Late at night in a dimly lit bar, a wealthy young man clad in designer threads slid a docunt across the table to Avery Carter.
"I'm engaged to Murphy's daughter. You're not their flesh and blood, so I need you to sign off on ending our engagent," he stated matter-of-factly.
"But hey, we could still ss around, right?" he added, his voice dripping with nonchalance.
Avery, dressed in a light blue linen dress, sat opposite him. Her long black hair fell over her shoulders, her skin porcelain-smooth, and her eyes glead with a quiet fire. As she watched him flaunt his riches, she couldn't help but think, Is this guy for real?
He pushed another docunt her way along with a key card and car keys.
"This is for a property transfer. Live in the apartnt for five years, and it's yours. Oh, and that brand-new Maserati downstairs? It's yours too if you sign these."
Avery chuckled softly and then did the math. Five years as his side piece for a 600-grand apartnt and a sports car worth 400 grand? That's barely 200 grand a year—less than 20 thousand dollars a month. And he expects gratitude for his 'generosity'?
Her gaze unnerved him. He grabbed a wine glass, sipping a 2,000-dollar mouthful of wine, before continuing.
"Look, I get it, you're a proud woman. Signing this might sting a bit. But let's be real—your folks are broke. Five brothers, all cramped in so tiny house in the old quarter," he pressed.
"Trust , you wouldn't last a day in their shoes. Take the flat and the car. You're gonna need them."
Avery shot him a brief, scornful smirk, then leaned in to swiftly sign the docunts. Lucas Harper's grandiose promises, made during their courtship, now seed laughable and vile, especially after his rush to call off their engagent upon learning she wasn't a true Murphy. Sickened by his charade, Avery was ready to bolt after just a short while.
Caught by her smile, Lucas leaned in, his face alight with desperation.
"Avery, I really give a damn about you. I can set you up for life if you just stick with ," he said, his voice thick with passion as he licked his dry lips.
"If you wanna have kids, I can look after them too. But they won't carry the Harper na," he added, clearly lost in his delusions.
Avery finished signing, tucked a copy into her bag, and stood.
"Mr. Harper, thanks for calling off the engagent. Goodbye," she said, turning to leave.
Lucas froze, then snapped back to reality as she started to walk away.
"Avery, you better learn your damn place!" he yelled, rushing over and grabbing her arm.
"I'm the heir to the richest family in the City, not to ntion handso, generous, and a top grad from an elite foreign school. I've had won throwing themselves at since I was a kid," Lucas boasted arrogantly.
"You should be grateful I'm even considering keeping you, you gold-digging impostor! If you walk out now, you'll regret it!"
Avery struggled briefly, then swiftly broke free. She flipped him off and spat at him before striding away. Lucas clenched his fists, trembling with rage.
"Stop her!" he bellowed.
Lucas had been pursuing Avery for three years but had never even held her hand. I can't just let her slip away, he thought desperately.
"I need to spend one night with her, get it on tape, and show I'm still the most eligible bachelor in the City."
His entourage, keen to impress, quickly blocked Avery's way, smirking.
"Avery, Mr. Harper has bent over backward for you. How can you be so cold and just leave?" one sneered.
"If you're ditching him, at least throw the guy a bone. Show so damn appreciation for all he's done," another piped up.
Avery kept her cool, then glanced over their shoulders with a smirk.
"Matthew, you made it!"
Hearing the na, Lucas and his cronies turned in shock. Rumors had been flying that Matthew Graham, heir to the Graham family, had sneaked into the City. Every big shot in town, including their families, was scrambling for an intro.
But when they spun around, there was no sign of Matthew—just the usual crowd. The elusive Matthew seed nowhere in sight.
Lucas whipped back around to Avery.
"Where's Matthew Graham? Are you lying..." he started but trailed off as he realized Avery had used their distraction to slip away.
"Go! Downstairs, now! We've got to catch her!" he ordered his group.
They muscled through the crowd and sprinted to the elevator, hitting the building's lobby in seconds, only to see a modest black car pulling away.
"Avery, you can't run from !" Lucas scread, chasing after her. He was left coughing in a cloud of dust as her car tore down the street. Furious, he wiped his face and glared at the fading taillights.
"After her!" he roared between coughs before jumping into his Maserati to give chase.
Half an hour later, Lucas was still desperately combing the streets for Avery. anwhile, Avery had already arrived back at the Murphy family villa.
After parking her car, she made a call.
"Blacklist the Harper family imdiately," she instructed coldly. "No invitations to any V Group events, no sales of V Group products, and bar them from entering any V Group properties."
With that, she ended the call and calmly walked through the villa's front door.
When Avery finally arrived, it was twelve minutes past midnight. Despite the Murphys' reputation for living a healthy, disciplined lifestyle, the grand crystal chandelier was still casting a bright light across the living room.
As she stepped inside, she spotted Isaac Murphy lounging on the large leather sofa, dressed in silk pajamas. His eyes were closed, seemingly at rest, and a stack of docunts lay on the coffee table in front of him. It was clear he'd been waiting for her.
The mont he heard the door, he opened his eyes and asked with a concerned look, "Avery Carter, why are you back so late? Did sothing happen?"
Avery, wearing a polite smile, pretended not to notice his formal tone.
"Nothing too serious. I just signed the breakup agreent with Lucas. It's official—we're done."
Isaac rarely called her by her full na, which made Avery wonder if he was subtly reminding her of her place in the family.
At her words, Isaac visibly relaxed, a slight smile curling at the corner of his mouth before he quickly composed himself again.
"Are you upset with us for not stepping in to save your engagent?"
"No," Avery replied sincerely, shaking her head slightly. "I never had feelings for Lucas. If you hadn't forced into this engagent a month ago, I wouldn't have even considered him."
Back then, her grandmother had been critically ill, requiring a nearly impossible surgery. Since Avery was still a minor, she couldn't legally sign the consent forms.
The Murphy had taken advantage of the situation, using their signature as leverage to force her into the engagent.
Avery could've arranged the surgery secretly, but she hadn't seen the point in going through all the trouble. She knew she could end things with Lucas anyti, so she went along with the engagent without a fuss.
Isaac looked uncomfortable as he addressed the matter. After clearing his throat awkwardly, he said, "I'm glad you don't hold it against us."
"Please, have a seat. There's sothing we need to discuss," he added, motioning to the chair next to him.
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