Kathryn froze in place.

What was this mess supposed to mean? So Edwin wasn't even her biological father? Strangely enough, that realization felt like a weight lifting off her chest.

Vicki slowly unraveled the truth. "In those days, your mother was completely taken with your real father. He refused marriage outright, so she made a reckless choice—forced a one night with him, then vanished and carried you in secrecy."

"Wait—are you saying my mom basically trapped my dad into it?" Kathryn blurted out, her voice wobbling. An odd mix of shock and inherited audacity crept through her.

Vicki hesitated, and then sighed. "In blunt terms… yes. But he never knew it was her. For over twenty years, he's been searching for the woman who disappeared after that night."

"So she staged her death again and went into hiding?"

Once the full picture settled in, Kathryn was left with a storm of conflicting feelings. To avoid arousing her biological father's suspicions, she followed her mother's plan—attending the cremation and sitting through every step as if it were genuine.

When it was finally over, she prioritized her own safety. If Nathan traced her, she would be cornered.

There was no time to linger. She issued swift instructions to Vicki, grabbed her passport, and headed straight for the airport.

She passed smoothly through the VIP channel, scanned her ticket, and walked toward the boarding gate.

"Kathryn Pearson!"

A voice sharp as frost sliced through the space behind her, sending a chill up her spine.

That voice… she knew it.

The person's reflection in the glass wall sharpened, revealing a tall, imposing silhouette closing in.

The instant she tried to flee, men in black suits surged forward, sealing off every escape.

"Turn around," Nathan commanded, his tone coiled with restrained fury.

Nathan—twenty-nine, heir to one of Baxwell's most formidable families. Brilliant, merciless, and the city's most coveted bachelor.

He stopped directly behind her. When she refused to face him, he leaned closer, his voice dropping to a dangerous murmur.

"You're the first woman who's ever dared do that to me."

Kathryn's heart skipped violently. Memories from the night before crashed back, heat rushing to her ears until they burned.

Left with no choice, she turned slowly and forced a casual grin.

"Well, Nathan. Small world, huh?"

Nathan's expression darkened further, fists tightening at his sides. "Don't even think about running. You're coming with me."

She muttered under her breath, "Tch. Take away your bodyguards and see if you'd still sound so confident."

Even so, she followed him, trailing behind like a chastened child who knew resistance would only make things worse.

Vince Graham, the aide nearby, caught her offhand greeting and the teasing lilt she used with Nathan, and despite himself, admiration flickered for her sheer nerve.

Onlookers stared as the notoriously distant Nathan escorted a stunning woman away, murmurs rippling through the crowd at once.

"So the crown jewel of the elite has been claimed—there'll be tears from the social set tonight."

"Seriously, did you see his expression? Like he wanted to rip her apart. That's not romance—she definitely crossed him."

"I heard she's Kathryn Pearson. Supposedly her mother died in a traffic accident, and rumors say the woman was unfaithful and paid for it."

...

Inside the polished black sedan, Kathryn watched the man beside her cautiously, the pressure of his simmering anger almost visible.

Without a word, a blade snapped toward her. She moved on instinct, locking onto the wrist that wielded it.

"Homicide isn't a joke. Are you really ready to ruin your life over me? Think twice."

Fire flared in Nathan's eyes, her steady voice only stoking it further as he forced the knife down with savage intent.

"Oh? Then maybe I'll end you and let the ocean take care of the rest."

The menace in his tone sent a shiver through her. She sensed his strength outweighed hers. Unease crept in, and she abruptly shifted gears, adopting reckless bravado.

"So what if I slept with you? If that's the problem, sleep with me again and call it even."

Vince, at the wheel, nearly lost his soul at her words. His foot slammed the brake, and the car skidded to a jarring halt.

The impact pitched them forward. The blade slipped, its edge scoring Kathryn's skin as a thin streak of red bloomed.

Her eyes hardened. Seizing the instant Nathan faltered, she ripped the knife free and flung it into the front seat.

It hit with a dull smack. Vince gaped at them through the mirror, voice trembling. "I—I'm sorry… I braked too hard."

Kathryn spared him a brief look, took the adhesive bandage he shakily offered, and then leveled a glacial stare back at Nathan.

Nathan met her unyielding gaze, memories crashing in—the desperation there last night, followed by her shameless provocation now. His expression darkened further.

This woman truly knew no restraint.

He wrenched his eyes away. If he kept looking, he might actually snap and end her.

Only then did Kathryn inch toward the door, heart racing. Escape wasn't possible yet—she'd have to wait, adapt, and survive moment by moment.

Nathan escorted Kathryn out of the car himself, his grip firm as he led her through a concealed entrance and down into his villa's forbidden lower level.

The underground chamber she was pushed into was reinforced with steel walls and surveillance cameras, sealed tight with a single exit. One glance told her everything—there was no escaping this place.

She had been trapped.

"You won't be stepping out of this room," Nathan said coolly, sinking into the sofa as though he were merely discussing the weather, calculation flashing in his eyes. "The lock is controlled externally. You'll stay here until the child is born."

Kathryn's pulse thundered in her ears. She snapped back, disbelief and fury colliding, "Are you insane? A child? What makes you think I'd ever carry a baby for you?"

Nathan's gaze drifted to the dried blood at her neck. He swallowed the violent impulse rising within him and instead curved his lips into a chilling smile.

"You got into my bed with one goal—to get pregnant, didn't you? Then you planned to use the baby as leverage to force me into marriage."

Kathryn let out a sharp laugh, rolling her eyes in open contempt. "Marriage? Don't flatter yourself. Unlock the door and let me leave—now."

She had never wanted his name or status. His genetics were all she had come for, and she already had them.

Nathan paused, surprise flickering across his features. Women usually clawed their way toward his surname. This one wanted nothing of it. He studied her anew, reassessing the reckless woman who dared defy him so openly.

"You crossed a line when you slept with me. Actions have consequences," he said coldly. "One year. After the child is born, you walk free."

Rage warped Kathryn's expression. She had never imagined being cornered into something so cruel.

Her hands clenched until her joints cracked. Without warning, she lunged and swung at him with all her strength.

Having fought with her the previous night, Nathan had stayed alert this whole time. He reacted instantly, blocking and striking back.

They clashed in a vicious exchange, neither yielding, oblivious to the footsteps approaching behind them.

"That's enough! You reckless brat—lay another hand on her and I'll tear you apart! My precious great-grandchild comes first!" Eunice Walker stormed in, striding forward and slapping Nathan hard.

The words "precious great-grandchild" stunned Nathan. He froze for a split second—long enough to take the slap from his grandmother and another punch from Kathryn.

Nathan staggered back, pain exploding through old injuries. He coughed harshly, breath coming uneven.

He lifted his head and shot a lethal glare at Vince, who stood frozen behind the others. The look alone demanded how security had failed so spectacularly.

Vince shrank, staring at the floor, unable to offer a single word in defense.

Kathryn stared at the newcomer in disbelief, the question escaping before she could stop it. "Eunice? What are you doing here?" She had known the older woman for years through her mother's friendship.

"Oh, Kathryn, darling. What a coincidence," Eunice said brightly, seizing Kathryn's hand as she laughed, delight gleaming in her eyes without restraint.

Eunice spun toward Nathan and fixed him with a blistering stare. She let out a sharp snort, and then smoothed her expression and turned back, her tone turning coaxing and warm.

"Kathryn, dear, I'm Nathan's grandmother. Ignore his nonsense—our family never dodges responsibility."

She added, "Don't worry, sweetheart. I'll personally see to it that you become Nathan's wife."

Kathryn went rigid, as if struck by a bolt of lightning. She gaped at Eunice in outright alarm, shaking her head again and again.

"Eunice, that's not what I want."

"Grandma, enough."

Nathan and Kathryn spoke almost at the same time.

Eunice knew her nearly thirty-year-old grandson all too well. After years of stubborn bachelorhood, he had finally slept with a woman—there was no chance she would allow him to wriggle free now. She intended to bind them together once and for all.

Especially when the woman involved happened to be her favorite—Kathryn.

She lifted her hand and slapped Nathan again, this time striking directly over the wound on his back. Vince flinched and reflexively ducked, wincing as if the blow had landed on him instead.

With Eunice firmly inserted into the situation, it was clear things were about to spiral in a far more dramatic direction.

"If you refuse to marry Kathryn, Nathan, I'll disown you on the spot." Eunice hurled the ultimatum with blazing resolve, and then added icily, "I've already got a great-grandchild coming. I don't need a useless grandson cluttering my house."

Vince observed the formidable old matriarch and, in his mind, offered her an enthusiastic round of applause.

Nathan's expression darkened like a brewing storm. His grandmother's sudden moves hit him squarely, a dull ache blooming at his temples.

Images flashed through his mind—Kathryn had drugged him, used him, and planned to flee overseas with his child.

Any single offense would have warranted severe punishment.

"Grandma, I will not marry her."

"You brat, I'll knock some sense into you myself today!" As she spoke, Eunice rolled up her sleeves and lunged after Nathan, swinging without mercy.

Nathan didn't dare to strike back. He only sidestepped, afraid she might lose her footing or exhaust herself in her fury.

The spectacle left Kathryn rooted in place. She never imagined the cold, ruthless Nathan would allow an elder to chase him down like this—it felt oddly human.

After a moment, she stepped in and gently clasped Eunice's arm, speaking softly. "Eunice, neither of us wants this. Please don't force it."

At the thought of losing the granddaughter-in-law she had already claimed in her heart, Eunice grew flustered and quickly switched tactics. "Kathryn, dear, hear me out. I know you can't stand this wretched grandson of mine."

Nathan said nothing. Was this really his own grandmother? Did she have to humiliate him so publicly?

"I'll support you completely!" Eunice announced with conviction, and then sighed. "But give Nathan one real chance to take care of you. Try a one-year marriage. If you still can't stand him after that… Then dump him without mercy!"

Nathan's eyes flew wide in disbelief.

Kathryn laughed outright. For a fleeting second, it felt as though she were the true Walker heir—and Nathan the outsider.

"Eunice, I don't need him to take care of me."

Eunice had anticipated the rejection. She leaned close and whispered into Kathryn's ear, "Before your mother vanished, she called me. She asked me to ensure you married Nathan, bore his heir, and then I was to pass a special keepsake on to you."

Kathryn's smile froze.

She never imagined her own mother would orchestrate her life so thoroughly.

Was she truly her mother's daughter at all? How could her mother sell her out so completely?

Noticing Kathryn falter, Eunice turned her sharp glare on Nathan and issued a fresh threat. "Marry Kathryn, or I'll transfer every asset I own to her and disappear into seclusion on Hisdon Mountain. I'll never return."

Nathan felt as if the breath had been crushed from his chest.

There was no counterplay left to him. He couldn't sacrifice the family's entire inheritance, nor could he bear the thought of his grandmother isolating herself on that desolate peak.

Vince, having watched the confrontation unfold, knew the outcome was sealed. He mused silently that age only seemed to sharpen some people's blades.

Eunice beamed with satisfaction. Grasping Kathryn's hand, she steered her toward the exit. "Come along. We're getting your marriage registered."

Thirty minutes later, Eunice clutched the newly issued marriage documents, her smile radiant with triumph.

"It's done. Since you're officially husband and wife, take Kathryn home and start learning how to be a family." Before departing, she cast Nathan a final, unmistakable warning. Then she bid Kathryn farewell and returned to the Walker Estate.

With no alternative, Kathryn slid into the car beside Nathan. A weight of regret pressed down on her; signing those papers already felt like a mistake.

She stole a glance at his impassive profile and ventured cautiously. "Listen… you don't want this any more than I do. Why don't we go back and file for divorce right now?"

Nathan's lips twitched in disbelief. It dawned on him that she truly had no desire to marry him—and the realization hurt more than he had anticipated.

"If you're set on divorcing, tell my grandma yourself. I'll accept whatever decision she makes."

Kathryn sagged against the seat, muttering, "With your influence, you could handle it discreetly without dragging her into it."

She wasn't naïve. Pressing the issue through Eunice would cost her whatever her mother had left in the older woman's care.

"So you could run off with my child after all that plotting. Ingenious," Nathan sneered, his dark gaze openly hostile.

Kathryn bristled at the accusation, hands snapping to her hips as she shot back, "Hey! How dare you say that? You didn't seem to mind any of it last night, did you?"

Unlike him—she had endured pain, pleading for him to stop to no avail.

Nathan said nothing.

A hint of unease crossed his features as memories of the previous night resurfaced. Against his will, he recalled that it had been… pleasurable.

Silence stretched between them. Kathryn replayed her own words and realized just how daring they had sounded.

Her phone rang abruptly. She checked the caller ID and saw Cillian Jenkins, her mother's assistant.

After she listened to the report, Kathryn's brows knit together. She replied coolly, "Wait for me."