The black sedan glided to a stop just as Ethan stepped onto the curb. The Uber driver pulled away, unaware of the storm brewing behind Ethan's calm eyes.
A man in a sleek black suit stepped out of the shining car and bowed slightly.
"Good day, sir," he greeted, opening the car door.
Ethan nodded silently and slid into the back seat. As the door shut, he gave a single wave to the driver. "Drive."
Liam, his personal assistant, sat across from him. A folder rested on his lap.
"Did you do what I asked, Liam?"
"Yes, sir. A full background check." Liam flipped open the folder.
"Go on."
"Sharon Moore. Twenty-two years old. The first daughter of Eli Moore."
Ethan's brows furrowed. "I thought Eli only had three daughters. The media claimed he had four, but no one ever mentioned the fourth. Why her?"
"She keeps a low profile. Rarely posts online. Her photos are scarce. Seems she doesn't like the spotlight," Liam explained.
Ethan leaned back, intrigued. A private woman in a loud world… interesting.
"Her family's wealthy. Yet, she works in that little bakery," Ethan said, still frowning. "Why?"
"That bakery belonged to her late mother," Liam replied. "Elizabeth Moore, Eli's first wife. After she passed, he married Liddy. Sharon inherited the bakery and vowed to make it successful. She was mocked online when she announced it."
Ethan's expression darkened. "Social media is full of cowards."
Liam knew what that tone meant. End of conversation. He fell silent as the car pulled into the driveway of the grand Lancaster estate.
One of Ethan's trusted guards greeted him at the entrance.
"Welcome home, sir. The old lady is waiting for you."
Ethan sighed. "I'll see her."
Inside the elegant sitting room, his grandmother rose from her seat the moment he entered.
"Ethan." Her voice trembled with relief as she hugged him tightly.
"I'm fine, Granny. You don't need to worry."
"Of course I do," she said, sitting him down beside her. "Anne called. She says Lily was scared. She's not ready for marriage. She asked for patience, and forgiveness."
Ethan's jaw tightened. Anger flashed in his eyes, but he forced a smile for her sake.
"No need for that, Granny. It's over. I'm already married."
His grandmother stiffened. "What do you mean?"
"I said… I got married. But not to Lily. And from now on, no one is allowed to bring her up again. That chapter is closed."
He stood and walked away, leaving his grandmother staring after him, speechless. He's just like his grandfather, she thought with a heavy heart.
Back at the Moore residence, Sharon opened the front door and froze.
Her father, stepmother, stepsisters, and… Jason… were all waiting in the living room.
She dropped her bag and rushed toward him, her hands clutching the front of his shirt.
"Why did you do this to me, Jason? Why would you break my heart like this?" she sobbed, pounding his chest with trembling fists. "After everything we've been through, why?"
Jason gently caught her wrists. "I'm sorry, Shar. I just… I couldn't go through with it."
"But why?" she cried out, her voice cracking.
Before he could answer, Madina, her stepsister stepped forward with a smug smirk.
"That's because he married me."
Sharon stumbled back, staring blankly. Then, out of nowhere, she started to laugh. It was a short, broken laughter.
"What's funny, duffer?" Rose, the youngest sister, snapped.
"It's funny… because Jason would never do that," Sharon said, her voice hollow. She turned back to him. "Right, Jason? Tell them you didn't."
Jason looked away, his silence louder than any confession.
Madina rolled her eyes and turned to Jason. "Should I tell her or will you?"
Jason swallowed hard. "Shar… it's true. Madina and I… we got married."
Her knees buckled slightly, but she didn't fall. Her face twisted in disbelief, pain flooding every part of her being.
"What?" she whispered.
"Oh, are you deaf now?" Madina sneered. "Poor Sharon. While you were waiting at the city hall like a clown, we were having the wedding of our lives."
Shirley, the second step sister, laughed cruelly. "You should've seen it. White roses. Champagne. Beautiful cake. Pity you weren't invited."
They all laughed like it was a game.
But Sharon wasn't laughing anymore.
Her tears ran freely down her cheeks, and she stared at the people she once called family. The pain was unbearable but beneath it, something stronger stirred.
Anger. Resolve.
They think I'm finished. They think this broke me.
But they're wrong.
To be continued...