a Cro

clicking down the hardwoo

immaculate bun, and her narrow, dark-brown eyes flashed with venom. Beside her stood Curtis and a

ie slammed her porcelain teacup onto the glass tab

nce retrieving me from the rural sanctuary. To her, I was an embarras

rs, stopping a few paces from th

" I said evenly. "A

e, brought you back from the dirt, and this is how you repay us? Taking Clarissa

onor," I replied, my voice slicing through the room like a silver bla

ng anxiously toward the front doors where the Mcleod convoy was waiting.

lawyer with a shar

"Miss Cross, these are the dual-notarized severance documents. One copy for the municipal

untarily surrendered every inheritance right, stripped myself of the Decker name, and

actly wha

able and signed my name on the human lega

a bead of fresh blood onto the enchanted parchment. A dark-red spark ignited al

my soul shattered. The biological tie connecting me to the Decker lineage

s and slapped them onto the tab

n," I said, "I am n

d smirk curling her thin lips. To her, she had successfully

scoffed. "

g tall and locking eyes with her. "Th

confront me. "What are you talking about? Yo

is morning as the official dowry for their bride," I said, my voice echoing clearly through th

s face. Her fingers dug violen

upper-class decorum. "That money is the Mcleod Pack's strategic investment in the

charity handout for your failing business. Transfer the money to my private offshore a

es. The armored SUVs were idling impatiently, their sh

If they failed to deliver the bride today, the Mcleod Pack's financ

the Mcleod territory, Houston's silver madness will rip her apart in hours. The Mcleods will still honor the

burning with pure malice. But face

licate, tearful sob echoed f

se don't fight

y could barely support her weight. She was draped in an expensive white lace gown, her pale f