Chapter 3

Velda was the first to speak. "Marry someone else? Who could that be? Aside from Theo, our family doesn't have anyone of age—"

She froze mid-sentence, a sudden thought crossing her mind. Her face turned even paler than Sofia's. Meanwhile, a shadow passed over Frank's expression.

I turned to him, disregarding the others. "Mr. Aldridge Senior, I hear your younger brother, Jesse, is still single. Is that correct?"

The name struck Theodore like a bolt of lightning. He shouted, his voice breaking, "No! Absolutely not!"

"Dakota, how can you even think of marrying my uncle? He's a cold, heartless monster! You'll never find happiness with him!"

As I met his frantic gaze, my heart remained unmoved. "My happiness is none of your concern. You'd be better off focusing on Ms. Moretti at your side."

I turned to my father, raising my voice deliberately. "Besides, I believe Mr. Jesse is an excellent choice.

"He's led Aldridge Group's overseas division for years. He's decisive, capable, and widely regarded as a prodigy in the business world.

"Half of Aldridge Group's current achievements are thanks to him.

"With a man of his caliber safeguarding our family's future, both you and the board can rest easy."

Even though I was speaking to my father, my words hit Frank and Theodore like a blow to the face.

Everyone knew that Aldridge Group had been founded by Morris Aldridge.

He had two sons. The elder, Frank—Theodore's father—was mediocre at best. Though capable of maintaining stability, he lacked the talent and vision to grow the company.

On the other hand, Morris' younger son, Jesse, was nearly ten years Frank's junior. Despite his age, he possessed an innate talent for business.

When Morris fell gravely ill, he formally handed leadership of the company to Frank. At the same time, he entrusted the majority of the shares and control of the overseas division to the far more capable Jesse.

Over the years, Frank and Velda had always regarded Jesse as a thorn in their side. While they depended on his talent to bring in profits, they also feared that his success could overshadow them and threaten Theodore's position as heir.

With my decision to marry Jesse, I had made their most dreaded fear come true. Glancing at the uneasy looks on Frank and Velda's faces, my father let out a cold snort.

"What's the matter? Don't you two like the idea? Well, then, I suppose the cooperation between our families ends here.

"Tomorrow morning, I'll have my lawyers start the contract termination process. Good luck handling your new energy project all on your own."

"No!" Frank panicked, grabbing my father's arm. "Mr. Wetherby, let's talk this through. Fine, I… I agree! Is that enough?"

He then turned toward the stairs and bellowed, "Hurry! Bring Mr. Jesse down here!"

Soon, a figure slowly made his way down the staircase. He was tall, lean, and wore an impeccably tailored black loungewear. His sharp, well-defined features showed no hint of emotion.

This was Jesse Aldridge—Theodore's notoriously stoic uncle.

His gaze swept the living room before finally resting on me. He spoke in a calm, magnetic voice, "Why were you looking for me?"

Frank forced a strained smile. "So, Jesse, here's the situation. The Wetherby family… They want you to fulfill the marriage contract with Dakota."

Upon hearing this, Jesse turned his gaze back to me, his eyes appraising every detail. Just when everyone expected him to reject such an absurd proposal, Jesse gave a subtle nod.

"Consider it done," he replied. Though his voice was calm, the words struck Theodore like a lightning bolt.

"Uncle Jesse!" Theodore stepped in front of him, his eyes blazing red. "You can't marry Dakota! She's my wife!"