Leyla didn't argue against it.

Before heading to register their marriage, Samuel brought her to a salon and arranged for a celebrity stylist to redo her makeup and hair.

Meanwhile, Leyla sat quietly while her thoughts kept running in circles.

She couldn't decide whether she should tell Averie about the marriage. If Averie found out from her directly, she would definitely get angry.

But if she hid something this important, Averie would still be angry afterward.

Leyla was still thinking about it when her phone suddenly rang.

The moment she answered, Averie's excited voice rushed through the call. "Lala, where are you right now? I secretly took my dad's bank card so I could help pay for your brother's treatment. Please just marry him already."

Leyla quickly covered the microphone and nodded apologetically toward the people nearby. "Sorry. I need to answer this."

After walking over to the picture window, she lowered her voice. "Why did you take your dad's bank card? Put it back immediately, or he'll probably stop you from working for another month."

Averie had only recently become an adult and was the youngest model signed under the agency. Leyla worked as her agent, and the two of them were close enough to talk about their troubles and comfort each other.

Recently, Averie kept asking her to marry her father, but Leyla truly couldn't agree to it.

"No!" Averie sounded close to tears. "Please, Lala. Do you really want to watch me get bullied by a vicious stepmother? What if my future step-siblings steal my inheritance and throw me out onto the streets?"

Leyla's heart softened immediately.

Her own situation wasn't much different, so she couldn't stop herself from feeling sympathy for Averie.

Still, Samuel already offered her an opportunity she couldn't ignore. For now, she planned to borrow the money first and slowly repay everything afterward.

After calming herself down, she comforted Averie softly. "Don't worry, Averie. Once I deal with my current situation, I'll help you think of a solution."

Inside the VIP lounge of the salon, Samuel sat on the sofa with a cup of coffee in hand. His expression stayed cool and indifferent.

After finishing her styling appointment upstairs, Averie came down prepared to leave. The moment she noticed Samuel sitting there, surprise immediately crossed her face. "Dad? Why are you here? You don't even bother dressing up when you go on dates."

"I'm getting married," Samuel answered flatly.

Averie reacted immediately. "What? Married to who? Where did this woman even come from? How old is she? Is she after your money?"

Samuel didn't even raise his head. "She needs money. I have money. That's enough."

Averie's teeth clenched together. "I don't agree with this at all. You should marry my best friend instead. She's capable, she's smart, and she treats me really well."

"No," Samuel refused coldly.

Averie instantly pointed a warning at him. "I will never consider her my mom!"

"Return the bank card you stole from me." Only then did Samuel finally lift his eyes toward her.

Averie's expression changed right away, and she immediately softened her voice. "Dad, do you even know how stepmothers treat their husband's daughters? Why didn't you discuss your marriage with me first?"

Right as she finished speaking, Leyla walked downstairs.

A white tulle dress draped over her body, while her long hair rested over her shoulders and gave her a gentle look.

Samuel lifted his gaze toward her, and for a brief moment, his eyes stayed fixed on Leyla.

The dress he personally selected suited her perfectly.

Averie turned around the next second and saw Leyla standing there. Her eyes widened immediately. "Lala!"

"Averie?" Leyla froze on the spot.

Leyla couldn't understand why Averie was standing next to Samuel. For a moment, she even wondered if Samuel was Averie's older brother.

Samuel slightly raised his brows. "You two know each other?"

Averie immediately wrapped an arm around Leyla and proudly introduced her. "Of course we do. She's my best friend."

A trace of surprise crossed Samuel's face.

He heard Averie mention Leyla many times before, but whenever Averie asked him to join them for dinner, he always refused.

If he had agreed earlier, maybe he would have realized much sooner that the woman he loved had already been close to him this entire time.

Meanwhile, Leyla still couldn't figure out the relationship between them. She held the hem of her dress and slowly stepped down the remaining stairs.

After stopping beside Averie, Leyla lowered her voice awkwardly. "Sorry, Averie. He offered me too much money, and... I'm marrying him."

Averie immediately looked at her seriously. "How much money are we talking about?"

Leyla answered honestly, "He already gave me six million dollars, and my monthly allowance will be at least one million dollars."

The next second, Averie exploded and turned toward Samuel. "Dad, why is my one million dollar allowance the limit, but hers is only the minimum?"

Leyla froze instantly. Did Averie just call Samuel Dad?

Averie quickly pulled Leyla toward Samuel. "Lala, this is my dad. He's thirty-seven, single, and one of the most eligible bachelors in the city."

Leyla instantly avoided Samuel's eyes before greeting him awkwardly. "Mr. Dawson."

So the man she was going to enter a contract marriage with turned out to be her best friend's father?!