"Are you serious? We've offered you such a good opportunity, and you're making demands now? Don't get ahead of yourself," Phyllis snapped, her temper slipping.

Eliana didn't react to the outburst. She simply looked at her, her gaze cold and steady. "If it's such a great opportunity, why not let Iris take it instead?"

"You!" Phyllis exclaimed, but the words got stuck as anger took over.

Did Eliana really think she hadn't considered it? The arrangement with the Shaw family had been meant for Iris from the very beginning. Then out of nowhere, Iris woke up one day and refused outright. She said she would rather die than marry Evan. She claimed he was disabled and had no interest in women, and she called the whole thing a sham marriage.

Fear hit them hard, so they sent someone to look into it in secret. The results came back the same. It was all true. Even so, walking away from a chance to tie themselves to the richest family in the city wasn't something they could accept. That was when Iris came up with another plan and suggested that Eliana take her place.

Thinking back on it, Phyllis forced her anger down and pushed out a strained smile. "You've suffered a lot because of Iris, so it makes sense if you have terms. Go on, tell us what you want."

A faint smile pulled at Eliana's lips. "I want everything that was meant for Iris as wedding gifts."

"What?" Phyllis and the others froze, shock written all over their faces.

At that, something dark passed through Iris' gaze. A quick thought crossed her mind, and she spoke up without hesitation. "That's reasonable. John already said we'll take half of the gifts from the groom's side with us on the wedding day."

A quiet laugh slipped from Eliana. That was a neat way to twist it. She understood their intention very well. The Marshall family didn't want to give her any wedding gifts, and on top of that, they wanted a share of what the Shaw family had prepared.

"The gifts from the bride's side and the groom's side are meant to stay separate. These days, who still takes what belongs to the bride? Wouldn't that just make people laugh? And right now, both the Ward and Shaw families are here to see it."

As soon as she finished speaking, the color drained from every face of the Marshall family members.

A stiff look settled across Phyllis' face.

She forced out a strained smile as she spoke. "That's not what we mean. It's just... Iris isn't marrying into a family as rich as the one you're entering, so she'll need money to get by. You, on the other hand, are going into the wealthiest household. You'll have more than enough. Why would you still ask for this?"

Eliana chuckled. Back in her previous life, she hadn't learned the truth until after her wedding. By then, she realized Phyllis had already set aside a large amount of wedding gifts for Iris, while she had been given nothing at all. She still remembered what Phyllis had told her at the time.

"Iris is marrying into the top family in the city, so she needs more support to keep her standing," Phyllis had explained. "You're only going into an ordinary wealthy home, so there's no need to fuss over it."

Now everything had flipped.

Even so, Eliana didn't lose her composure. She spoke slowly, her voice steady. "You've got it wrong, Mom. Since I'm the one marrying into the wealthiest family, the gifts can't look cheap. If they do, Mr. Shaw might think you're looking down on his family. You wouldn't want to give him that impression, right?"

As she finished speaking, her gaze shifted toward Evan. "Mr. Shaw, what's your opinion?"

Everyone could hear the warning in her words, but no one could find a way to push back.

Evan's expression grew more serious, and his brows drew together. The more he watched Eliana, the more intriguing she became.

A brief nod came from Evan, his tone calm and distant. "That's right."

Phyllis couldn't find a single word to respond.

Before Eliana could open her mouth again, John stepped in at once. He was worried she might push things further if she wasn't satisfied. "They're only wedding gifts. I'll make the decision for your mother. They are yours now, Eliana. Once you marry into the Shaw family, we'll be relying on Mr. Shaw in the future. It makes sense for us to show more sincerity with the gifts."

A faint smile touched Eliana's lips.

Her father really knew how to play his part. It didn't matter. She could take her time with this.

Turning toward Evan, she spoke again. "Mr. Shaw, my mother has been putting together Iris' wedding gifts since she was young. There are property deeds, gold bars, bank certificates, jewelry, and more. She even made a full list herself. Why don't you have someone check it right here, so everything's clear in front of everyone?"

The moment those words left her mouth, Phyllis felt her chest tighten. She never thought Eliana knew about any of it.

It felt like someone had caught her off guard.

A sharp cry escaped her as she moved to stop it, but her voice died the moment she met Eliana's steady gaze. That calm look made her hesitate.

Evan kept his eyes on Eliana, watching closely. Interest flickered in his gaze, and it only grew stronger.

"Alright," he replied.

With that, the issue came to a close.

The Marshalls realized if they wanted ties with a family like the Shaws, they had to accept the cost that came with it. Under John's firm gaze, Phyllis couldn't refuse. She turned and went upstairs, and then came back with the inventory in hand. Eliana took it from her without hesitation and passed it straight to Evan.

"Mr. Shaw, I don't have any objections to this marriage. I'd prefer for the wedding to happen as soon as possible. There's also something I'd like to discuss with you alone, if you don't mind."

Her thoughts were simple. Staying in that house any longer only made her feel sick. The marriage had already been decided, but there were still things she needed to take control of.

Without much reaction, Evan handed the inventory over to the butler standing behind him. His eyes stayed on Eliana, deep and steady. Even after everything she had been through, the weight of his presence still pressed down on her.

"Fine," he responded.

Without wasting a moment, John nodded in agreement. "That works out perfectly. I actually have something I'd like to go over with you, Mr. Ward. Let's step outside and talk in the garden. We should give Mr. Shaw and Eliana some privacy. The wedding's coming up soon, so it's only right they spend some time getting familiar with each other."

After that, the others filed out one by one, leaving the living room to Eliana, Evan, and the butler.

Rolling his wheelchair forward, Evan closed the distance between them. Even while seated, his height nearly matched hers, and the pressure he gave off filled the space. A chill ran through Eliana as old memories pushed to the surface. Scenes from her past life flashed through her mind, where Jeremy had kept her trapped and treated her harshly. The thought made her step back without thinking.

Catching that reaction, Evan stopped, though his voice carried a cold edge. "What's wrong, Miss Marshall? You had plenty to say earlier. Where did that confidence go? What did you want to talk about?"

Heat crept into Eliana's chest.

In her previous life, she would have already broken down under his gaze. This time, things weren't the same, and neither was she.

She steadied herself and pushed aside the emotions rising within her.

Taking a seat across from him, she made sure their eyes met at the same level.

A faint hint of interest passed through Evan's gaze as he watched the change in her.

Keeping her tone calm, she spoke. "Mr. Shaw, we both know this marriage isn't about feelings. It was arranged by our families. You have your reasons, and I have mine. I'll play my role well and won't hold you back. I'll do what I can to help you get what you want. This arrangement will last for one year. After that, we'll go our separate ways. When the time comes, we can tell everyone I wasn't suitable for the Shaw family. I'll sign a prenuptial agreement, and I won't take anything from your side when we divorce. That's my way of showing sincerity."

Without holding anything back, Eliana revealed her entire arrangement in a single breath. Love was never part of this marriage, and she knew that from the start. If she could rely on Evan's backing, everything she planned would fall into place with far less resistance. That was why she chose to be direct. There was no point in hiding anything.

Trying to keep her composure steady, she watched him closely, searching his face for any hint of his thoughts.

Silence stretched on. Just when she began to think he might leave without a word, his voice finally cut through the stillness, low and cold.

"Miss Marshall, I can let your little tricks slide. But you'd better understand your position. If you ever try to turn those schemes on me, I won't be so patient."

The meaning came through clearly.

For a brief moment, Eliana sat still before realization settled in. He had accepted her proposal. The tension in her gaze faded at once, replaced by a spark of surprise. "You mean that?"

She had already been considering what to do if he rejected her, but things had shifted in her favor without warning.

Her reaction made him pause for a second.

"You look rather satisfied, Miss Marshall," he remarked.

Pulling herself together, Eliana lifted her head and met his eyes with a faint smile. "I'm not pleased. Just caught off guard. Someone like you holds all the cards, yet you're willing to deal with me on equal ground."

For the first time, a trace of surprise surfaced in Evan's otherwise unreadable gaze, though it disappeared just as quickly.

She didn't hesitate to continue. "Since we're working together now, Mr. Shaw, have your people draw up the prenuptial agreement."

Her decisiveness clearly went beyond what he expected, and the look in his eyes sharpened. With a slight motion of his hand, the butler stepped forward at once, carrying a prepared document.

Without stopping to review it, Eliana picked up the pen and began signing. Midway through, she paused and looked up. "Mr. Shaw, I need to confirm something. The gifts from both your family and mine will belong to me personally under this agreement, correct?"

There was nothing casual about her question. If she failed to change his fate, he would be gone within half a year. When that happened, this document would be the only thing protecting what she owned and the plan she had set aside for herself. She had to be certain.

A slight crease appeared between Evan's brows, but he didn't press the matter. In the end, he simply gave a curt response. "Yes."

Only after hearing that did Eliana finally relax. She signed her name without delay and passed the agreement straight to the butler.

With everything settled, Evan had no reason to remain.

He left the rest to the butler, who stayed behind to continue sorting through the wedding gifts.

Eliana paid it no mind. She stood there calmly, watching as each item was recorded, occasionally giving instructions to have them packed with care.

In her previous life, Iris had seen the gifts prepared by the Marshall family, but back then, what the Shaw family contributed had been far less impressive. Seeing the difference now stirred something bitter inside her. The more she looked, the more curious she became about what had just transpired between Evan and Eliana.

Yet Eliana showed no intention of explaining anything.

Left with nothing but her own thoughts, Iris let out a quiet scoff. "It doesn't matter how much you receive from others. None of it truly belongs to you. I'd rather rely on myself."

A soft laugh escaped Eliana. "Iris, you sound jealous. If you really didn't care for these things, you wouldn't be talking about them like this."

Iris felt her irritation rise, but then another thought crossed her mind. Her expression shifted into something colder as she silently waited for Eliana's downfall.

In her previous life, when she had entered the Shaw family, the wedding gifts from both families had ended up under the control of Evan's mother, Claudine Shaw. This time, although the scale of the Shaw family's gifts had changed, the result would not. Eliana might think she had gained something valuable, but sooner or later, she would realize how mistaken she was.

Once the inventory was completed, the butler took his leave.

John and Phyllis quickly followed to see him out.

Before long, the living room was left with only Eliana, Iris, and Jeremy.

Iris' eyes lingered on the expensive gifts again, unable to hide her interest. Then she slipped her arm through Jeremy's and raised her voice just enough. "Jeremy, I don't care about any of this. As long as you love me, that's all I need."

The display of wealth clearly got to him as well.

He drew her into his arms and spoke in a gentle tone. "Iris, I'll make sure you become the happiest woman alive."

Leaning into him, Iris hid her face against his chest, her cheeks warming as she cast a smug glance toward Eliana. In her mind, her future was already secured. She would become the wife of the richest man.

Watching the two of them, Eliana only felt amused.

Jeremy had always been skilled at playing with people's emotions. As the Ward family's illegitimate son, he was still nothing more than a researcher at this point. Even though the family backed his institute, he hadn't achieved anything that could secure him a real position within the company.

In her past life, she had fallen for those same words. Now, he was repeating them to Iris. It was nothing more than a calculated move to use the Marshall family's influence as a stepping stone into Ward Group.

A quiet sense of relief settled in Eliana. If those two ended up tied together, it would only make things easier.

At last, everything was starting to shift in her favor.

Three days passed in a blur, and soon enough, the wedding day came.

For Iris, everything unfolded like a dream. A procession of eight luxury Rolls-Royces arrived to escort her, with a dozen bodyguards in black surrounding her as she was taken to a grand, palace-like ceremony attended by more than a thousand guests.

Meanwhile, Eliana's situation couldn't have been more different. Despite receiving gifts worth a fortune, there was no ceremony for her. She was sent straight to Evan's residence without any celebration.

Inside the villa, she lifted the hem of her dress and made her way up the stairs, each step taking effort.

Not far into the climb, the quiet sound of wheels echoed.

She paused and raised her eyes. At the top of the stairs, Evan sat in his wheelchair, leaning forward slightly as he watched her.

There was nothing lacking in his appearance. His features were refined, his presence calm, yet there was a distant, untouchable quality about him.

The way he looked down at her felt cold, almost as if he stood above everything around him.

He hadn't even bothered with wedding attire. Instead, he wore a simple black suit. There was no boutonniere pinned to his chest. A gray blanket covered his legs, and a laptop rested on top, as though work mattered more than anything else.

Nothing about him suggested that he was the groom today.

Their eyes met, and for a brief moment, Eliana faltered.

Then she remembered his words from three days ago and steadied herself.

"Which room will I be staying in?" she asked.