Properties and wealth filled the boxes one after another—the property deed to a mansion worth hundreds of millions, car keys for luxury cars at the highest level, rare jewelry collected from across the world, a thirty-million-dollar check, the deeds to six commercial properties, and even a loose 20-carat purple diamond.
Everything laid out before them went far beyond what anyone would call generous.
Next to that display, what Jeremy had brought looked insignificant, almost laughable.
Color rose to his face as the tension set in, and the smile he forced no longer looked natural.
Standing beside him, Iris pressed her lips together, unable to hide the jealousy flickering in her eyes.
Even Eliana felt a brief moment of surprise. In her previous life, Evan hadn't even come in person. He had only sent his butler, and the gifts back then had been far less impressive. This time, everything had changed.
Still, none of that shook her resolve. The Marshall and Ward families would pay, no matter what.
Her gaze settled on Evan as she studied him carefully. Since he had shown up himself, it made things easier for her. His reputation worked in her favor. He was known for keeping his distance from women and for his cold nature, which suited her plans.
In her past life, she had only uncovered the truth later. His condition had been an act. He had used it to expose someone within his own family.
That truth only came out after Iris was gone. Evan had been close to turning everything around, but at the last moment, he had changed course and gone somewhere he shouldn't have. That single decision had exposed him and led to his death.
Eliana still didn't know why he had changed his plan. But this time, things were different. If he was willing to work with her, she could help him avoid that fate. In return, she would secure something far more valuable for herself. If not, she would make sure she had a way out before everything collapsed again.
As she looked between both sides, a faint, mocking smile appeared on her lips. "So this was all decided already. Then why even pretend to ask me?"
John hesitated, his expression tightening for a brief moment. "We've done everything we could to arrange this marriage for you with the Shaw family. As long as you have someone like them supporting you in the future, that's enough for us."
A cold, mocking curve touched Eliana's lips. Supporting her?
Before she could respond, Iris quickly slipped her arm through Jeremy's and turned toward Eliana, her concern carefully put on display. "He's right, Eliana. We're only thinking about what's best for you. But you don't look well. Is it because you've been in prison for too long? Maybe you're not used to being home anymore."
Behind that soft tone, something else flickered. Satisfaction.
It didn't matter to Iris how grand Evan's arrival looked. In her eyes, he was still a man with no future. She had already experienced that life once. Even with everything she had brought into that family, she had never truly belonged. This time, she believed Eliana would fall even harder.
Eliana's smile deepened slightly. Her eyes shifted toward Iris, cold and sharp. "So what you're saying is that the Shaw family, the most powerful in the city, is willing to marry someone who's been to prison... and that's something to look down on?"
With just one sentence, she twisted Iris' words, turning them into something far more dangerous—an implication that Iris was insulting the Shaw family.
The atmosphere changed immediately.
Since the Shaw family had come here with the wedding gifts, surely Evan already knew her past.
As expected, he reacted. Evan raised his gaze slightly and looked straight at Iris. His face remained calm, but the weight behind that glance made it hard to breathe.
A cold tension spread through the room, leaving everyone uneasy.
John shot Iris a sharp look before quickly stepping forward, eager to fix the situation. Evan's condition didn't make him any less dangerous, and offending him wasn't an option.
"Mr. Shaw, please don't take it to heart," John said, forcing a polite smile. "Iris tends to speak without thinking. She's only concerned about Eliana. I hope you can overlook any offense."
His eyes flicked toward Iris, silently warning her to stay in line.
Iris clenched her teeth, irritation flashing across her face, but she swallowed it down. She knew she had gone too far.
Letting out a stiff laugh, she tried to recover. "John, Eliana is about to marry into the most powerful family in the city. Whether she misunderstands me or not doesn't matter. As long as she doesn't disappoint you after everything you've done for her, that's enough."
On the surface, her words sounded supportive. But beneath that tone, she had struck right at John's weakest point.
Just as she expected, his expression darkened immediately.
Eliana recognized that look all too well. It was the same one he used whenever she refused to obey. What followed had always been the same, pressure, control, and carefully calculated manipulation. But things were different now. She wasn't that woman anymore. Ever since she had been brought back into the Marshall family at fourteen, they had taken advantage of her without pause. Now, she had no intention of letting that continue.
A faint scoff echoed in her thoughts as her expression turned colder.
"I'll agree to marry into the Shaw family," she replied, her tone calm. "But I have one condition."
