"Why?" Braydon asked.
"Because I am your wife," Caroline replied.
A faint look crossed Braydon's eyes. "That's not the answer I wanted."
Caroline went quiet.
She understood exactly what he meant.
People knew how obsessed she used to be with Jacob. They talked about the things she had done for him like gossip over dinner tables.
Now she suddenly turned around and married Braydon instead. Of course he'd find it strange.
However, she couldn't tell him the real reason.
There was no way she could tell him she'd already lived through one lifetime before this one. She also couldn't admit she had seen how well Vivian lived after marrying him, or how disgusting Jacob truly was beneath his mask.
After staying silent for a while, Caroline finally looked at him and answered, "I prefer powerful men."
For the first time since entering the room, Braydon actually looked surprised.
Caroline continued, "Jacob can't even walk. How could someone like him protect me or support the Palmer family? But you're different. Nobody in Praginia dares to challenge you. If I'm standing beside you, I won't have to be afraid of anyone."
Every word came out direct and honest.
Braydon stared at her for a moment before chuckling. "So that's why you married me. You wanted my power."
"That's right."
"Not because you like me?"
A small smile appeared on Caroline's lips. "We barely know each other, Braydon. It'd be strange if I claimed I married you because of love."
"Fine," Braydon said, his voice turning playful. "You've got three minutes to convince me this marriage should stay. If you fail, I'll send you back to the Palmer family tomorrow and end all of this."
Caroline's fingers tightened slightly. Ever since her father died, the Palmer family had been losing ground little by little.
That was the whole reason her family pushed so hard for this marriage alliance in the first place.
If Braydon cast her aside now, the Palmer family would collapse completely.
Caroline was keenly aware of all this.
In her past life, Amanda worked endlessly to build ties with both the Lewis family and the Lloyd family through marriage. She wanted both Caroline and Vivian to become support for the Palmer family.
Unfortunately, Caroline was blinded by love back then. Her attention stayed fixed on Jacob alone. She never cared about the family's situation.
This time, she planned to change both the Palmer family's fate and her own.
Looking straight at Braydon, Caroline finally spoke. "The land in the south of the city."
The smile in Braydon's eyes disappeared little by little.
"You're planning to take that land for yourself." Caroline gave him a small smile. "I understand finance, economics, and real estate development. My family background makes the cut. I'm good-looking, and I won't stick my nose into your affairs with other women. To put it simply, I am a low-maintenance, understanding, tactful partner. Trust me, I am your ideal choice for a wife."
Braydon stayed silent. His expression darkened slightly, but he still didn't interrupt her.
"Since you haven't refused, I'll take that as agreement." Caroline slowly stood from her chair. "I hope we'll have a happy life together as a married couple."
After leaving those words behind, Caroline didn't stay another second. She turned around and walked out of the room.
Just then, Jared slipped out of the next room in slow, careful steps. "She couldn't have actually known that, could she? How could she possibly know you're trying to acquire the land in the south?"
The acquisition had never been made public.
That piece of land had already been reserved for casino development.
How could a woman known only for shopping and parties learn something that secret?
"Does her background mention anything about finance, economics, or real estate?"
Without waiting for permission, Jared picked up the documents scattered across Braydon's desk and skimmed through the pages.
"What the hell? She had perfect grades the entire time she was in college? And she already secured admission for graduate school? If she was this smart, why'd she quit studying?" Jared's eyes widened in disbelief.
Not long after leaving the study, Caroline contacted the bank.
Now that she was Braydon's wife, the president personally answered her call.
"Mrs. Lewis, what can I assist you with?"
"I'd like to borrow sixty million dollars," Caroline said plainly.
The amount stunned the president into silence for a moment.
Caroline came from the Palmer family. On top of that, she was now Braydon's wife.
Someone with her background shouldn't have needed a loan for only sixty million dollars.
"Mrs. Lewis," the president said carefully, "the interest rate for this amount won't be low. Should we speak with Mr. Lewis first?"
Caroline answered calmly, "He's overloaded with work lately, and he forgot to transfer my allowance. I only need the money because I want to buy him a gift at the auction. Please don't bring this up to him. I'll repay everything within three months, so there won't be any issue."
The explanation cleared up the confusion almost immediately.
Everyone in their social circle knew Caroline had always spent money freely, even before marrying into the Lewis family. To ordinary people, sixty million dollars would've sounded impossible. For Caroline, however, it was only money meant for a gift.
The president saw no reason to hesitate over the loan.
After all, he was helping Braydon's wife while earning interest at the same time. The deal was practically foolproof.
"You don't need to worry, Mrs. Lewis. I'll keep this matter private."
Caroline asked, "What about the credit check?"
"You're Mrs. Lewis now. There's no need for that process. We'll complete the contract online, and I'll transfer the money immediately after."
"Thank you," Caroline replied.
Then she ended the call.
The southern land was valuable, sure. But nobody paid attention to a piece of land in the east of the city. Right now, the place counted as undeveloped land, so buying it wouldn't require much money.
That was one of the reasons she had married Braydon. She wanted the title of "Mrs. Lewis" because it allowed her to bypass the bank's asset verification. And in the future, that identity would continue opening doors for her.
Later that afternoon, Caroline received a call from Vivian.
Her voice sounded hesitant. "Caroline, are you free right now? I want to see you."
At the time, Caroline was resting in the garden beneath the sun. "What is it?"
"I'd rather tell you face-to-face."
"Alright. Come over."
After hanging up, Caroline already understood what was happening.
Vivian started regretting her decision.
About half an hour later, Vivian arrived.
A light pink dress covered her figure, while her pale face and swollen eyes made it obvious she'd been crying.
The sight nearly made Caroline laugh inwardly.
Only a few days had passed, yet Vivian was already beginning to break.
Walking over slowly, Vivian pressed her lips together before speaking. "Caroline, I..."
"Sit down first." Caroline motioned toward the chair beside her.
Without another word, Vivian lowered herself into the seat with her head down.
Caroline didn't rush her to continue speaking. She remained stretched across the recliner beneath the sunlight, looking completely at ease in the role of a wealthy wife.
Eventually, Vivian couldn't hold back anymore. "Caroline," she said quietly, "I want a divorce."
