Chapter 3

I had never struggled a day in my life growing up. But for Derek, I had smiled through client dinners I wanted no part of, toasting glass after glass until I lost count.

I bowed my head and begged for contracts like I had nothing left to lose. My parents hated watching it. They told me I was worth more than that.

I wiped my tears every time and told them Derek would never let me down. Instead, he kept telling me he wasn't ready to get married.

One year bled into the next, and then the next. The girl everyone had once envied slowly became the woman people whispered about behind her back, the one who had waited too long.

And now I was just tired.

My phone lit up. Renee had posted on social media.

"He waited in line for three hours just to buy me this necklace. Who says old-fashioned men don't know how to love?"

The photo showed the two of them at a nice restaurant. Renee was glowing. Derek had his head tilted toward her, and the way he was looking at her made my chest ache.

The same man who had built his whole personality around being old-fashioned and simple had apparently learned every table manner in the book for Renee's sake.

A bitterness spread through me that I couldn't shake.

Right. Who said old-fashioned men didn't know how to love? He just didn't love me.

I called Dad. My voice came out rough when he picked up.

"Dad, I'll go through with the Yates family's arrangement."

…

Derek came home early the next morning and found me sitting on the couch. He frowned as he walked in.

"Why are you just sitting there by yourself? It's cold in the mornings. You'll freeze."

He shrugged off his jacket and draped it over my shoulders. When I didn't say anything, he reached into his pocket, pulled out a ring, and crouched down in front of me.

"Still upset about last night? Renee's young. She hasn't seen much of the world, and I just wanted to broaden her horizons a little. I didn't want her to end up like I did, starting from nothing. I bought this specially for you. Serena, you're the one I'm meant to marry. Will you?"

The way he looked up at me, humble and earnest, reminded me of the boy he used to be. Something stirred in me despite everything.

I was almost ready to say yes when his next words dragged me straight back down. "But you upset Renee last night and made her cry, so I gave her the shares my parents had set aside as part of our marriage agreement."

I went completely still. "Derek. Do you hear what you're saying?"

My parents had wanted nothing to do with Derek or his family. I wore myself down to nothing while convincing them, enduring more than I cared to remember before they finally agreed to the match.

Even then, they only agreed on the condition that 50% of Crawford Group's shares be signed over as part of the arrangement. And now Derek wanted to hand all of that over to Renee just to smooth things over.

"Serena, my mom always says marriage is about building a life together. Betrothal gifts are old-fashioned—they're just a way to put a price on a daughter. It's outdated."

Derek tightened his grip on my hand. There was something calculating behind his eyes even as he smiled.

"You're an only child. Your family's assets will all be yours eventually anyway. If you play it right, your dad might even agree to put more of the company in your name before the wedding."

He must have caught something in my expression because his tone softened again. "You know me. I'm old-fashioned and don't think in complicated terms. Everything I do is for our future together."

Old-fashioned. That same tired excuse, dressed up in the same tired words.

I remained very still, took a slow breath, and then smiled. "Alright."

"Ma'am, I don't think—" the housekeeper started.

I held up a hand to stop him and kept my voice perfectly pleasant.

"A few extra shares aren't nearly enough. We might as well ask Dad to throw in half of the main company's shares while we're at it.

"And let's skip the wedding altogether. We're a practical couple. A simple ceremony at the courthouse is more than enough. No venue, no dress, no fanfare.

"The reception too. We're not ones for extravagance. Dinner rolls and pickles will do just fine for our guests. But your parents are making the trip in from out of town, so we should really put on a proper spread for them. Only the best."

Derek stared at me. Then his face broke into the widest smile I had seen from him in years, and he pulled me into his arms.

"Serena! I knew you'd come around! I'm so happy you've finally become this sensible. I'm the luckiest man alive to have you."

He spun toward the doorway, practically giddy. "Renee, did you hear that? I told you Serena isn't the materialistic type!"