Chapter 4

In the Vance family, his parents' words were absolute law. Neither Julian nor I had ever been allowed to defy them.

Chloe was already whispering poison into Julian's ear.

"Tomorrow at the estate, she's definitely going to put on a tearful performance in front of your parents, blow this out of proportion, and force them to sweeten the deal."

Julian said nothing, but he stepped forward and rested a heavy hand on my suitcase handle.

"Stop this nonsense. We're going to the estate tomorrow." He paused, his voice lowering into a warning. "Watch what you say in front of my mother."

I pulled the suitcase away from his grip and walked toward the front door.

"I'll get there on my own."

I paused at the threshold.

"Don't worry. I'm a fantastic actress, remember? I won't say the wrong lines."

Julian stared at me, dumbfounded.

My cold, indifferent tone was completely alien to him. It left him feeling unsettled and deeply anxious.

The next morning, I drove to the Vance estate alone.

Julian and Chloe were already seated in the grand drawing room when I arrived.

"Lauren, sit," Eleanor Vance said, setting down her porcelain teacup and gesturing toward the armchair opposite her.

I sat down, keeping my back perfectly straight.

I had visited this opulent mansion over fifty times. Every single time, I had walked on eggshells, desperately playing the role of the docile, dutiful future daughter-in-law.

I had foolishly believed they were slowly accepting me. But looking into Eleanor's cold, calculating eyes now, I realized that acceptance was strictly conditional on my blind obedience.

The moment I stopped being obedient, I was nothing more than an insolent outsider.

Eleanor spoke first, her tone smooth and businesslike.

"Lauren, is it true you're losing the pregnancy?"

"Yes."

Chloe piped up immediately.

"Mrs. Vance, it's all an act! Her entire attitude flipped the second Julian handed her the prenup addendum with the eight-hundred-dollar allowance. She claimed she was in danger, but she didn't even book an immediate procedure. Then she took off the ring, canceled the venue, and packed her bags. It's a textbook manipulation tactic! I've worked in entertainment long enough to recognize this script from a mile away."

Hearing Chloe's words, Eleanor's gaze hardened as she turned back to me.

"Lauren, I used to think you were a sensible girl."

I offered a faint, self-deprecating smile. "Consider me senseless then, Eleanor."

Eleanor faltered, taken aback by my complete lack of deference.

She forced herself to maintain her composure. "If you have specific demands, lay them on the table. If they aren't unreasonable, the Vance family can accommodate you."

I shook my head once more. "I only want one thing: to cancel the wedding."

Eleanor frowned. "Weren't you desperate to marry my son all these years?"

"That was then."

Eleanor's eyebrows knitted together in subtle disgust. "All of this over an eight-hundred-dollar monthly allowance?"

A glint of utter disdain flashed across her face.

"To think you really were after our money all along."

I let out a soft laugh.

"Eleanor, before Julian proposed, your family hired private investigators to run a background check on me. The file was forty pages thick. What I was after when I chose Julian---you know better than anyone."

Eleanor choked on her words, her lips parting without a sound.

Finally, Edward Vance, the patriarch, broke his silence. His voice was deep, authoritative, and accustomed to commanding boardrooms.

"Enough. For the sake of the child you're carrying, we can increase the marital settlement. Name your price."

They had already made up their minds: all my defiance was just a ploy for a bigger payout.

"I don't want your money," I said clearly.

Edward's brow furrowed deeper. "Then what do you want? Real estate? Commercial land? Shares in the company?"

Chloe couldn't resist chiming in again. "Mr. Vance, don't let her play you! This is textbook reverse psychology. The more you negotiate, the more leverage she thinks she has. If you actually call her bluff and cancel the wedding, she'll come crawling back in pure panic."

Edward's eyes darkened thoughtfully. He seemed entirely convinced by Chloe's assessment.