When Eva came downstairs, Austin was already seated on the living room sofa.
The atmosphere was heavy. After the servants placed tea and snacks on the coffee table, Landon broke the silence. His tone was measured, balancing respect with the protective instinct of a guardian.
"To be honest with you, Mr. Farley, Eva's parents passed away when she was very young. My wife and I raised her as our own. I cannot bear to see her suffer even the slightest grievance." He paused, steeling himself. "I apologize for troubling you to make this trip, but I believe the marriage arrangement with your family should be called off."
From the very beginning, Landon had opposed this union.
To him, the niece he had painstakingly raised was not a commodity to be traded. He refused to let her sacrifice her happiness for the sake of the company.
Amelia had insisted on the alliance, arguing that they should let Eva decide, while also offering Elliot as an alternative. With no other choice, Landon had agreed to wait for Eva's decision. He just hadn't expected that the girl who had spent years chasing after Elliot would actually agree to the Farley proposal.
The Hensons were a vipers' nest, but the Farley family was no sanctuary either.
Now that Hudson was reportedly unwilling to proceed, Landon saw a perfect opening. He could cancel the engagement without it looking like a slap in the face to the Farley empire.
Austin lowered his gaze slightly. His long fingers rested against the blue-gray porcelain teacup. In the interplay of light and shadow, his expression was unreadable, his depth unfathomable.
He took a slow, deliberate sip before speaking. His voice was cool, devoid of emotion. "I didn't come today to plead Hudson's case. I came to propose."
Propose?
The room seemed to freeze.
Propose to whom?
Hudson had already backed out. Who was left?
Landon and Amelia exchanged confused glances. But in the next second, Austin delivered a sentence that widened their eyes in sheer shock.
"I'm marrying Eva."
Eva, who had just reached the bottom of the stairs, froze. A flicker of confusion disrupted the calm in her eyes.
Her gaze drifted toward the man on the sofa.
Today, he wore a tailored black suit that fit his broad shoulders with military precision. A gold cufflink at his wrist caught the light, flashing coldly. He sat in absolute stillness, exuding an aura of lofty, unapproachable nobility that made the air around him feel thin.
This titan of industry... wants to marry me?
As their eyes met, Eva felt a strange sensation, as if her heart had skipped a beat.
Austin's brow twitched almost imperceptibly. His gaze locked onto hers with an intensity that offered no escape.
"Mr. Farley," Landon stammered, "you... you aren't joking, are you?"
Given Austin's status, why would the Farley family allow him to marry a woman who offered no strategic benefit? A woman whose family was on the brink of collapse?
Austin's expression remained frost-bound. "I don't joke about marriage."
Landon pressed his lips into a thin line. The shock was so profound he didn't know whether to smile or remain stoic. He had never dared to dream of climbing the social ladder to reach the main branch of the Farley family.
Austin paused, arching a brow. "Right now, the union between our families is public knowledge. If we rashly break the engagement, the person most damaged by the fallout will be Eva. I assume that isn't the outcome you want?"
The subtext was brutal but accurate: Eva was already the subject of malicious gossip. If the Farley family publicly dumped her, her reputation would be decimated. In their circle, social standing was everything. A rejected woman from a failing family would find her future prospects severely obstructed.
It was the chain of contempt in high society; those at the bottom were crushed by the weight of it.
Landon understood the threat veiled as logic, but he still hesitated.
"We... we still need to ask Eva what she wants."
"Uncle, Auntie. I'm willing."
Eva stepped forward, her voice steady.
She knew her uncle's hesitation stemmed from love. He would support her for a lifetime if she chose never to marry. But she couldn't be that selfish.
Besides, this outcome was better than she had calculated.
Marrying Austin was like investing in a high-risk, high-yield stock. Even if this marriage was merely a stopgap measure for him, the alliance alone would save her uncle's life's work from destruction. It was a fair trade.
Hearing her answer, a flicker of something unidentifiable passed through Austin's dark eyes.
"I have an overseas business trip in a few days; my return date is uncertain," Austin stated, switching to command mode. "I will pick Eva up tomorrow morning. We will register the marriage first. The wedding ceremony will follow at a later date. Does this suit you?"
Landon blinked. "This... isn't it a bit too fast?"
"The sooner we marry, the sooner the Masons can turn their crisis around. Correct?" Austin's voice was light, yet it carried the weight of a final verdict.
His tone was flat, but to Landon's ears, it stung with irony. Landon felt a flush of shame. He opened his mouth to deny that his hesitation was about money, but Eva cut in, making the decision for him.
"Okay. Tomorrow."
Eva knew the pressure crushing her uncle: the halted factory lines, the looming liquidated damages, the shareholders screaming to sell off the assets. Since she was going to marry Austin eventually, what difference did twenty-four hours make?
After watching the sleek black car disappear around the corner, Landon sighed heavily. "Eva, you were too impulsive just now."
Amelia's expression was equally complicated. "Yes... how could Austin suddenly show up and propose? Is there some hidden agenda?"
Landon looked at his niece with sorrowful eyes. "The Farley family's internal politics are even more vicious than the Hensons'. I'm terrified that you'll suffer if you enter that house."
Even a marriage of equals came with grievances. Marrying into a juggernaut like the Farley family? It was walking into a lion's den. Moreover, there was no emotional foundation. With Austin's cold temperament, Landon doubted the man would protect Eva when things got tough.
Eva knew they were spiraling out of concern. She stepped between them, linking arms with both, and flashed a charming, teasing smile.
"Maybe Mr. Farley saw your niece at the banquet and was thunderstruck. Maybe he thought, 'How can such a stunning girl exist?' and fell in love at first sight, unable to get me out of his head?"
Amelia and Landon looked at her, the tension breaking as they chuckled.
"You... you really inherited your mother's narcissism perfectly," Amelia scolded affectionately.
Landon tapped her forehead, his eyes softening, though the worry didn't fully vanish. "I suppose so."
Eva lifted her chin defiantly. "I think Uncle has a bit of it too."
Landon feigned shock. "Me? Impossible."
Amelia laughed. "Impossible? Who sneaks out of bed in the middle of the night to admire himself in the mirror?"
Landon shook his head, refusing to admit to the crime, and turned to walk back inside. Amelia followed, still teasing him.
Eva stood at the doorway, watching their retreating figures. The playfulness faded from her eyes, replaced by a warm, gentle resolve. She would protect this. Whatever the cost.
Early the next morning, Eva woke and pushed open the glass doors to her terrace. She stepped out to inhale the fresh air, but as she glanced down, she froze.
A black Maybach was parked silently at the gate.
She rubbed her eyes and checked the time. 7:30 AM.
Austin was actually this early?
Not daring to delay, she rushed to wash and change. Yet by the time she was ready and hurried downstairs, an hour had passed.
"Sorry, Mr. Farley. I kept you waiting."
The driver held the door open. As Eva slid into the backseat, she found Austin engrossed in a stack of documents.
Today, he had forgone the suit jacket for a crisp white shirt. The style was simple, devoid of embellishments, yet it accentuated his broad chest and lean frame. He looked reserved, elegant, and intimidatingly perfect.
Eva couldn't help but think that his face alone was a lethal weapon. In all of Seaview City, looks of this caliber were a rare resource.
Sensing her presence, Austin closed the file and set it aside. His voice was a low rumble. "It's fine. Did you bring all the necessary documents?"
Eva nodded. "Mm."
Austin gave a curt signal, and the driver engaged the engine, the car gliding forward smoothly.
The cabin was suffocatingly quiet. Neither spoke.
Eva stared out the window at the street scenery blurring past, her mind racing. She debated whether to ask him the question burning in her throat. She knew a man like him likely wouldn't give her the truth, but still...
What if?
While she warred with her hesitation, the car pulled up to the Civil Affairs Bureau.
Austin didn't move to exit immediately. He sat back, his composure absolute, and broke the deadlock first.
"If you have a question, just ask it."
Eva's eyelid twitched. He reads minds, too?
There was no point in hiding it now. She turned her head, crashing straight into his deep, boundless gaze.
"I want to know, Mr. Farley... why do you want to marry me?"
