Chapter 2

"Maya, pick up the ring."

Eleanor's voice wasn't loud, but it carried a suffocating weight.

She bent down, picked up the diamond ring sent by the Vance family, and turned it under the light, as if checking a piece of merchandise for scratches.

I didn't move.

She sighed, walked over, and forced the ring back into my palm. Her manicured nails dug into my wrist, just hard enough to hurt.

"I know you feel hurt."

"But this marriage is something the whole family has carefully planned. The Vance family's distribution channels complement our supply chain perfectly."

"You marrying him isn't a sacrifice. It's a win-win."

When she said "win-win," her tone was exactly like a CEO signing a contract.

I placed the ring back on the coffee table and pushed it away.

"I won't marry him."

Eleanor's fake smile vanished in less than two seconds.

"Do you honestly think you have a choice?"

She unzipped her designer handbag and tossed a document in front of me.

It was the Shea Group's new equity structure. Chloe's name was highlighted under the successor column.

My name was at the very bottom, in the appendix under "Strategic Merger Alliance."

"Look closely. Your role in this family has always been decided."

Her voice was patronizingly sweet, like she was talking to a child, as her fingers flipped the pages for me.

"Chloe runs the company, you marry into the Vance family. This two-way strategy is the only way the Shea family stays on top."

"If you refuse, your grandma, your father... everyone will be disappointed in you."

Disappointed.

That word, coming from her mouth, was more violent than any threat.

I started etiquette lessons at five. I learned financial statements at seven. I was shipped off to a strict boarding school at twelve, and by fifteen, I had three business certifications.

Every time I was so exhausted that I cried at my desk, Eleanor would only say through the closed door: "The heir of this family cannot disappoint us."

So, I practically killed myself trying to make them proud.

"Mom, I've been taking exams for seventeen years, and now you're telling me the test was about cooking?"

"How is that fair?"

There was not a single shred of guilt on Eleanor's face.

"Who says it's not fair? Chloe worked hard too. She spent five years studying Grandma's recipes. That's a skill."

"Your skills are just different. Socializing, negotiating, networking... those are a hundred times more useful in high society than cooking."

"I'm praising you, Maya. Don't you see that?"

The door pushed open, and Chloe walked in carrying a bowl of creamy mushroom soup.

She wore a cozy cream-colored knit dress, her hair casually tied back, looking like she had just stepped out of a high-end cooking show.

"Maya, please don't fight with Mom."

She placed the bowl in front of me, carefully angling the spoon toward my hand.

"I didn't expect Grandma's decision either. To be honest, I don't even care about being the CEO."

"If you really hate the marriage that much, I can talk to Grandma. I'll ask her to reconsider."

Her words were flawless. Beautifully packaged.

But on her wrist was Grandma Margaret's signature emerald bracelet.

Grandma had always said that bracelet was reserved for the matriarch of the Shea family.

She wasn't wearing it three days ago.

"Chloe, when did you get that bracelet?"

Chloe looked down at her wrist, smiling with mock shyness.

"Grandma gave it to me this afternoon. She said I should get used to wearing it."

Get used to it.

Meaning, while I still believed I was running for the successor spot, she had already begun the transition.

Seeing me stare at the bracelet, Eleanor quickly intervened.

"Chloe, go back to the kitchen and watch the stove. I need a private word with Maya."

Chloe nodded. Before she left, she gave me a look.

It was so gentle that, for a split second, I almost believed she cared about me.

But then she said:

"Maya, if you ever get bullied after the wedding, just come home. I'll make sure they treat you right."

It was the ultimate pity of a winner.

The moment the door clicked shut, Eleanor's face darkened completely.

"Look at Chloe, she is so mature. And look at you, throwing a tantrum."

"Other girls would kill for this marriage proposal, and you just throw the ring away."

"Maya, you need to think carefully about whether you still want a place in this family."

My fingers gripped the equity document until my knuckles turned white.

Seventeen years.

I thought they were shaping me to be a leader. Turns out, I was just a highly-polished commodity waiting for the highest bidder.

The mushroom soup was still steaming. I took a sip.

It was rich, completely masking the earthy taste of the mushrooms.

Just like the warmth of this family—it looked cozy on the surface, but it was only there to cover up their real, ugly intentions.

"I'll think about it," I said quietly.

Eleanor's tense shoulders finally relaxed.

"That's my girl."

She patted my shoulder, like she was putting a decorative vase back into its proper place.