His words left me speechless. I let out a disbelieving laugh.

This wedding had been arranged by his family. By name, I was his fiancée. And yet, without knowing a damn thing about what had just happened, he was demanding I get on my knees and apologize?

“Marshall,” I said calmly, though my voice trembled, “we may not know each other well and I get that you care more about Reyna than you ever will about me—but legally, I’m still your fiancée. Don’t you think I deserve at least a little respect?”

I looked him straight in the eye. “She attacked me first. And instead of asking what happened, you automatically assumed I was at fault. Why?”

“Why?” He scoffed, repeating the word like it was a joke. “Because you're a conniving woman who manipulates everything to get her way. If it weren’t for my grandfather making my inheritance conditional on marrying you, I wouldn’t waste another second on you. A nobody from some backwater town, thinking she can claw her way into high society. You make me sick.”

His gaze dropped to the mud stains still clinging to my field clothes.

"Don’t think for a second that being engaged to me gives you the right to disrespect the people I care about. If you upset Reyna again, I’ll have you thrown out of the Rhodes Family so fast you won’t know what hit you."

I stared at him, stunned.

I stared at him in disbelief. “Let me make this clear, Marshall…this marriage? I never wanted it.”

“Oh, spare me the hard-to-get act,” Reyna jumped in, laughing smugly. “If Marshall actually dumped you, you’d come crawling back, begging for another chance.”

“Marrying into the Rhodes Family is the best thing that’ll ever happen to you, sweetheart,” she added, smug. “You must be out of your mind to throw it away.”

The two of them stood there, acting like they were doing me a favor.

I laughed.

“The Rhodes are nothing. I didn’t even know who you people were before this ridiculous arrangement. Do you think every woman on Earth is lining up, desperate to marry into your dysfunctional dynasty?” 

Gasps rippled from the crowd outside the doorway.

“Did she seriously just say that?” a middle-aged woman whispered, eyes wide. “Does she not know they’re one of the richest families in the country?”

“She must be out of her mind. Who in their right mind would turn down a marriage into the Rhodes Family?” a younger woman scoffed. “They offered her the wedding, bought her this house and she throws a tantrum over some weird decorations?”

“Exactly,” another woman, about the same age, chimed in. “Why not just let Miss Hawke blow off some steam? She could’ve fixed it all after the wedding. Honestly, this girl’s being completely irrational.”

These people. What is wrong with them? So what if the Rhodes Family was rich? None of them knew the truth. The Rhodes Family’s wealth came from government contracts. 

Ten years ago, they’d secured the ten-year rights to a research project developed by our lab. That deal brought them an easy fortune and years of smooth sailing. But that contract was set to expire in just a month. If they failed to get it renewed, all that shine and prestige would disappear overnight.

That was why Wilfred Rhodes, despite his age, had been making daily trips to our institute—smiling, bowing, kissing up to every higher-up he could find, trying to lock down an extension. He knew I was the project lead. He also knew I was single. So he parked himself outside my office, day after day, trying to sweet-talk me into “considering” his grandson.

When I didn’t fall for it, he went straight to my mother. Said all the right things, made promises and convinced her to lock in the marriage before I could say no.

Truth be told, the match was mutually beneficial. From a business standpoint, if I married into the Rhodes Family, it would stabilize their investment interests in the country and give our research more exposure. The higher-ups were still watching, still waiting to see if the Rhodes Family would be worth a long-term partnership.

But now…

Wilfred’s carefully orchestrated plan was going down in flames, thanks to his spoiled grandson.

My silence, while I sorted through all of this in my head, must’ve looked like hesitation.

Marshall crossed his arms and sneered. “I’m giving you one last chance. Get on your knees and apologize to Reyna. Or I’m calling off the wedding.”

I looked him dead in the eye.

“Fine,” I said. “Let’s cancel the wedding.” 

Both of them just stood there, completely stunned. Especially Marshall, whose face twisted in disbelief. Maybe it was the first time a woman he considered beneath him had publicly rejected him. Or maybe he’d finally realized that if I really refused to go through with the wedding, Wilfred might just revoke his right to inherit everything.

But Reyna? Her eyes lit up like Christmas morning—full of greed and opportunity.

“Wait, isn’t this perfect?” she chirped, looping her arm through his. “Now you don’t have to marry some farm-raised nobody. She practically did you a favor.”

I could see the hesitation flicker across Marshall’s face. His eyes shifted like he was doing mental math.

Reyna leaned in closer, her voice syrupy sweet. “Come on, you know your grandpa didn’t mean what he said. He was just pissed off. There’s no way he’d actually cut you off the will just because you didn’t marry some backwater girl. You’re the smartest, the most capable—who else is gonna carry on the Rhodes Family legacy if not you? He knows that.”

“But the invitations are already out,” he mutters. “Calling it off now will make the family look bad.”

Reyna leans against him, drawing lazy circles on his chest with her finger. “But… you have me,” she giggled. Her voice drops to a coy whisper. “Don’t you think I’d make a better wife?”

His eyes darkened as he reached for her hand. “You’re right. I should’ve married you. A woman of noble, not a country bumpkin.”

Then, as if I weren’t even in the room, he sneered, “She should’ve been grateful just to be in the same room as me. If Grandpa hadn’t forced my hand, I wouldn’t have even bothered showing up today.”

I’d had enough.

“Well, since the wedding’s off,” I cut in coldly, “I’d like the both of you to get the hell out of my house. But before you go, take down all these ridiculous decorations you put up.”

I pointed to the doorway still draped in tulle and flowers.

Some of the neighbors who’d gathered outside started laughing among themselves.

“She’s not seriously thinking the house still belongs to her, is she?” one woman said, amused. It’s a wedding gift. And there’s no wedding, so obviously it goes back to Mr. Rhodes.”

Reyna clutched Marshall’s arm tighter. "Don’t let her keep it,” Reyna whined, her voice grating. “You’re not even getting married anymore. I just don’t want her using this as some excuse to leeching off of you.”

Marshall looks like he’s thinking it over, then says gently, “Alright. I’ll take it back.”

Marshall glared at me, then barks, “I’ll have this house back. I don’t care if Grandpa gave it to you—this place is mine again, so pack your stuff and get out.”

I blinked. The audacity. 

“This house isn’t yours,” I said, steady and clear. “It was assigned to me by the institute I work for. Your family had nothing to do with it.”

He let out a mocking laugh, pulled out his wallet and tossed a check onto the table like that settled everything.

“No need to make up stories like that,” he sneered, letting out a laugh. He pulled out his wallet and threw a check on the table like he was doing me a favor.

“This is what you want, right? Money? Take it. Consider it me buying the house back. Happy?”

I looked down at the check, then right back at him.

“No,” I said calmly. “For the last time, this house was given to me not by Mr. Rhodes but my superior. It’s not for sale. No amount of money can make you, a commoner, the owner of this place.”

That made both him and Reyna burst out laughing and the crowd outside joined in like a bad comedy show.

“Of course she won’t take the money,” one woman cackled. “These old houses sat empty for years. No one wanted them. And now she thinks she’s living in a palace? Please.”

Marshall shook his head and snorted. “You hear that? Be smart and take the damn money.”

But I didn’t move. My voice stayed firm.

“You don’t get to throw your money around and expect the world to bow,” I told him. “This house isn’t yours, Marshall. And no amount of money is gonna change that.”

Before I could react, Marshall signaled his bodyguards. Without a word, they grabbed me and dragged me out, tossing me onto the street like I was garbage.

A moment later, a construction crew arrived, hauling crates of demolition gear and placing charges all around the small brick house.

Marshall stood there, arms crossed, eyes cold and gleaming with smugness. “Let this be a lesson,” he said. “There’s nothing in Yorklin I can’t own. And no one gets in my way.”

He took a step closer, voice dropping to a low threat. “Getting this house was easy. Even easier tearing it down.”

I glared at him, fury boiling just under my skin. “Are you really gonna do this? You’re just a businessman, Marshall. What makes you think you’re above the law?”

He scoffed, tilting his chin arrogantly. “Why not? You think threatening me changes anything?” He leaned in. “In this city, the Rhodes Family is the law. The law bends to us.”

Around us, neighbors started gathering outside the gates, murmuring under their breath.

“You should just give in, miss,” an older woman said gently. “That man’s no ordinary guy. He’s the Rhodes heir. Not just rich—they’ve got friends in very high places. Even the government doesn’t mess with them.”

Hearing that only made Reyna beam like a queen. She strutted toward me and pointed straight at my face.

“Scared now?” she taunted. “Why don’t you drop to your knees and beg? Once we claim this house, we’ll flatten it. And you are going to be the next.”

“Shut up!” I snapped, my eyes locking on hers. “This is my last warning. Stop now, or bear for the consequences.”

Reyna rolled her eyes, snatched the detonator from a nearby worker and sneered. “Try me.”

Then she pressed the button.

The explosion tore through the air like thunder. The house collapsed in on itself in seconds. Dust and debris shot skyward and the sound echoed across downtown Yorklin.

I stood frozen, heart racing, staring at the wreckage. This is going to get nasty. 

Reyna wrapped herself around Marshall’s arm, giggling. “That was loud! Ugh, scared the life out of me.”

Then she strutted toward me and kicked my shin. “See that? We brought it down. Where’s the consequences you’re talking about?” She scoffed. “Pathetic. You’re just all bark, no bite.”

Right then, my phone buzzed in my pocket. The caller ID was just a single digit 0. I answered immediately.

My superior’s voice came through, tense and sharp.

“Liora, where are you? Are you okay? We just saw an explosion coming from your house wedding. We suspected the enemy force trying to get you. We’re dispatching a team to your location now.”

“I’m at the site, Chief,” I replied, steady despite the chaos. “The people responsible for the blast… are standing right in front of me.”

There was a pause. Then his voice rose in disbelief.

“What?! Who the hell had the nerve to do that?”

“They claim the Rhodes Family owns this city,” I said evenly. “They think they’re untouchable.”

I took a breath. “They also said… after dealing with the house. I’m gonna be the next.”

A sharp inhale. Then silence. Followed by pure rage in his voice.

“Put them on the phone. Now.”

I turned to hand the phone to Marshall, but Reyna snatched it from my hand before I could.

She held it up and sneered into the receiver.

“You must be that bitch Liora’s boss. What, you wanna try to scare me, too?”

Her voice turned mocking. “Yeah, I said it. The Rhodes Family runs Yorklin. Marshall Rhodes can do whatever the hell he wants. You got a problem with that?”

There was nothing but dead silence on the other end—until my superior’s voice returned, cold and lethal.

There was silence.

Then came the clipped, lethal voice of my superior. “Who is this? Put Marshall Rhodes on the phone. Now.”

Reyna cackled. “Who do you think you’re talking to, old man? Not just anyone gets to talk to Marshall. I’m his fiancée and everything I say goes for both of us. You don’t like it? Come to the Rhodes estate and say it to our face.”

Then her smirk deepened and she added with a scoff, “Try anything funny and we’ll blow you up too.”

The only reply was the sound of a deep inhale.

“Hello? Hello?” Reyna called but nothing. Then she snorted. “No comeback? Yeah, I thought so.”

And with that, she hung up and threw my phone to the ground, shattering it on impact.

Turning to Marshall, she beamed like a kid showing off.

“He totally shut up. Bet he’s scared now.”

Marshall chuckled, brushing a hand through her hair like she was some prized puppy.

“That’s my girl. Always knows how to shut people up.”

I sucked in a breath, disbelief tightening in my chest.

Shut people up? No. She’d just signed their death warrants.

I turned my gaze on Marshall, voice low and cutting.

“Marshall, are you sure you don’t want to check who that call was from?”

He didn’t respond.

“You’re not the least bit worried that your girlfriend may have picked a fight with the wrong person?”

They both laughed it off.

Reyna tossed her hair and scoffed. “As if. There’s no one in Yorklin the Rhodes Family can’t handle. This city belongs to us.”

I smiled.

“Is that so? Let’s hope you’re still feeling that brave... ten minutes from now.”

Right on cue, the low roar of helicopter rotors filled the sky.

Then came the squeal of tires. Dozens of black vehicles skidded to a stop just outside the estate gates.

Marshall’s smug expression froze.

I turned toward the sound.

Military helicopters swooped overhead, their green insignias unmistakable. Armored trucks lined the street, each one stamped with a classified federal seal.