Chapter 2

Victoria dug her nails into her palms, the blood in her veins running cold. "Mom, what do you mean, I'm butting in? Kelsey stole my boyfriend!"

Rhonda's lips curled. "All it means is that you and Levi weren't meant to be. If something's really yours, nobody can take it from you..."

Dennis felt somewhat sorry for his elder daughter, but he just sighed. "Victoria, Kelsey is in the wrong here, but what's done is done. Just break up with Levi.

"Otherwise, people will laugh at us if word gets out that you two sisters are fighting over one man..."

Rhonda went on, "You're the big sister. You should be more understanding and let Kelsey have this!"

There it was. Late, but right on schedule!

Victoria had been brainwashed with that line her whole life.

And she'd always lived by it.

Even her younger brother, Tyler Larsen, woken in the middle of the night, came out rubbing his eyes and said impatiently, "What's all the yelling? Levi's been with Kels for ages. Vicky, he doesn't even like you, so quit clinging to him..."

Tyler and Kelsey were fraternal twins, twenty years old this year.

He hadn't managed to get into college and spent every day lazing around the house.

He often gamed until the middle of the night, so he'd known about his sister and Levi's affair for a long time. But since Levi gave him money for in-game gear, he chose to turn a blind eye.

Tyler could actually understand where Levi was coming from.

After all, his older sister was always so fierce. How could she compare to their naïve, adorable younger sister when it came to winning a man over?

Seeing that even Tyler wasn't on Kelsey's side, Victoria laughed.

So these were the younger siblings she'd doted on since they were little. This was the family she'd been sacrificing for all along...

She stared coldly at the two shameless people on the bed. "Don't worry, I won't cling to him anymore. Even a dog would turn its nose up at a scumbag like him. Only an idiot like Kelsey would want him!

"I hope you two stay stuck with each other forever, so you can't go out and ruin anyone else's life!"

With that, Victoria turned and left immediately, afraid that if she looked at those two for even one more second, she'd be sick.

Watching her walk away, Levi felt uneasy.

He'd known that sooner or later, Victoria would find out about him and Kelsey.

He'd even hoped she would find out early, so he wouldn't have to spend every day on edge, worried about being caught juggling two women.

But now, the relief he'd expected never came.

Instead, he felt like he'd lost something very important...

Kelsey wiped her tears and sniffled. "Mom, did Vicky mean it? I don't think she can let Levi go..."

After all, Levi was so handsome, so caring, and his family was rich. She didn't believe for a second that Victoria would just hand him over that easily.

Rhonda stroked Kelsey's hair and soothed her gently. "Don't worry. Victoria's so old now. What does she have to compete with you? Tell you what, in a couple of days, I'll set her up on a blind date..."

Her elder daughter was no longer that young. If she didn't marry soon, they'd never fetch a good price for her.

Now that the breakup was done, they'd better find her someone fast.

Hearing that Rhonda planned to find Victoria a blind date, Levi suddenly felt a tightness in his chest.

The thought of Victoria with another man made him deeply uncomfortable.

But forget it. It was only a blind date.

After all, Victoria had dated an outstanding man like him. She'd never settle for some ordinary guy.

At that thought, Levi finally felt a little lighter.

Back in the little attic where she slept, Victoria lay in bed, wide awake.

She'd looked calm when she caught them in the act, but in truth, she was so angry her chest ached.

One was the boyfriend she'd believed was loyal.

The other was the sister she'd adored since childhood.

The two of them had betrayed her!

Looking back on her two years with Levi, there had been signs.

Every time the two of them went on a date, her sister tagged along like a shadow. Not only did Levi never object, he'd even ask Kelsey whether she wanted to come along.

When they ate out, he knew every one of Kelsey's favorite dishes by heart. Yet he could never remember that Victoria was allergic to seafood.

She'd been too slow to see it.

But worse than a lover's betrayal was her family's indifference. That chilled her to the bone.

Tonight, not one of the family she loved most had taken her side.

...

The Merritt family estate.

The second-floor study was done in a minimalist palette of cool grays, and the overhead light cast shadows across the man seated there.

Jax Merritt reclined on the leather sofa with his long legs crossed, a black bespoke suit outlining his impressive build.

At the moment, he radiated cold impatience.

"Jax, it's time you honored our engagement agreement with the Axel family." His father, Charles Merritt, sat behind the desk, his tone carrying an authority that brooked no refusal. "Titus Group and the Axels have been partners for years. Joining forces is the best possible move."

Jax lifted his eyes indifferently. Not a ripple stirred in his deep gaze, and his thin lips were pressed into a cold line. "The person I'm engaged to isn't the Axels' adopted daughter. My fiancée was Rose Axel."

At the mention of the little girl from his memories, a flicker of emotion finally crossed his expressionless face, something heavy stirring in his eyes.

Charles bristled at once. "That little girl died in a fire twenty years ago! I know you two grew up together and were very close, but the dead are gone. You have to move on..."

He paused a while, then continued, "The Axels' adopted daughter, Melanie, likes you very much, and the Axels want her to fulfill the engagement."

At the thought of that spoiled, willful Axel heiress, disgust flashed in Jax's eyes. "I won't marry her."

"Then what do you want?" Charles had no idea what to do with this son. In the end, he made the call himself.

"Fine. If you don't like Melanie, I'll set you up on blind dates with other girls this weekend. See if any of them catch your eye..."

"Book a time with my assistant, Brett." Jax glanced casually at his wristwatch and stood. "I have a video conference."

Watching his son leave, Charles sighed.

At this rate, when would he ever get to hold a grandchild?

…

Friday evening.

As soon as Victoria got home from work, Rhonda pulled her down to sit.

Dropping her usual aggression, Rhonda pleaded earnestly, "Vicky, I know you feel wronged, but you can't force love. Since Levi doesn't like you, just let it go. I can't bear to watch you marry a man who doesn't love you."

"Are you sure about that?" Victoria gave her a sidelong look, her voice dripping with sarcasm. "If Levi had cheated with some other woman, you'd be telling me to do whatever it took to win that scumbag back."

After all, in her mother's eyes, Levi was a rare catch, a golden ticket of a son-in-law.

Rhonda was left speechless, her face flushing red and then pale.

"Vicky, as your mother, of course I want both my daughters to be happy. Now that Kels is with Levi, you're the one I worry about most.

"You're not getting any younger. As long as you're not married, I will never stop worrying.

"Tomorrow's the weekend, so I've set you up with a blind date. He's a great catch. Go meet him... After all, you just broke up with Levi. Starting a new relationship will help you heal."

Victoria sneered inwardly. So after all that talk, the point was to get her to go on a blind date.

Her mother was afraid she'd try to steal Levi back from her precious baby girl, wasn't she?

"I don't need to heal. I'm perfectly fine." With that, Victoria got up to go back to her room.

"Stop right there!" Seeing that being nice wasn't getting through, Rhonda flew into a rage. "You're twenty-seven now! If you don't get married soon, you'll be an old maid!

"The older a woman gets, the fewer men she has to choose from. Men all like them young and pretty!"

"Vicky, are you refusing to go on a blind date because you're still hung up on Levi?" Kelsey walked out of her room, her big eyes glistening, looking pure and innocent.