to squander?"

"Everyone knows the first sister to marry gets the inheritance. You’re pushing us so hard—have you even thought about your sister?"

"The Vance Group belongs to her parents. Why are you trying to steal it?"

"She’s the second miss of the family. She suffered for so many years out there. Now that she’s finally home, you can’t wait to kick her out!"

I had stormed out after that fight. That night, I went to his apartment to apologize, only to see him kneeling before Chloe.

"You are the only one I recognize as the true heiress and my wife," he had said devotedly. "If you’re not ready, I will swallow my pride, marry Elena, and help you take back what’s yours."

"I swear, as long as I’m here, Elena will never hurt you."

That was when I realized they didn't hate the idea of marrying into a wealthy family. They just hated marrying *me*.

But the Vance Group was built by *my* parents. Chloe's mother was a mistress who chose to live off my father's money. Chloe had spent her entire life squandering my father's cash and my mother's estate.

Yet, in their eyes, Chloe was a victim, and I was the villain.

They expected me to hand everything over to her on a silver platter.