Nadine felt a chill run down her spine as her father dropped the bombshell about her impending marriage. The gravity of his words weighed heavily on her, and she turned to Zander, whose expression mirrored her shock and disbelief. He stood there frozen, seemingly distant, but Nadine knew he was grappling with the news just as she was.

Her mind raced with questions, trying to make sense of her father's sudden urgency. "Is there something you are hiding from me, Dad? Why do you look so scared? You said my fiancé is just a billionaire from the city, so why do you look afraid?" Nadine demanded, her voice tinged with...