"Are you serious? We've offered you such a good opportunity, and you're making demands now? Don't get ahead of yourself," Phyllis snapped, her temper slipping.
Eliana didn't react to the outburst. She simply looked at her, her gaze cold and steady. "If it's such a great opportunity, why not let Iris take it instead?"
"You!" Phyllis exclaimed, but the words got stuck as anger took over.
Did Eliana really think she hadn't considered it? The arrangement with the Shaw family had been meant for Iris from the very beginning. Then out of nowhere, Iris woke up one day and refused outright. She said she would rather die than marry Evan. She claimed he was disabled and had no interest in women, and she called the whole thing a sham marriage.
Fear hit them hard, so they sent someone to look into it in secret. The results came back the same. It was all true. Even so, walking away from a chance to tie themselves to the richest family in the city wasn't something they could accept. That was when Iris came up with another plan and suggested that Eliana take her place.
Thinking back on it, Phyllis forced her anger down and pushed out a strained smile. "You've suffered a lot because of Iris, so it makes sense if you have terms. Go on, tell us what you want."
A faint smile pulled at Eliana's lips. "I want everything that was meant for Iris as wedding gifts."
"What?" Phyllis and the others froze, shock written all over their faces.
At that, something dark passed through Iris' gaze. A quick thought crossed her mind, and she spoke up without hesitation. "That's reasonable. John already said we'll take half of the gifts from the groom's side with us on the wedding day."
A quiet laugh slipped from Eliana. That was a neat way to twist it. She understood their intention very well. The Marshall family didn't want to give her any wedding gifts, and on top of that, they wanted a share of what the Shaw family had prepared.
"The gifts from the bride's side and the groom's side are meant to stay separate. These days, who still takes what belongs to the bride? Wouldn't that just make people laugh? And right now, both the Ward and Shaw families are here to see it."
As soon as she finished speaking, the color drained from every face of the Marshall family members.
A stiff look settled across Phyllis' face.
She forced out a strained smile as she spoke. "That's not what we mean. It's just... Iris isn't marrying into a family as rich as the one you're entering, so she'll need money to get by. You, on the other hand, are going into the wealthiest household. You'll have more than enough. Why would you still ask for this?"
Eliana chuckled. Back in her previous life, she hadn't learned the truth until after her wedding. By then, she realized Phyllis had already set aside a large amount of wedding gifts for Iris, while she had been given nothing at all. She still remembered what Phyllis had told her at the time.
"Iris is marrying into the top family in the city, so she needs more support to keep her standing," Phyllis had explained. "You're only going into an ordinary wealthy home, so there's no need to fuss over it."
Now everything had flipped.
Even so, Eliana didn't lose her composure. She spoke slowly, her voice steady. "You've got it wrong, Mom. Since I'm the one marrying into the wealthiest family, the gifts can't look cheap. If they do, Mr. Shaw might think you're looking down on his family. You wouldn't want to give him that impression, right?"
As she finished speaking, her gaze shifted toward Evan. "Mr. Shaw, what's your opinion?"
Everyone could hear the warning in her words, but no one could find a way to push back.
Evan's expression grew more serious, and his brows drew together. The more he watched Eliana, the more intriguing she became.
A brief nod came from Evan, his tone calm and distant. "That's right."
Phyllis couldn't find a single word to respond.
Before Eliana could open her mouth again, John stepped in at once. He was worried she might push things further if she wasn't satisfied. "They're only wedding gifts. I'll make the decision for your mother. They are yours now, Eliana. Once you marry into the Shaw family, we'll be relying on Mr. Shaw in the future. It makes sense for us to show more sincerity with the gifts."
A faint smile touched Eliana's lips.
Her father really knew how to play his part. It didn't matter. She could take her time with this.
Turning toward Evan, she spoke again. "Mr. Shaw, my mother has been putting together Iris' wedding gifts since she was young. There are property deeds, gold bars, bank certificates, jewelry, and more. She even made a full list herself. Why don't you have someone check it right here, so everything's clear in front of everyone?"
The moment those words left her mouth, Phyllis felt her chest tighten. She never thought Eliana knew about any of it.
It felt like someone had caught her off guard.
A sharp cry escaped her as she moved to stop it, but her voice died the moment she met Eliana's steady gaze. That calm look made her hesitate.
Evan kept his eyes on Eliana, watching closely. Interest flickered in his gaze, and it only grew stronger.
"Alright," he replied.
With that, the issue came to a close.
The Marshalls realized if they wanted ties with a family like the Shaws, they had to accept the cost that came with it. Under John's firm gaze, Phyllis couldn't refuse. She turned and went upstairs, and then came back with the inventory in hand. Eliana took it from her without hesitation and passed it straight to Evan.
"Mr. Shaw, I don't have any objections to this marriage. I'd prefer for the wedding to happen as soon as possible. There's also something I'd like to discuss with you alone, if you don't mind."
Her thoughts were simple. Staying in that house any longer only made her feel sick. The marriage had already been decided, but there were still things she needed to take control of.
Without much reaction, Evan handed the inventory over to the butler standing behind him. His eyes stayed on Eliana, deep and steady. Even after everything she had been through, the weight of his presence still pressed down on her.
"Fine," he responded.
