Nate’s smirk deepened. His answer came swift and unyielding, leaving no room for doubt.
“With actions,” he replied, his voice as resolute as the promise his eyes held.
Nate gently brushed aside the loose strands of hair that framed Corrine’s face, his thumb tracing her cheek with deliberate softness. His fingers lingered, brushing her lips lightly, as his dark eyes burned with a mix of yearning and unspoken, intoxicating desire.
Corrine rolled her eyes, exasperation flickering across her face.
“Nate, is kissing really all you ever think about?”
It was maddening how single-minded he could be, as though nothing else mattered.
“Right now, it’s the only thing on my mind,” Nate admitted, his voice low and steady as he cupped her face in his hands.
He leaned forward, placing a tender kiss on her forehead, his touch filled with a sincerity that seemed to seep into the air around them. It felt as if he was trying to communicate every ounce of his affection without words.
Then, with a boldness that caught her completely off guard, he said, “Corrine, marry me.”
“You’re unbelievable!” Corrine shot back, pulling away from his grasp with a sharp motion.
She turned and strode toward her desk, a mix of incredulity and frustration tightening her expression.
“We’ve known each other for less than a month, Nate, and now you’re talking about marriage? How ridiculous can you get?”
“I’m not being ridiculous,” Nate said firmly, his eyes meeting hers with an intensity that refused to waver.
From the moment he had met her, he had been captivated-not just by her beauty but by everything about her. What started as infatuation had grown into something deeper, something that left him utterly powerless to resist.
Marriage had always been a distant thought, a concept that had no place in his life. But now, it consumed him.
He pictured her standing beside him, her hand in his, as they greeted their wedding guests. He imagined a lifetime of mornings and evenings shared with her, and nothing else seemed to matter.
Corrine leaned back against the desk, her arms folded defensively.
“Nate, deciding to be in a relationship with you was already a reckless choice. I won’t rush into something as serious as marriage while I’m still trying to sort out my own life.”
If her grandfather or uncles discovered this, it would undoubtedly plunge the Ford family into chaos all over again.
Her gaze softened slightly, but her words remained firm.
“You know I’ve just come out of a three-year relationship, one that was fragile even after all that time. What makes you think one month with you could be any different?”
Nate scoffed, his tone sharp with undeniable arrogance.
“Do you honestly think some scumbag could ever measure up to me?”
Corrine paused, tilting her head slightly before a bright, dazzling smile spread across her lips
“You’re right. He can’t.”
“Then why won’t you marry me?” Nate pressed, his voice edged with frustration as his eyes bored into hers.
Corrine opened her mouth to reply, but the sharp trill of her phone interrupted. She glanced at the screen and sighed, flashing Nate an apologetic look.
“Sorry, need to take this.”
She picked up the call, and Karina’s animated voice filled her ear.
“Corrine, if you were a man, I’d have to marry you on the spot!”
“All right, spill it. What wild story have you uncovered this time?” Corrine asked, leaning back slightly, her lips curving in amusement. She knew Karina’s flair for exaggeration always preceded something juicy.
Without missing a beat, Karina launched into a detailed retelling of how the Ashton family had dared to humiliate Corrine, only for the tables to turn spectacularly, forcing Rita into a public apology.
“The Ashton family! A pack of self-righteous snobs who thought you had no backing whatsoever. And Rita? That vile little piece of work actually had the audacity to demand you kneel to her. She’s disgusting, Corrine! Beyond!” Karina said through clenched teeth.
Corrine, the heiress of the illustrious Ford family, had endured far more than this- even Carl, with all his authority, had never forced her to kneel, yet the Ashtons had dared. Their arrogance was utterly laughable.
Corrine exhaled quietly, her tone measured.
“Did the whole thing make it to the trending topics?”
Karina huffed, her excitement bubbling over.
“What do you think? Of course, it did! With the Ashton family’s current status, it wasn’t surprising that a few reporters snuck into the party. Leah and Bruce’s upcoming engagement was supposed to be the highlight, but instead, it’s all about the Ashton family’s humiliation. Now…”
“People are digging into your life story like it’s a mystery novel. There’s even a fan club demanding you debut as some kind of icon!”
Corrine smirked faintly, shaking her head.
“Let them waste their time. I’m not interested in the spotlight.”
“Seriously, though, are you sure you don’t want to bring the entire Ashton family to their knees? They deserve it, Corrine,” Karina pressed, her voice taking on a serious tone.
Her inaction only deepened his curiosity.
With Corrine’s abilities, she held the power to either resurrect the Ashton family-or destroy them entirely in the blink of an eye.
Years ago, she had made a bold and irreversible decision: to stand by Bruce, even if it meant cutting all ties with the Ford family. Karina had never truly understood what Corrine had seen in him.
“Was it for money?” Karina once asked. But that didn’t add up. The Ford family’s fortune easily reached into the hundreds of billions.
“Was it for status?” The Fords stood at the pinnacle of Lyhaton’s elite-unrivaled, untouchable.
“Was it for Bruce himself?”
That seemed the least likely of all. At the time, the Ashton family was on the verge of bankruptcy, and Bruce was just a penniless nobody.
Corrine had pressed her lips into a thin line, remaining silent for a long while before finally murmuring, “Let’s just call it a debt I owe him.”
Five years ago, Bruce’s timely intervention had saved her life. Without him, she wouldn’t be alive today.
That single moment had stayed her hand from annihilating the Ashton family, despite everything they’d done.
After ending the call with Karina, Corrine dialed Jules and gave a single instruction.
“Take the trending topic down. Immediately.”
She exhaled softly, still lost in thought, when a shadow fell over her. Looking up, she saw Nate standing before her-tall and imposing, his presence commanding the space like a storm cloud blotting out the light.
With quiet confidence, he tilted her chin upward. His face was unreadable, carved in stone, his gaze dark and cutting.
“Tell me,” he said, voice low and steady.
“Is Bruce the reason you won’t marry me?”
Corrine’s brows drew together, her eyes flashing with a hint of ice.
“Do you honestly think a scumbag like him is worth my time?”
New Book: Back Home to Marry Off Myself
Loredana’s father left the family for his mistress, leaving them to fend for themselves abroad. When life was at its toughest, her father showed up with “good news” after 8 years of absence: To marry off Loredana to a paralyzed son of the wealthy Mendelsohn family.