Owned by the debt
She looked sideways at Adrian, wondering how his prideful, secretive mind would navigate such a direct, humiliating question in front of the entire valley.
Marcus Vance smiled slightly, raising his microphone an inch higher.
"So tell us directly, Mr. Ramirez," the reporter pressed, his tone dripping with sharp challenge. "Is this marriage real? Or did you simply buy the last Duarte?"
Marisol watched Adrian’s face, her breath trapped in her chest.
Adrian did not flinch. He did not blink, look away, or pause to carefully choose his words. Without a single beat of hesitation, he reached down, took Marisol’s gloved hand, and laced his fingers tightly through hers, pulling her close to his side.