Adrian's estate wasn't just a house—it was a fortress. Nancy had only seen it once before, in passing, but now she stood on its marble steps like a warrior entering enemy territory.
Inside, the mood was colder than the chandeliers.
"Mr. Blackwood is in the library," a stiff butler announced.
Adrian gave Nancy a reassuring nod and took her hand. "You ready for this?"
Nancy inhaled. "Born ready. But if your uncle throws a drink, I'm throwing a chair."
He smirked. "Fair enough."
---
Inside the Library
Uncle Harold sat behind a desk that looked like it belonged in a museum. He didn't bother standing.
"So this is the girl who turned your brain to soup," he said, eyes sliding over Nancy.
"Nice to meet you too," she said flatly.
"Enough games," Harold snapped. "You've embarrassed this family. A staged marriage? A poor scholarship girl to fulfill a technicality? I have lawyers crawling through the contract."
Adrian stepped forward. "Then let them crawl. The marriage is legal. And the press has already sided with us."
Harold sneered. "For now. But the board isn't sentimental. They'll cut you out at the first whiff of weakness."
Nancy leaned on the desk, unbothered. "Then I guess it's lucky we're not weak."
Harold stood, face red. "You don't belong in this world, girl."
Nancy smiled sweetly. "Funny, I was just thinking the same about you."
Adrian had to bite back a laugh.
---
Later That Night – Adrian's Apartment
Nancy flopped on the couch, drained. "That man has the energy of a haunted mirror."
Adrian tossed his tie onto a chair. "I'm just glad you didn't throw the chair."
"Only because I liked the chair."
They both laughed, and for a moment, the weight lifted.
Nancy's phone buzzed. She checked it and frowned.
"It's Camille," she muttered. "She wants to meet. Alone."
Adrian sat up straighter. "Absolutely not."
"I want to hear what she has to say."
He grabbed her hand. "Nancy…"
She squeezed back. "I'm not walking into a trap. I'm walking into the last act. It's time I finished this."