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“He never wanted to get married. For as long as I’ve known him, it has been the one thing that has never changed. He never wanted to take another oath for the family.”

Nikolai stepped back from the fire. “Do you want a drink?”

I shook my head. It wasn’t what he asked, it was how he asked it. “Nik, just tell me whatever it is. I don’t need a drink before hearing it.”

“Damius is insisting you marry into the family. Your family agreed, so,” he gave me a side way look. “If you don’t marry Vince, you will be marrying one of our cousins.”

My family had agreed. All that speech about choice. “Because of Nathaniel and Marcel.”

“We can both agree that if you marry one of our cousins, it would eventually kill him.”

A life oath to one of his cousins. Suddenly I felt nauseated.

“Does my family know that there is a choice at the moment?” I can’t believe I have to ask Nik.

“No. Like I said earlier, life has only been unfair to Vince.”

CHAPTER 18

Madeline

“My beautiful granddaughter, what is this I hear you ended your engagement?”

“We just wouldn’t work well together. I’m sorry, grandma.” Noah Voss was a pig. But the family wanted to stay associated with them.

At least I got some satisfaction knowing he was in hospital recovering from throat surgery. His family had been very secretive about what had happened to him.

“Well, don’t you dare settle. Your father settled.” She shook her head. “Not one son. Your Aunty Diana was first proposed to your father, but no, he went with your mother. Two sons she gave your uncle.” My grandmother clicked her tongue. “My daughter refused to listen to me during her pregnancy and look how it ended. One girl and a removed uterus.” She tapped my hand, “Your poor father.”.

“Do you need anything else, grandma? I’m just going to check on mom.” I placed her cup of tea beside her.

She scoffed, “So you should. That’s her seventh drink. I have been counting. Only depressed people drink as much as your mother.” casting a look in my mother’s direction. “And I saw what she ate at dinner.”

God. Family events were exhausting. Walking across the room over to mom and aunty Diana.

Mom sighed, staring at my cousins. “Such a great moment for the family. You must be so proud, Diana.”

I fought to be seen. My cousins just had to stand in a room.

“Maddy, do you need that? It is a waste of calories. If you need alcohol, have a shot.” She shook her head. “It has only been weeks since the cancellation of the wedding and she is already letting herself go.”

“Oh, we did hear about that. Noah is marrying Rhiannon now.”

Mom sighed. “She will make a beautiful bride.”

“So why was the merger canceled?” Aunty Diana asked, a flicker of disappointment in her eyes. God forbid I hurt her son’s expansion plans.

“Maddy refused to step away from the business. Even though the boys can clearly handle it.” She gestured at my cousins. “All that planning wasted. Well, Rihanna won’t need a sunset wedding. That woman doesn’t need shadows to help hide anything.”

“Mom, do you need another drink? I’m going to check on dad.”

Mom shooed my hand away. “No, dear, I’m fine. Gosh, you might not care about your figure, but I’m not losing mine.”

I nodded, walking towards dad at the bar. Tonight was hard on him. He was the eldest. That territory should be going to his sons. Sadly for him, he only had me.

Touching his shoulder, as I leaned against the bar beside him.

“Maddy.” He smiled, but it didn’t reach his eyes.