The following morning, the moment Evangeline Montgomery stepped into the lobby of Montgomery Enterprises, the receptionist pressed a sprawling bouquet of roses into her arms, grinning from ear to ear. "Ms. Montgomery, an anonymous admirer sent these for you!"

Evangeline glanced at the bouquet. The petals were velvety, deep red, and perfectly formed. She inhaled their fragrance, eyes closing in a brief, blissful moment of indulgence.

She assumed they were from Marcellus. Still cradling the flowers, she walked toward her office, rearranging the stems with a lingering, affectionate touch.

Edward Montgomery caught sight of her as she passed his office. "Evangeline, who sent those?"

"An anonymous admirer," she replied with a cryptic, playful smile.

"You and your secrets." Edward shook his head and let it go. He trusted his daughter; she had a sharp, analytical mind and wasn't the type to be easily seduced by cheap gestures. Her recent handling of Jonah Harrison—cutting ties with the efficiency of a guillotine—had proven that while she could play the part of a soft-spoken socialite, she had a streak of iron hidden beneath the surface.

***

Inside the Planning Department, Cassidy Montgomery was in the middle of a meeting when a wave of nausea hit her so hard she gagged into her hand.

Her assistant was at her side in an instant, patting her back with a worried frown. "Ms. Montgomery, you’ve been unwell for days. Are you sure you’re alright?"

Cassidy took a shaky breath and straightened her blazer. "I’m fine. The doctor says it’s just gastritis. I’ve already started the medication."

"But it’s been nearly a week and you haven't improved. Maybe you should try a different clinic for a second opinion?"

"Enough. We’re adjourning for the day."

Once the room cleared, Cassidy slumped into her chair and rested a protective hand over her stomach. Her expression soured. The morning sickness was worsening, and she couldn't afford to wait any longer. She made a choice. She tapped her screen, sent a single photo to Jonah Harrison, and leaned back, eyes closed, trying to mask the physical misery clawing at her.

Outside in the hallway, the rumors were already festering.

"That’s classic morning sickness, isn't it?"

"Exactly. But she doesn't even have a boyfriend, does she?"

"Evangeline has been putting in a lot of time at the office lately. If Cassidy is pregnant now, she’s going to lose whatever ground she has left."

"Hush, keep your voice down. The drama in this family is a minefield."

The gossip died down as they scattered back to their desks.

*Buzz.*

Cassidy’s phone vibrated. A text from Jonah: "If it’s mine, get rid of it."

The words cut into her like a serrated blade. Her knuckles turned white as she gripped the phone, her chest heaving with rage.

"Damn you!" She slammed the phone into the floor. The screen shattered, spiderwebbing into a mosaic of black glass.

Jonah Harrison had zero respect for her attempts to trap him. After sending the text, he tossed his phone aside, indifferent to her turmoil. He was still sporting a bruised jaw and a swollen eye from a mystery beatdown a few days ago. Whoever had done it had been a ghost—no warnings, no demands, just a brutal lesson he couldn't trace.

He couldn't show his face to Evangeline looking like this. So, he’d started sending flowers daily, hoping that by the time his face healed, she’d see his devotion and find it in her heart to soften toward him.

***

"Sir, Ms. Montgomery received the roses again today," Preston Wright reported.

Marcellus froze. "She accepted them?"

"Yes… she did."

Marcellus’s face darkened instantly, his expression turning into a thunderhead. He sat in silence for a long moment, the air in the office growing heavy and suffocating.

"Understood. Get out."

He wanted to send her a garden’s worth of white lilies, something ten times more expensive, just to make that amateur display look pathetic. But he knew she was currently playing a delicate game in the office, and a grand, public gesture would only draw unwanted attention to her. He clenched his jaw, restraining the impulse.

*Just wait,* he vowed. *Once she’s finished clearing her path, I’ll make sure the whole city knows exactly who she belongs to.*

But the reports continued for days, and with each one, Marcellus felt like he was grinding his teeth to dust.

Then, it happened. Evangeline walked into the lobby, and there was Jonah Harrison, looking disheveled, standing by the entrance with a fresh bouquet.

Evangeline stopped dead. The realization hit her like a bucket of ice water. *The flowers weren't from Marcellus.*

The sweet, lingering joy she’d felt opening those boxes evaporated, replaced by a deep, visceral sense of disgust.

Jonah saw her and offered a weak, gentle smile. In the past, she might have found him charming; now, he just looked greasy and manipulative.

"Evangeline," he called out, stepping forward to hand her the roses. He’d checked with the front desk and knew she’d been accepting the bouquets. He was convinced she was enjoying them.

"Outside. Now," she snapped, grabbing his sleeve and pulling him toward a secluded corner of the building. She wasn't about to give the staff a show.

"Jonah, can we please just make this a clean break?"

"Evangeline, I’m not asking for your forgiveness today. I just want a chance to show you my heart. I’ll prove it to you," he pleaded, his voice dripping with forced sincerity.

"I don't like you anymore, and I don't have time to waste on your games. Back off, or I’ll make sure you regret it," she spat, her voice cold enough to freeze. She didn't spare him another glance as she turned on her heel and strode away.

Jonah stood there, head hanging, drowning in his own misery.

"Ha! So, I’ve been trying to find you for days, but you’ve been dodging me to play the part of a pathetic simp for my sister?"

Jonah spun around. Cassidy stood there, back rigid, wearing a look of desperate defiance.

"I’m pursuing the woman I love. What’s it to you?"

"The woman you love? Can you even tell the difference anymore? You treat everyone the same, and if you can't tell the difference, do you really think she can?" Cassidy’s voice rose, bordering on hysteria. She hated herself for knowing exactly what he was—a hollow man—and still being unable to tear herself away from his orbit.

"I love her!" Jonah shouted at her.

Cassidy let out a sharp, mocking laugh. "Love without favoritism isn't love, Jonah. It's just boredom."

"Shut your mouth!" Jonah growled.

Cassidy closed her eyes, forcing herself to pivot. She stepped closer, her tone shifting into a honeyed, manipulative whisper. "Jonah, I’m all in on you. And we have a baby now. Why can't you just let the past go and be with me?"

Jonah looked at her with pure, unadulterated loathing.

"You desperate little climber," he hissed. "Who even knows whose kid that is? Even if it is mine, the Harrison family will never recognize it."

He slammed the flowers against the floor and stormed off.

Cassidy stood alone in the hallway, her face twisting in a mask of silent rage. She was trapped now. Regardless of her feelings, she had a child to think about. She would force her way into the Harrison family, one way or another.

***

Word had spread through Montgomery Enterprises like wildfire: Jonah Harrison was begging for the eldest daughter's hand, delivering roses every single day. The younger staff members were even writing fan-fiction about the "romance."

Preston Wright dutifully reported every word of the gossip back to Marcellus.

"A romantic suitor?"

Marcellus let out a low, dangerous chuckle. She was pushing her luck, and he couldn't even call her out on it without admitting he had eyes on her every move. He pressed a hand to his temple, a dull throb of frustration echoing in his skull.