"Ophelia," Lord Sterling said, his voice like gravel.She looked up, her eyes watery and wide. "Yes, My Lord?""Your story is a tragedy," he said, though his face remained like stone. "If Lucas Yates has done these things, he must be destroyed. But a woman in your position... a woman whose reputation has been questioned... you need protection. You need a name that Lucas cannot touch."Ophelia blinked, her fake tears stopping for a second."What do you mean?"Lord Sterling leaned forward, the light from the fireplace glinting in his eyes. "I have one son who is not yet married. Leonard. He is a director at the Yates empire, as you know. He has a seat at the table, just like you did. He is a Sterling, through and through."Ophelia’s heart skipped a beat. She knew Leonard Sterling. He was cold, arrogant, and just as power-hungry as his father."I am proposing a union," Lord Sterling continued, his voice dropping to a low, cold hum. "If you want the protection of this house, you must
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