ried to

defined jawline, and steady eyes gave him a comman

med, and she felt

ght eyes, rosy lips-and he stepp

d clothes-and remembering the old car-their allure evaporated instantly.

ldest, Piper, and our youngest, Ella. Thanks to the Hart family's care ove

nodded

. "So... where do you work? Where d

in the suburbs, and my parents aren't wo

ned finance, real estate, hotels, and luxury

returned to his grandmother's su

Tiesto had taken control of the company, they had ind

betrayed h

ying a house in the city?" she

lied. He already had plenty

swirling in her head but fo

rly, this engagement wouldn't happen unless the fa

ll me-who do you see Tiesto be

ought about it. There's no rush. Let the

n locating them. If Nora hadn't brought up the engagem

nteract'? There are three sons-how ex

ttention, and even the Hart

as about to spea

ised them myself. Twenty years of hard work went into them. When they first cam

ly exchanged

s. Though I'm their adoptive mother, my love for them is no les

itated.

adoptive mother. You're my biological parents, yes, but I can't ignore

I don't want her married this early. Please-let her stay by my

cided to stay. It made sense-luxury, comfort,

parents-it had been a test to see if the engagement prospect measured up. A good family, a solid background, and lux

ood Piper didn't want to leave and reluctantly ag

la. "And you? Do

but had no problem keeping

ensed. Could it be that neither

d her with qu

nly. "I don't

ou leave today, you're no longer my da

lla said, taking Lora's arm.

ater." Nora rolled her eyes, secretly mutt

yself. I won

he fiancé. She is back with you-I do

sband, you can't just go by looks, and you can't cling to promises made decades ago. A marriage

y guard, her mother as a cleaner, and they lived in a cramped apartment outside the villa. On

and stubborn, refusing to flatter Nor

Ella said calmly, a sense of freedom se

s treated her

of currying favor with Nora, taking credit for the

er birth parents, Ella had already deci

ou. I don't want to see you work so hard, only t

as foolish-turning down comfort an

s right. When a woman marr

't just expect to marry someone because of some promise his

led sarcasm-it wasn'

terling, since the Sterling and Hart families alre

om wen

arm. "Ella... are y

er met this man before-and she didn't want her daughter ste

looks. Thinly veiled disdain. Even open mockery-none of it

n't expecte

lmly propose

ss."Tiesto-say yes! Say yes to her! That girl is good-hearted.

ber-his grandmother had be

ss this chance, you'll regret it! Oh

lenched

he said unde

w confused looks from

Steady. As if she had already made

g?" she prom

use, Tiesto nodd

a long, satisfied sigh. The dramatic headache that had