My assistant, Chloe Pierce, pulled the car up to the entrance. I gently helped Jonas into the back seat.

He finally spoke, his voice a low murmur. He introduced himself only as Thorne, explaining that an accident a few months prior had temporarily impaired his vision.

Thorne?

In New York City, the Thorne family was practically royalty. Everyone who was anyone wanted to be associated with them.

And this man, who looked down on his luck and seemed unsteady on his feet, shared that name.

I studied the strong lines of his face, half-hidden behind the dark sunglasses, and said softly, "I'm Scarlett Atwood of Atwood Architectural Design. I'm sorry for dragging you into this mess today. I can hire the best doctors to treat your eyes, but on one condition: you have to agree to marry me. If you're willing, just nod."

He nodded.

No fanfare, no theatrics. It was a transaction.

I wasn't marrying him on a whim. I needed a husband. Otherwise, my mother would never stop pushing Blake on me.

"Alright then, Mr. Thorne," I said gently. "Let's go pick out a suit. We'll settle everything today."

The car merged into traffic, and I picked up my phone to call my mother.

It rang for a long time before she answered.

"What is it?"

The sheer exhaustion in my mother's voice made my heart ache.

I remembered how she had withered away in my previous life, eventually dying of a broken heart.

I clenched my fists.

"Immediately," I said firmly, "I want you to terminate all business partnerships with the Cunningham Group."

She sounded confused, but I held my ground, persuading her with precise predictions about the future real estate market. Finally, she relented. "Alright. I trust your judgment."

Relief washed over me.

By the time I hung up, the car had stopped in front of a high-end bespoke suit shop. I got out, helped Jonas out of the car, and we walked in together.

The moment we entered, I saw Hailey. She was standing before a display, her eyes practically glued to a stylish designer gown.

"Scarlett would look absolutely stunning in this gown, don't you think?" she said, her voice laced with a sly, dreamy quality.

Blake stood beside her. At her words, his brow twitched. "Don't mention her name. She's lost her mind. But honestly, Hailey, you'd look much better in this than she ever could."

Hailey gave a demure laugh. "Really? But… this gown is so expensive. I couldn't possibly..."

Blake's expression softened. "Don't say that. If you like it, we'll buy it. Right now."

He pulled out his card to pay, then turned and his gaze met mine.

"Scarlett? What are you doing here?"

He snatched his hand back, pocketing the credit card as his eyes flickered to the man beside me. His handsome face instantly twisted into a scowl.

"You brought him here to get a custom suit? Are you really going to marry that blind man?"