CHAPTER SEVEN

Miss Park rushed toward me. "Mrs. Pearl, are you alright?"

"I'm fine... I'm okay," I said, forcing the words out.

My phone rang. Taking a deep breath to calm myself, I answered.

"Well... hmm... how do I say this? I'm s-sorry, but isn't Vivienne your sister?" Grace asked. From the tone of her voice, I could tell she was trying to hint at what my sister had done.

Feeling hopeless, tears streamed down my face as I sniffled.

"I'm sorry, Grace, but can I call you another time?" I asked softly.

"Wait! I just wanted to ask if you'd like to grab coffee with me tomorrow," Grace said.

I knew Grace was inviting me out just to cheer me up.

"Well, sure. Text me the address," I replied.

"Bye, Pearl."

Once again, my sister was trying to sabotage a marriage of convenience that she hadn't even wanted in the first place.

And who was Liam?

My mind was a complete mess.

I grabbed the vase sitting on the corridor table and hurled it against the wall in frustration.

"What does she really want?" I yelled.

"Madam!" Miss Park exclaimed in a high-pitched voice.

I quickly realized I had made a huge mess. I apologized to Miss Park and offered to clean it up.

"Madam Pearl, here is some chamomile tea for you. It will calm your nerves."

I politely accepted the cup from her.

"Who the hell is Liam?" I asked, my voice trembling with anger.

Miss Park glanced around, making sure no more glassware was in danger before replying.

"Madam... that is Mr. Ashford's younger brother."

I froze.

Dominic had told me about every single member of his family... except him.

"Miss Park, that's impossible. Dominic doesn't have a younger brother. He's the last child of three children."

It felt like I was slowly losing my mind.

"Well, I've been with the Ashford family for over two decades, Mrs. Ashford. I think you might want to sit down for what I'm about to say.

"Mr. Liam is Dominic's stepbrother, and he is the major reason Mr. Ashford struggles to trust people. Dominic and Liam used to be best friends. You couldn't even come between those two.

"But Grandfather Ashford never liked Liam because he isn't an Ashford. Even now, Liam's name has never been registered as an Ashford. He goes by his mother's surname.

"I mustn't say anything else. I've already said more than enough."

I replayed every word Miss Park had just told me.

"No... no... no. This is too much for me."

I spoke loudly enough for Miss Park to hear.

Immediately, I called Grace, hoping to distract myself from everything I had just learned.

"Hey, Grace. How about we just go to Starbucks? No fancy restaurant."

"Fine by me. Just bring your bottle along. It's more eco-friendly," Grace replied.

I smiled.

Grace always amazed me. She was simply incredible.

I finished my chamomile tea while thinking of how I was going to tell my parents what Vivienne had done.

They weren't fully aware of everything.

Not yet.

Dominic's POV

The driver pulled through the large iron gates.

I looked up from my tablet.

I remembered this estate. It had once belonged to my family.

This place held both bitter and sweet memories.

"Young Master, welcome home. Grandfather Ashford will be pleased by your arrival. The family is waiting for you in the living room," the butler informed me.

I walked inside.

Seated in the living room were my father, mother, grandfather, and grandmother.

I already knew another unpleasant family meeting was waiting for me.

When I spotted Liam, I smiled with satisfaction.

He had been beaten to a pulp and was holding a bag of ice against his bruised face.

Grandfather was obviously furious with me.

"This is not the Ashford way, Dominic! Why are you so stubborn? Why can't you simply follow the family's rules? How dare you?" Grandfather thundered.

"Grandfather, I understand. I take full responsibility for what I did to Liam... but he deserved it."

I met his gaze without flinching.

From the look in his eyes, I knew he wasn't going to let this go.

"Dominic Ashford! You bear this family's name, yet you behave however you please! How dare you marry a girl from an unknown family? They're on the verge of bankruptcy, are you want to save them when they finally collapse?

"That girl,whatever her name is didn't even attend college, let alone a prestigious university, yet you dare lecture me about Liam?"

Every word Grandfather spoke sounded more like an attack than concern.

"And why is he even sitting here? This is a family meeting!"

His words stung Liam.

Liam suddenly stood up, laughing hysterically while Grandfather looked away.

"Dad, stop this. This is wrong," my father said.

I let out a bitter laugh, giving Grandfather a cold stare.

"Keep quiet! You lost your privilege the moment you chose to have a son outside this family. Look at what you've done. Now your foolish son has married... God knows what."

Disgust dripped from every word he spoke.

I'd had enough.

Grandfather's old-fashioned lifestyle had clouded his judgment, but what truly pushed me over the edge was the way he spoke about Pearl, as though she were some disgusting animal.

Without thinking, I blurted out,

"Grandfather, punish me however you see fit, but leave my wife out of this!"

"You... you..." Grandfather's face turned crimson with rage.

"Enough!" Grandmother stood.

"You old geezer, can't you see the young man is in love? Are you really against that? Or are you afraid he'll repeat the same mistake you made with your own son?"

Her final words caught my mother completely off guard.

I glanced at her.

She looked exhausted... and guilty.

"You always spoil them," Grandfather snapped. "Because of your grandmother, I'll pardon you. But don't think that girl is accepted into this family."

My heart skipped a beat.

I wasn't ready to start another war with my family.

After a long silence, Grandfather sighed. Grandmother gently nudged him.

"We've decided to visit your home and meet the woman you've chosen to marry," he said. "But I still don't understand why you didn't marry Celeste... or someone else."

With that, he stood up, and my mother helped him out of the living room.