Without warning, Andrew threw a legal document onto the table. "You know exactly what happened between us. I need a wife now. Once we have an heir, you can leave it with me and walk away with enough money to live in luxury for the rest of your life."

This plan would finally get his grandmother to stop nagging him about marriage and stop setting him up on terrible dates. Above all, it would give her the great-grandchild she wanted. To him, it was a flawless fix.

Kaitlin felt a cold shiver run through her.

"And why on earth would I agree to that?" she demanded.

He stood up, his tall shadow stretching over her where she sat. "Because I'm the only one who can help you fight against Hugh."

He walked out without looking back. Kaitlin sat there in shock for a moment before she finally picked up the contract to read the fine print.

The amount promised for the divorce settlement was a staggering five hundred million dollars.

That kind of money would guarantee her a life of complete freedom. Besides, the Evans family was far more powerful than either the Williams or Douglas families combined.

She realized that marrying Andrew might actually be a very safe way to protect her future.

She looked down at the platinum bracelet.

It was the very first gift Hugh had given her after he started his career. Even though it didn't really cost much, she had treated it like a priceless treasure for years. Now, it just seemed like a cruel joke.

For the next two weeks, Kaitlin stayed away from work and remained hidden in her home to heal. She ignored everyone except for her close friend, Haley Yates.

Haley had been her roommate back in college. Coming from a wealthy family in Zluasey, she had started her own law practice right after law school. For the last two years, she had been the one handling most of the legal trouble for the Pioneer Group.

Haley was always the first to know the latest gossip, and she spent the whole time trashing Hugh for being so cold-hearted while she spilled all the news. One piece of news was that Rosalie had already started parading around the office as Hugh's fiancee, and she was already moving into Kaitlin's old office to take over as general manager.

Kaitlin didn't have the strength to worry about the office drama. After some consideration, she had decided to accept Andrew's proposal.

She decided to lean into this new reality and forge a different path for herself.

She had been innocent from the very beginning, so she saw no reason to let herself be kicked out of the Pioneer Group in shame just to make room for another woman.

Kaitlin pressed her lips together, reached for her phone, and dialed the number she had been thinking about.

Over at the Evans estate, Doris Evans sat with her reading glasses on, occasionally peeking over them at Andrew, who was relaxing on the couch with a magazine.

"Why aren't you married? You won't even go on a date. I'm eighty years old, and I don't have much time left. Your father is a disgrace, and he clearly likes that other woman's son more than you. If you don't have an heir, who is going to keep your grandfather's company away from them when I'm gone?"

Andrew's father, Glenn Evans, had been unfaithful during his youth. The stress had devastated his wife, who tragically died from amniotic fluid embolism shortly after giving birth to a stillborn baby. Only six months after her death, Glenn had married again and moved in a son who was actually two years older than Andrew.

Andrew gave a cold smirk. "Don't worry, Grandma. I won't let him get anything."

At that exact moment, his phone started vibrating on the table.

Andrew looked at the caller ID, and a small smile appeared. "Grandma, your wish might be coming true sooner than you think."

Doris sat up straight, her eyes bright with excitement. "Oh, is that so?"

Andrew picked up the phone and put it on speaker. "Miss Clarke, do you have some good news for me?"

A woman's voice responded, sounding quiet but sure. "Yes. Is our deal still on?"

Cutting Kaitlin off before any word of the collaboration could even cross her lips, Andrew declared firmly, "The deal still stands. We're getting married immediately. Expect me there in thirty minutes."

Hanging up with a practiced flick of his wrist, he turned to meet Doris' wide-eyed, speechless gaze and explained, "Grandma, that setup of yours never showed. Luckily, I found a replacement-a manager over at Pioneer Group. She's sharp, stunning, and honestly, she's exactly the kind of woman you've always wanted for me."

Scrolling through his phone, he retrieved a photo of Kaitlin and held the screen out for her inspection.

Despite the flat lighting of a basic ID picture, Kaitlin's elegance was undeniable, her features aligning in a rare, poised harmony that caught the eye immediately.

"Perfect! I'm coming to the hospital with you," Doris announced, her face lighting up with a radiant, disbelieving joy that demanded physical proof.

Gently guiding her back down into her chair, Andrew urged, "Slow down. She's quite shy. Let's get the paperwork squared away first, and then I'll bring her over. We can dive into the wedding plans after that."

...

"Keep in mind that once your signature is on that paper, there's no undoing it," Andrew remarked, his voice as cold and transactional as a board meeting. "Are you absolutely certain about this?"

Nodding with a look of deep sincerity, Kaitlin took a moment to truly look at him, suddenly struck by the sharp, captivating pull of his features.

"My mind is made up, and the contract is already signed-I'll get it to you soon. I do have one request for the wedding, though. I want it on the fifteenth of next month, and I want it to be a massive affair that the whole of Zluasey talks about. Is that asking for too much?" She felt unsure. In the end, this was only a marriage of convenience, so she had no reason to expect an elaborate wedding.

To her complete astonishment, Andrew didn't even blink before answering, "Consider it done. Let's go get your gown and jewelry custom-ordered right now."

Entering the largest bridal boutique in Zluasey, Kaitlin immediately spotted Hugh sitting in the lounge area as soon as she opened the door.

Clad in a perfect suit, he was busy flipping through a magazine until the sound of the door caused him to glance up.

Kaitlin hadn't expected to run into him, and her emotions wavered for a few seconds before she quickly composed herself. Andrew was still in his car on a business call, leaving her to begin browsing styles on her own.

Looking at her with icy eyes, Hugh spoke with pure arrogance. "Kaitlin, have you no shame? Why are you following me here?"

Admittedly, his cruel words still caused a small, familiar ache deep in her chest.

Clenching her fists, she stood her ground. "You have a lot of nerve. Why would you assume I am following you?"

"What other reason would there be? You plotted against Rosalie just to force me to remember a past that I find disgusting."

He viewed their shared history as something revolting and completely beneath him.

Kaitlin fired back with her own contemptuous tone. "You are right about one thing. It is disgusting, but I am referring to you."

Hugh's expression darkened at once. He rose to his feet and closed the distance between them, step by step. "Don't push your luck, Kaitlin. I don't have the patience for you. If Rosalie sees you and gets upset, you won't like what comes next."

Laughing coldly, she brushed off his threat. "I am not obligated to follow your rules. I am here to pick out my own wedding dress."

He let out a derisive laugh, tightening his grip on her wrist. "A wedding dress? You're still holding on to the fantasy of becoming my wife? The only woman I will ever marry is Rosalie-the one who stood by me through everything, not a vicious, scheming woman like you."

"Hugh, who are you talking to?" A soft, sweet voice rang out as Rosalie's delicate face came into view.

Upon seeing Kaitlin, Rosalie's smile vanished as she stared at Hugh's hand gripping Kaitlin's wrist with a look of pure sorrow.

Disdainfully, Hugh shoved Kaitlin's hand away and hurried over to put a protective arm around Rosalie's shoulder while whispering to her.

Rubbing her sore wrist, she watched him care for the other woman and realized she felt no emotion at all.

Examining the gown Rosalie was wearing, Kaitlin frowned. "Miss Douglas, aren't you getting a custom dress? Or do you just enjoy taking things that others have already thrown away?"

The gown Rosalie currently wore was no ordinary boutique find; it was a custom masterpiece Hugh had commissioned from an elite designer a year ago, specifically tailored for Kaitlin's frame.

During its creation, he had been obsessed, checking in with the designer every other day to oversee everything from the silhouette's taper to the exact geometry of the gemstone embellishments.

At the time, he had vowed to give Kaitlin a wedding that would spark envy in everyone who saw it-yet here was that same promise, draped over Rosalie's shoulders.

"I'm so sorry... I had no idea. I just found it gorgeous and wanted to put it on. I'm so sorry, Hugh," Rosalie stammered with a faux-apologetic air, though the look she shot Kaitlin was pure, concentrated venom.

The slight was entirely calculated; Rosalie had never moved past the humiliation of being rejected by Hugh years ago while he was pursuing Kaitlin.

Now, she wasn't content with simply wearing Kaitlin's wedding dress and being with her fiance-she intended to destroy Kaitlin's life altogether, turn everyone against her, and leave her with nothing at all.

Hugh's expression turned stone-cold. "I gave her permission, Kaitlin. You're on your way out of Pioneer Group, so stop clinging to the past. If you're going to come here and harass Rosalie, then don't expect me to be polite. Apologize to her. Now."

Roughly seizing Kaitlin's wrist, he yanked her forward until she was forced to stand face-to-face with Rosalie.

Meeting his furious glare without blinking, Kaitlin realized that once the rose-tinted glasses were gone, Hugh didn't deserve a single ounce of her affection.

"I'll give her an apology, but only after I've finished one more task."

She brushed past them and requested a pair of heavy fabric scissors from the startled clerk.

Gripping the shears, she stepped back toward the couple, a chillingly faint smile touching her lips.

Before either could move to stop her, she drove the blades through the silk, slicing the intricate patterns right down the middle.

In a matter of seconds, the multi-million dollar masterpiece was reduced to nothing more than expensive scrap fabric.

As she looked at them, Kaitlin's face showed none of the heartbreak of the past-only the cold, hard edges of a woman who was finally done.

The sharp, metallic snap of the shears finally broke the stunned silence, jolting Rosalie back to reality.

Shaking violently, she let out a piercing scream, her face losing all color as she threw herself into Hugh's arms. "Do something! She's lost her mind!"

Hugh's features twisted with fury; he stepped in front of Rosalie to shield her and shoved Kaitlin.

Nearby, the bridal shop staff watched in paralyzed terror; they had been the ones to hand over the scissors, and they were already panicking about whether they'd be held financially responsible for the ruined gown.

Kaitlin stumbled back from the force of the shove and she began to lose her balance.

She instinctively braced for a painful impact with the floor, but instead felt a firm, warm hand catch her by the waist and pull her upright.

"It seems my timing is impeccable. This is quite the performance," Andrew remarked, his tone laced with dark amusement. "Honestly, Kaitlin, I had no idea your standards were so low. You actually settled for a man like that?"

Andrew was a man who commanded respect, and while his ties to Kaitlin had once been strictly professional, their new personal alliance meant he wouldn't stand by while another man dragged her through the mud.

Kaitlin blinked, her long lashes fluttering as she breathed out a soft, "Thank you."

Hugh tightened his grip on Rosalie, his face contorted with rage. "So, it's you, Mr. Evans. Let's get one thing straight. Rosalie is the love of my life. Kaitlin is just a manipulative gold-digger who plays games to get ahead. You'd be wise to keep your distance unless you want her clinging to you."

Though Kaitlin had heard his insults a thousand times, the cruelty of his words still managed to sting.

Letting out a dry, bitter laugh, she looked at Hugh with the cold detachment one might show a stranger. "I'm sorry for the mess I made. But truly, you two are a perfect match-a man with zero discernment and a woman who is utterly repulsive. I hope you enjoy spending the rest of your lives together."

Andrew arched an eyebrow, a mocking smirk playing on his lips as he piled on. "Wait, I seem to recall a headline about a Miss Douglas being publicly rejected and left in tears. My memory must be failing me-surely you aren't the same woman who crawled her way into Kaitlin's position as the 'other woman'?"