in a flash. "How can

ed. "This can't be right.

s and those rare formulas put them on the map. But after Rita's passing, the legacy began to wither. Tying themselv

y, but her marriage didn't carry the same weight as

ack bone. Still, ever the performer, she put on her poised express

marital status clearly," the Ci

yed Cole and Elliana listed as husband and wife. The date went bac

Kiara stoo

then and there. She was at a loss, h

Ruben narrowed his eyes and asked

ker face. "I'm just as

he nearly twitching with rage. "You're standing there saying you s

his stare sharp enough to cut glass. She

else's gaze to Elliana. Now she was the

ugged innocently, and said, "B

, scraping through grade school, stuck in a storeroom no bigger than a closet, and constantly ridiculed for h

inding her teeth in frustration, Kiara instructed, "Sort out the truth l

e and Paige married takes

has strict traditions. A man can only remarry if his wife has passed away. Divor

listening with rage. "Everyone in Ublento knows I'm the one meant to marry into the Evans family! And

sharp and poisonous. "Paige is meant to be Cole's rightful wif

hing she could've planned. She had daydreamed about stealing Cole just to piss them off. But fate? It had gone fur

looked up at Cole and said, "Dar

ch! He's mine! How dare you call him that!" she

shield. With a teasing glint in her eye, she leaned to the side and said sweet

hed and trembling, ready for round two-u

's social scene-was slipping through her fingers. She'd clawed her way to

someone unhinged, suddenly slipped back into her gentle, wide-eyed

ange the course of this disaster. Ruben's reputation was unshakable-he never bent the rules.

voices and tension, Cole looked like

ole looked forward again. His voice cut through the air, steady and firm. "As an Evans

Both Kiara and Paige paled, as if

anic bubbling beneath the sur

ut Ruben's focus lingered on Cole-steady, co

family's traditions leave no room for

ce in the first place. But the engagement never stated exactly which of your daughters would be marrying into my family. Now that

't dare voice it since crossing Ruben wasn't an o

ood. Elliana stepped forward without hesitation, sli