Sunlight poured through the floor-to-ceiling windows, warming her face.

Kinsly woke up on a mattress so soft it felt like floating.

Declan stood by the bed, reading a medical chart. "Malnutrition and physical trauma," he said softly. "You are staying in bed for a month."

The door opened. Sean walked in carrying a porcelain bowl of bird's nest soup. Her eyes were still swollen from crying. She sat on the edge of the bed and lifted the silver spoon to Kinsley's mouth.

She felt a rush of awkwardness. "I can feed myself," she murmured, reaching for the bowl.

Sean gently pushed her hand down. "Let your mother do this," she whispered.

Arthur walked into the room next, followed by a man in a sharp grey suit holding a leather briefcase.

"This is the family's chief trust lawyer," Arthur said.

The lawyer handed her a thick stack of documents. "Miss Wilder, this transfers full control of the highest-tier Wilder family trust fund into your name."

She looked at the bottom line. The number of zeros on the page was enough to buy half of Wall Street. Her breath caught in her throat.

Arthur pulled a heavy, metal Centurion Black Card from his pocket and placed it on her palm. "Pocket money. Buy whatever you want."

Ethan, her fourth brother, slid into the room holding a laptop. "I already hacked the Stafford family's security system as a welcome home gift. I can turn off their power right now."

She could not help it. She laughed. "Stop. I want to ruin them myself."

Sean pulled her out of bed. "Come. I have something to show you."

She led her down the hall to the third floor. Charles opened a set of double doors.

It was a walk-in closet the size of a department store. Racks of haute couture from every major luxury brand lined the walls, sorted by color and season.

"The brands sent their entire seasonal lines overnight," Charles explained, bowing slightly.

She stared at the diamond accessories and silk gowns. Her eyes instinctively evaluated the cut and clarity of the stones, a habit born from years of studying high-end gemology and craftsmanship in secret. She had seen luxury, but this was pure excess.

Amiyah walked into the closet carrying two cups of coffee. She wore a sweet, flawless smile.

"Sister!" Amiyah chirped. She handed her a cup. "I hope you like the clothes. Mom had them arranged based on my personal style preferences, since you did not have any."

She stopped reaching for the coffee. She caught the subtle, venomous claim of territory in her words.

She looked at the racks of clothes, then back at her. She rubbed the bandage on her wrist.

"If they are your style, I do not want them," she said, her voice flat and cold. She turned to the butler. "Charles, pack every single piece in this room. Have them sent to the Manhattan Women's Domestic Violence Shelter as an anonymous donation. There are women who actually need the warmth. Once the room is clear, contact the brand houses directly. Tell them my measurements and have them send a completely new, understated wardrobe."

Amiyah's smile froze. The coffee cup in her hand trembled, spilling hot liquid onto her thumb. Pure hatred flashed in her eyes.

Sean clapped her hands together, completely oblivious to the tension. "Wonderful idea! Charles, get it done."

Amiyah muttered an excuse and practically ran out of the room.

At lunch, the family sat around a massive mahogany table.

Hubert cut his steak and looked up. "The heir to the Brady family, Daxton, is coming this afternoon. He wants to officially cancel the arranged marriage."

Carter slammed his fork down. "Let him cancel it! No man is good enough for Kinsley anyway."

Kinsley froze. The name Daxton Brady echoed in her head. She thought of the man in the Rolls-Royce, the smell of cedar, the black business card.

"Who was the marriage originally for?" she asked casually, taking a sip of water.

"It was supposed to be Amiyah," Sean sighed. "But Daxton made it clear he despises her."

The corner of her mouth twitched upward. This was going to be very interesting.

Charles walked into the dining room. "Mr. Brady's motorcade has arrived at the front gates."

Arthur stood up, his face hardening into a scowl. "Let us go reject this arrogant bastard. No one disrespects my daughter."

Daxton Brady walked into the grand receiving room.

He wore a charcoal bespoke suit that fit his broad shoulders perfectly. His presence sucked the air out of the room, dropping the temperature by ten degrees.

His executive assistant walked a step behind him, holding a leather binder containing the legal cancellation documents.

Arthur pointed to a chair opposite the couches. No handshakes. No fake smiles.

Daxton sat down. "I will keep this brief," he said, his voice strictly business. "The proposed union between our families is no longer viable."

Upstairs, hiding behind the marble banister, Amiyah let out a quiet sob.

The assistant placed the contract on the glass coffee table. "The Brady family is prepared to concede three major energy sector contracts as compensation."

Carter let out a sharp, mocking laugh. "You think the Wilders care about your spare change?"

Daxton's eyes remained dead and focused. "This is my final offer. I absolutely refuse to marry a vain, manipulative woman." He was clearly talking about Amiyah.

Before Arthur could explode, Kinsley stepped out from the hallway and walked down the sweeping staircase.

She wore a simple, perfectly tailored white silk slip dress. It clung to her curves and moved like water.

Daxton heard her footsteps. He casually lifted his head.

The moment his eyes hit her face, his entire body went completely rigid.

His hand, which was resting on the armrest, gripped the wood so hard his knuckles turned stark white. Shock rippled through his dark eyes.

She walked over and sat down next to her father. She gave Daxton a polite, blank nod, pretending she had never seen him before in her life.

Daxton's gaze burned into her. His eyes tracked down her arm and locked onto the fresh white bandages wrapping her wrists. A dark, violent shadow crossed his face.

Arthur cleared his throat loudly. "Daxton, this is my biological daughter, Kinsley Wilder. She just returned to us."

Daxton's jaw tightened. He could see the gears turning in his head. The bleeding, desperate woman he saved in the rain was the true Wilder heiress.

"Since you find our family unworthy," Arthur said coldly, "sign the paper and get out."

The assistant stepped forward, holding out a silver pen.

Daxton let out a low, dark chuckle. He placed his large hand flat over the cancellation contract.

With one violent motion, he ripped the thick legal document straight down the middle.

The sound of tearing paper echoed loudly in the quiet room. Everyone stared at him in stunned silence.

Daxton tossed the shredded pieces into the trash can. He looked directly at Arthur, his demeanor completely shifted.

"There was a misunderstanding," Daxton said smoothly, leaning forward. "I was under the impression the arrangement involved someone else. Since the bride is Kinsley, the engagement stands."

Bennett, her second brother, crossed his arms. "You change your mind faster than the stock market crashes."

Daxton ignored him. His predatory gaze fixed solely on her. "What do you say, Kinsley?"

She met his intense stare. "I just got out of a terrible marriage. I am not looking to jump into another fire pit."

At the mention of her marriage, Daxton's eyes darkened. He remembered her standing in the mud.

He leaned in closer, dropping his voice so only she could hear the double meaning. "I guarantee you, my car is much safer than that fire pit."

Heat rushed to her ears. She knew exactly what he was doing.

Hubert stepped in front of her, physically blocking Daxton's view. "Do not try your Wall Street manipulation on my sister."

Daxton stood up, buttoning his suit jacket. "A compromise, then. Give me one year to date her. No business strings attached. Just me and her."

Silence hung heavy in the receiving room.

Ethan tapped his fingers rapidly against his thigh, calculating the risk. "Absolutely not," he muttered.

Hubert crossed his arms. "She needs to heal. She does not need to deal with a shark like you."

Daxton did not look at her brothers. His eyes stayed locked on her, waiting.

She felt the weight of his stare. Her mind flashed to Joaquin's arrogant face, to Julianne throwing the broken umbrella at her feet. Dating the most powerful man in New York would be the ultimate social death sentence for the Stafford family.

She lifted her chin and smiled coldly. "Deal."

Carter gasped loudly. Bennett nearly dropped his teacup.

A flash of dark satisfaction lit up Daxton's eyes. He closed the distance between them in two long strides. He reached out and took her hand.

He bowed his head and pressed his lips just above her knuckles. His mouth barely grazed her skin, but the heat of his breath sent a violent shiver up her arm.

She yanked her hand back. Her heart skipped a beat.

Daxton straightened up. He reached into his pocket and pulled out a black velvet box.

"This was meant as an apology gift for breaking the contract," Daxton said softly. "Now, it is just a hello."

She opened the box. Resting on the black silk was a flawless, unheated pigeon-blood ruby necklace.

Her gaze locked onto the heavy pendant, her professional instincts immediately taking over. She recognized the deep, unheated saturation and the distinct, meticulous facets of an antique 1920s European cut. It was an absolute masterpiece of historical jewelry making, entirely priceless.

Before she could say no, Daxton stepped behind her. He brushed her hair aside and fastened the heavy platinum clasp around her neck.

His warm fingertips dragged slowly across her bare nape. Her stomach tightened.

Declan marched over and shoved Daxton back by the shoulder. "Back off. Keep your distance."

Daxton raised his hands in mock surrender. He nodded to her parents. "I will pick Kinsley up tomorrow evening for dinner."

He turned and walked out, his presence leaving a heavy vacuum in the room.

The second the door closed, all four of her brothers surrounded her.

"Are you crazy?" Ethan yelled, pulling up Daxton's ruthless corporate takeover history on his phone. "He destroys people for fun!"

She touched the cold ruby resting against her collarbone. "Relax. I am just using him to ruin my ex-husband. I will not fall for him."

Upstairs, Amiyah stared at the glowing red jewel around Kinsley's neck.

Her chest heaved with toxic jealousy.

She retreated to her bedroom, locked the door, and pulled out a burner phone.

She dialed the number of a sleazy tabloid journalist. She was going to leak the story of Kinsley's pathetic foster background and her divorce.

Meanwhile, in Manhattan, Joaquin stood in his office at Stafford Holdings. He was sweating.

His assistant ran into the room, holding an iPad. "Sir, our stock is plummeting. A massive, untraceable fund is shorting us across the board."

Joaquin ripped his tie loose. "Which competitor is doing this?" he screamed. He had no idea the Wilder family was already crushing him.

Ember walked in carrying a cup of herbal tea. She leaned her fragile body against his chest. "Do not stress, baby. You are so smart, you will fix it."

Joaquin kissed her forehead. He thought of Kinsley, convinced she was currently starving in an alley. "I will crush whoever is doing this. Just like I crushed Kinsley."