Page 5 of The Rancher's Unloved Wife

You're making me marry a total stranger,Summerine wished she could cry out. Was that something she was supposed to celebrate in their book?

"You wouldn't even have a chance of nabbing a man like Mr. Harcourt if not for us."

Then why don't you just nab him for yourself?

Summerine was dying to throw these words at her mother.

(But you can't, can you?)

"Your father thinks I don't have to bother talking to you one last time, but that look on your face clearly proves otherwise."

Now or never,she urged herself.Speak up or hold your silence for the rest of your life!

Summerine swallowed hard. "I—-I—-"

"Don't care to hear it," her mother cut her off in a cold voice. "And if there's anyone who's going to do some listening, that would be you."

Summerine shrank back as Annie took a threatening step forward.

"Your father and Ineedyour wedding to Ryu Harcourt to push through, and we will not letanyoneget in any way," her mother hissed. "Least of allyou.Are we clear on this?"

No. We're not clear on this. At all.

I'm your daughter. You're my parents.

So why are you doing this to me?

I object.

I'M SORRY I HAVE TOdo this in front of everyone.

But my parents left me no choice.

I can't marry you.

I'm so sorry.

Summerine repeated the words in her mind as she walked down the carpeted flower-lined ramp. Whoever it was that had been hired to be their venue stylist was a genius, with the entire ballroom transformed into a lantern-lit forest of glow-in-the-dark flowers.

Everyone was also staring at her like she was the most radiant bride—-and not one of them seemed to notice the way her parents were guarding her every move like a warden that was ready to have her arrested at the slightest provocation.

I object. I object. I object.

Summerine refused to be intimidated and focused on practicing the first and most important words of her speech.

I object. I object. I object.

But as soon as she reached the end of the ramp, she felt like fainting anew as she sensed her bridegroom taking his place next to her.

I...I...I...

O...O...Oh, this was impossible!

"Before I join these two in holy matrimony, would anyone here care to step forward in objection?"

Half of her was determined to ignore his existence. But the other half of her had the inexplicable urge to steal a peek at the stranger her parents had arranged for her to marry.

"Very well, then..."

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