Page 89 of Checks & Bonds

I nodded, walking Ivy to the door. "Thanks," I said, meaning it.

"Of course," Ivy replied, her smile widening. "That's what friends are for."

She left, and the room felt a little emptier without her. But her words lingered, echoing in my mind. For the first time, I wondered if maybe, just maybe, I could be enough for myself.

I sat on my bed, Ivy's words echoing in my mind. What did I want? Love. To be loved for exactly who I was, without pretense or condition. But could that be found with Henry?

I chewed my lip, staring at the wall. Ivy and Liam had made it work despite their complicated start. If they could find love in the chaos, why not us? Maybe Henry's reasons for marrying me were tangled in family duty and expectations, but that didn't mean we couldn't build something real.

My heart pounded as I stood up, determination growing with each step. I needed to talk to Henry, to explain what I wanted and find out if he could want the same.

Because I wasn't going to settle for any less.

Not anymore.

I crossed the room, my thoughts racing. I reached for the door, hesitating for a split second before pulling it open. I stumbled back, nearly colliding with a tall man in an impeccable suit. His hand was raised, ready to knock.

He smiled, his eyes crinkling at the corners. "You must be Freya Reynolds."

I tilted my head, studying him. "And you are?"

"Richard," he replied smoothly. "Richard Mathers. If you have the time, I'd like to talk to you about my nephew, Henry."

My guard shot up the moment I saw him. Richard Mathers, the man responsible for the mess with Dan and those damning pictures. My pulse quickened as I faced him.

“Why do you want to speak to me?” I asked, keeping my voice steady.

“Because I’d like to get your take on the arranged marriage with my nephew,” he said, stepping into my dorm room without waiting for an invitation.

I watched him warily as I slowly closed the door behind him. His eyes scanned the room, assessing everything.

“Actually,” he continued, turning to face me, “I wanted to know if you’d like to be released from your arrangement.”

I blinked, the words not quite registering. “What?”

“Unfortunately, the gravity of the situation has caused the Mathers Board to be concerned with how the children are behaving,” he explained. “In fact, they believe both Minka and Henry are tarnishing the Mathers legacy. Everything my father built is crumbling down, and I’m trying to fix it before it’s a lost cause.”

“I don’t understand,” I said, confusion and suspicion mingling in my mind.

“My niece is dating her team’s number one draft pick after inappropriate videos of the two of them were released,” Richard continued, his voice steady. "At the very minimum, it's a conflict of interest, even if she technically hasn't inherited the team yet, and he hasn't actually started to play for them. Henry is extremely violent. I just came from the hospital where his peer is still in ICU, recovering from a beating Henry gave him.”

“Henry only did that because Jensen was attacking me,” I snapped, my anger flaring.

“And let’s not discount the pictures,” he said, his tone unyielding. “You with another man, despite being engaged to Henry?”

“Oh, there are plenty of pictures of him with other women,” I retorted, crossing my arms.

“Not like that,” Richard countered. “And it doesn’t matter. He’s the man. It’s still acceptable, even expected. But you? You made him look like a cuck, like someone who plays games, who incapable of keeping order in his own house. First Dan, now Jensen? And the fact that my nephew can’t control himself… How is he to take over the Mathers legacy?”

His words stung, but I refused to let him see it. I stood straighter, meeting his gaze head-on. “So, what’s your solution?”

“I want you to end this engagement,” Richard said simply. “For the sake of the family, for the sake of the legacy. We can make it worth your while, of course.”

I stared at him, my mind racing. This man wanted me out, wanted to sweep me under the rug like a problem easily solved.

I sneered, feeling the anger bubbling up inside me. "I don't want your money."

"You may want to take it," Richard replied calmly. "I spoke to your parents. They have no intention of accepting you back into their good graces after the scandal you caused."

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