Nelson Carlson froze mid-step, lifting his sharp, perceptive gaze. "You’re not getting back in the family unless you’re officially divorced from Joshua West."

Haven Peters dropped her chin, taking a slow sip of her coffee. "I already left the divorce papers with Joshua. He’ll sign and send them back soon. Besides, when we first got married, we never filed the paperwork. It’s not like we’re legally married in the first place, so it’s more of a clean separation than an official divorce."

Their relationship had been over for years, and the unfiled paperwork had always sat with her. They’d had the big wedding, but they never completed the legal registration. Leaving those divorce papers was just her way of making sure there were no loose ends left between them.

She knew her whole family was aware of that fact. None of them ever wanted to dig up that messy, uncomfortable detail.

Skeptical, Nelson sat down across from her and took a sip of his own coffee. Even Aunt Jane’s famous brew couldn’t top this one.

He still couldn’t wrap his head around it: his sister, who’d grown up spoiled rotten, never lifted a finger her whole life, had turned into a total domestic goddess after moving in with Joshua. They’d both been raised with people waiting on them hand and foot, after all.

"What’s up, bro?" Haven caught the look on his face and waved a hand in front of his eyes. "Coffee not good?"

Nelson caught her hand mid-wave, his thumb brushing the faint roughness on her palm. That texture was completely foreign to him, and his worry grew deeper. "You’re really sure you want to come back?"

Haven saw the worry swimming in his eyes and pulled her hand back, turning all her old bitterness into a soft, steady smile. "I was naive back then. I hurt Mom and Dad. Even if I still feel like an outsider now, I owe them a proper apology."

Nelson knew she was just trying to put him at ease. She’d never been this thoughtful before, and that left him with a weird, tight feeling in his chest. "It wasn’t all your fault. We never stopped to ask how you felt, we just pressured you to marry someone you didn’t love. Of course you fought back."

His support wrapped around her, warm and unexpected. "Brother…"

Nelson chose not to pick at old scabs. He switched gears to lighten the mood. "If you’re really set on cutting ties with Joshua West for good, maybe you can come home to see Mom and Dad. I can set it up, and you won’t have to leave again after."

He pulled an invitation out of his suit pocket as he spoke. "Mom’s fiftieth birthday party is tomorrow. This is the perfect opening."

"Mom’s turning fifty?" Haven froze, completely blindsided.

In her head, her mom had always been eternally young and beautiful—more graceful than any other mom she’d ever known. It was impossible to picture her hitting fifty.

Nelson sighed. "It’s been five years since you left."

Haven slipped into a sleek, vintage Victorian-style dress and rode with Nelson to the venue.

"I’m not going in with you," Nelson said as he held the car door open for her. "Mom and Dad don’t know I’ve been talking to you. You’ll have to work things out with them on your own."

"Okay," Haven nodded.

Truth be told, she felt she didn’t even deserve to come back. This apology was long overdue. Now she finally understood how much her parents loved her, and she cherished that more than anything.

As Haven walked toward the private entrance for personally invited, high-profile guests, she spotted Joshua and his mother.

What were they doing here?

"Out of the way!" A sharp voice snapped from behind her, followed by a hard shove that sent her stumbling. When she caught her balance, Joshua and his mother were close enough that she could hear every word.

"Why do you look so pale?" Joshua’s mother griped. "You laze around the house doing nothing all day, and you can’t even take care of yourself. You’re completely useless."

Haven knew that tone better than anyone.

When Joshua first brought her into the West house, his mother never even bothered to give her the time of day. An orphan with no real family connections? She wasn’t worth wasting breath on.

The Wests were old money, and Haven knew they needed a powerful ally to pull them through their current business crisis. Joshua’s mom had been pushing an arranged marriage for him this whole time—looking for someone rich and well-connected to prop up their failing company.

But Joshua had refused to budge. He insisted on marrying her.

Haven remembered how he’d stood by her back then. That’s why she’d secretly poured all her hard-earned savings and the revenue from her overseas business into the West company anonymously. She never told him—she was scared it would bruise his pride.

"Mom, this is Mrs. Rivera’s party. Let’s not talk business here," Joshua said, clearly trying to steer the conversation away from anything that would remind him of Haven.

"Hmph." His mother shoved a business card into his hand, still lecturing. "I told you to marry into a wealthy family and you said no. Look where that stubbornness got us. Now that the company’s on the brink, you need to go talk to the Riveras, see if they’ll bail us out. Otherwise, we’re finished."

A lightbulb went off for her. "I heard the Riveras have a daughter your age. If you marry her, you’ll be part of the family, and we’ll never have to worry about money again."

Hiding in the shadow off to the side, Haven fixed her eyes on Joshua, waiting.

Joshua was quiet for a long moment. Then he nodded, agreeing to the plan. "If that’s what it takes, I’ll marry the Rivera daughter."

Hidden away, Haven tore her gaze away, a bitter, mocking smile tugging at the corner of her mouth.

For half a second, she’d actually expected Joshua to tell his mother no. Firmly.

Shaking off the stupid ache in her chest, Haven checked in through the side entrance Nelson had arranged for her, then slipped down a quiet back corridor that led to the main lounge.

"Congratulations on your big milestone, Mrs. Rivera," the woman purred.

That was Cheyenne Larson, her mother’s sister-in-law—who’d had it out for her mother for as long as anyone could remember. "What an extravagant party, almost like a royal gala. You’ve invited every big name in business, haven’t you?"

Her mother, poised and elegant even under all her event makeup, answered coolly, "What do you want, Cheyenne?"

"Why the long face? You can’t still be upset that your daughter—the one you raised for decades—isn’t here for your fiftieth?"

At the mention of Haven’s name, her mother’s eyes flushed red. She blinked hard, fighting back the tears that pricked her lids. "She’s no daughter of mine. Just an ungrateful stray. Even if she showed up today, I wouldn’t see her!"

"That’s fair," Cheyenne shrugged. "Grandpa went through all that trouble to set her up with a good marriage, and she threw it back in his face. No wonder you’re furious."

Her mother’s deep red painted lips tightened into a hard line. "Let’s hope your own golden girl doesn’t end up disappointing you!"

Haven’s breath caught in her throat. She didn’t even realize her grip had tightened on the silk handkerchief box she was holding until the edge dug into her palm.

Standing outside her mother’s Thanksgiving dinner, Haven felt the sharp sting of whispered gossip behind her back, all on a day that was supposed to be full of joy. She’d spent so long wishing she had her parents’ blessing—but these days, that felt farther out of reach than ever.

Her marriage had turned into nothing but a joke to the whole family. She couldn’t make herself walk in to face her mom, dreading the cold judgment she knew she’d see in those eyes. Maybe she never should have come at all.

She left a gift wrapped on the doorstep, breathed a silent, "Happy Thanksgiving, Mom," and turned to walk away.

She’d just reached the elevator when she ran straight into her brother Nelson, who’d come to walk their mom into the dinner. One look at her tear-streaked face and he frowned, immediately concerned. "What happened? Did Mom say something to you?"

Haven shook her head. "Nah. I didn’t even go in."

"Then why the hell not?"

Her voice came out rough and hoarse when she answered. "I hurt her too bad. No amount of apologizing is gonna fix what I broke. The only thing I can do is stay away, so I don’t bring any more disgrace on this family."

She turned toward the elevator buttons.

Nelson caught her arm before she could go any farther. "If you wanna prove anything to Mom, you gotta show her your marriage isn’t a mistake. Show everyone there’s nothing left to mock us for anymore."

Fresh tears burned Haven’s eyes. "How am I supposed to prove that my marriage isn’t a total disaster? My life with Joshua was never happy, not once."

Was she really supposed to pretend everything was fine with Joshua by her side?

She was done with him. She didn’t even want him knowing she was part of the Rivera family anymore.

Haven’s confusion was written all over her face.

Nelson steered her into an empty guest room and pulled out his phone. While he waited for the call to pick up, he cut straight to the point.

"You never officially dated anyone," he said. "But what if you married someone amazing—someone that checks every box on your list? We can prove to everyone you didn’t make the wrong choice this time."

Haven listened, completely perplexed. "I get what you’re saying, but why would a guy like that even look twice at me?"

"He’s not just interested—he’s already willing," Nelson assured her.

"When?" Haven couldn’t believe what she was hearing.

Instead of answering her directly, Nelson spoke into the phone. "Hey, you got a minute?"

He switched it to speakerphone, and Haven immediately felt self-conscious, heat creeping up her cheeks. Was her brother getting her into some mess again?

The voice on the other end was deep and warm, laced with quiet amusement. "What do I owe this unexpected matchmaking call?"

"I’m dead serious," Nelson said, his eyes locked hard on Haven. "I need you to get over here and help us out."

Standing there, Haven’s embarrassment only grew thicker—especially when dead silence stretched over the line.

Finally, she couldn’t take it anymore. She reached for Nelson’s phone. "Cut it out, Nelson. I can fix things with Mom on my own. This guy doesn’t need to get dragged into our mess."

In their quick tussle, the phone slipped right out of Nelson’s hand. Haven hurried to apologize. "Sorry about that. My brother doesn’t think before he acts sometimes. You heard all that, right?"

The voice on the line chuckled softy. "Wait—did I just hear that correctly? Is that my future wife on the line?"

The out-of-the-blue question left Haven stunned, the blush on her face turning even deeper.

Even through the phone, she could feel how calm and confident the man was, and it made her heart skip all kinds of beats.

She swallowed hard, nervous. "No, I mean… my brother was just messing around."

Unfazed, his voice stayed steady. "You don’t have to answer me right this second, but what’s it gonna be? Are you in or out?"

Somehow, amidst all the chaos and confusion, Haven suddenly knew exactly what to do. She glanced at her brother, and his eyes were steady, full of reassurance.

If there was anyone she could trust completely, it was Nelson. If he said this guy was good people, she believed him.

Her voice shook a little, but she got the word out anyway. "Yes."

The word had barely left her lips when she felt Nelson breathe a soft sigh of relief, like he’d been holding his breath this whole time.

Before she could overthink it, Nelson took the phone back and murmured something to the man. Whatever he said, it was obvious plans were already falling into place from the grin on his face. "He’s gonna join us for Mom’s dinner. Go get ready to meet him."

Nelson practically herded her out the door, Haven’s head spinning with a million different emotions. Everything was moving way too fast for her to wrap her head around it.

"This is a marriage, not a damn game," she protested. "One phone call can’t lock in something this big. Shouldn’t we at least talk first? I don’t even know what the guy looks like! This whole thing’s just gonna be awkward as hell!"

Nelson smiled soft at her panic and lifted an eyebrow. "You got a better plan? Or you just wanna keep letting Mom misunderstand you forever? At least meet the guy. I promise I’ll handle everything else. You don’t gotta worry about a thing."

His tone lightened. "Honestly? I’ve always believed a little serendipity doesn’t hurt anybody. Maybe today’s actually your lucky day."

Serendipity?

Haven caught his drift and gave him a playful shove with her foot. "Are you even really my brother? I’m not that naive!"

Just like when they were kids, Nelson laughed at her little flare of indignation. He reached over and ruffled her hair playfully.

"Hell yeah I am, dear Haven. You’re back now, all grown up. When our big brother hears about this, he’s gonna lose his mind happy."

Haven nodded softly, taking that in.

"I’ll go find Mom," Nelson said, his tone turning serious. "Since you decided to face this head on, hiding from her isn’t gonna fix anything. She’s got a hard shell, but that soft center’s still there. This meeting’s gonna go easier than you think."

With that, Nelson’s expression grew more solemn, a heavy weight behind his gaze.

Haven thought back to the things she’d overheard earlier, and a soft, sad longing settled in her chest. "Does Mom really hate me that much? Will she ever actually forgive me?"

Nelson Carlson had always seen his younger sister Haven as fearless. She’d been raised like a princess, cherished every second of it. When it came to real love, she dove in headfirst—never scared to love hard or make the tough calls. But over the past five years? A thick layer of caution had dimmed that once-bright spark in her eyes. What changed her that much, anyway?

His chest ached just looking at her. "Don’t worry, I’ve got your back," he told her, soft and steady. "Just stick to my plan, apologize to Mom sincerely. You know how she is—she always forgives you." He still remembered every time she got into trouble as a kid, he’d step right up and take the blame, take the punishment for her.

Over the years, they’d drifted apart a little, but he’d never pulled away from her. He’d stepped back from most family drama just to focus on her. His love for her ran deeper than anything.

Haven’s throat tightened with gratitude, and her eyes filled with tears. "When you’re not around, I had to learn to stand on my own two feet," she said, her voice wobbly, thick with everything that had happened lately.

Nelson could never stay stern around her. Seeing her like this twisted his heart, and all he wanted was to pull her close and comfort her. "You’re still just the same kid you used to be," he teased gentle, dabbing at the corners of her eyes with a tissue. "Still that soft, sensitive girl I grew up with."

Years had only pulled them closer. Nelson had always had her back, even when the whole world turned against her. The kinder he was, the redder her eyes got, until she was one breath away from sobbing.

"Whoa, what’s with all the waterworks now?" Nelson chuckled, pinching her cheek lightly. "Save those for when you see Mom. You never know—those tears might work in your favor."

"Nelson!" Haven laughed through her tears, and for the first time in forever, she felt like her rock, her big brother, was really back.

*Meanwhile, down in the banquet hall*

The room hummed with big names, everyone clinking champagne glasses and chatting loudly. A group of elegant, poised socialites clustered together, gossiping about the latest town drama.

"Did you hear the news? Leonard Peters just hit number one on the Forbes list, and he’s only 26! Does anyone here actually know him? If you do, your whole family’s status is gonna skyrocket," one woman piped up.

Amanda, a tall socialite with perfectly styled hair, huffed a dry laugh. "Please. Leonard Peters is way out of our league. Even my uncle tried to set up a meeting with him. Whenever Leonard’s in the same room as my cousin—who’s gorgeous, by the way, super successful—he doesn’t even glance her way."

All the young women sighed, longing curling in their chests. "Guess that’s just our pipe dream, huh? So who’s the lucky girl he’s actually into?"

"Wait, by the way—Is he even coming to Mrs. Rivera’s party tonight?"

"C’mon, the Riveras are rich and all, but they don’t hold a candle to Leonard Peters. Why the hell would he show up here?"

Right on cue, a murmur rippled through the crowd by the main entrance.

"Oh my god—Is that *actually* Leonard Peters?"

Every head in the room snapped toward the door. The whole hall went dead quiet, thick anticipation hanging in the air.

Leonard Peters carried an aura no one could put into words. He was tall, broad-shouldered, and his sharp, intense gaze alone made the whole room feel ten degrees colder. Every feature on his face was the perfect mix of polished and raw—devastatingly handsome, impossible to look away from.

His lips were set in a hard line as his eyes swept over the crowd, and every person in the room instinctively held their breath.

"That’s him—Leonard Peters, in the flesh! Can you believe we actually got to see him here?" someone breathed.

"Wait a second… does it look like he’s looking for someone?"

"No way, he’s just here for Mrs. Rivera’s party, right?"

"How the hell did the Riveras get that close to Leonard Peters?"

As the whispers swirled around him, Angelo West stepped forward, giving Leonard a respectful nod. "Leonard, it’s been years. What a surprise to see you here at Mrs. Rivera’s party. My son’s working on a new project right now—would you be open to hearing a pitch about it?"

Leonard looked at him, cool and distant. "Not today, Angelo. I’m here to celebrate with my mother-in-law, not talk shop."

The entire room froze. The revelation hit everyone like a ton of bricks.

"When did Mrs. Rivera become Leonard Peters’s mother-in-law?"

"Have you heard anything about this? I swear this is the first I’m hearing of it!"

Shock rippled through the crowd, one gasp after another.

"Mrs. Rivera has that one daughter she’s always doted on—I had no idea she was Leonard’s wife!"

"Oh, I’ve heard about that girl! She was a total prodigy—spoke fluent English by seven, got her piano level 10 by eight, got into an Ivy League at eleven. By fifteen she had a full research grant, finished her PhD at eighteen!"

"Yeah, but I haven’t heard much about her these past few years…"

Standing off to the side of the crowd, Joshua West tightened his grip on his champagne flute until his knuckles turned white. If he’d just stuck with her, if she was standing next to him right now, this little crisis his company was facing would be nothing. Marrying into the Rivera family would’ve opened doors he could only dream of… but she was Leonard Peters’s wife now.

Right next to him, his mother seethed, already annoyed just talking about Haven’s success. "I told you Haven was never right for us! Remember I told you to string that Rivera girl along to split Haven and Leonard up, and you refused to listen!"

Just saying Haven’s name made her angrier, and she launched into a rant. "That girl never did a damn thing for this family! The company’s falling apart at the seams and she can’t even lift a finger to help! What kind of spell did she cast on you that you’re still obsessed with her after all this?"

Joshua didn’t fight back, but frustration was written all over his face. He pinched the bridge of his nose, the tension in his shoulders too much to bear.

"Mom, this isn’t the time to talk about her. Right now we just need that investment. You said you knew someone in the Rivera family who could introduce us, remember?"

When her son brought up business, Joshua’s mother shut her mouth immediately, her face dropping into a serious mask.

Angelo West, still processing the bombshell he’d just heard, silently kicked himself. Now that he knew Leonard was married to a Rivera daughter, it was a bitter pill to swallow. His son’s shot at getting a meeting with Leonard was completely dead.

All he could do now was hope Leonard didn’t steal the whole spotlight and overshadow the entire night.