The door opened.
"Wow," a familiar voice said. "Why does it feel like someone's about to be executed in here?"
Caleb.
I let out a breath I hadn't realized I was holding. Ivy turned so fast she nearly twisted in her seat.
"Caleb!" she exclaimed, jumping up.
He crossed the room in three long steps and wrapped her in a hug, lifting her slightly off the ground like she weighed nothing. "There you are," he said. "You didn't answer my texts."
"Because Grandpa's been terrorizing me," she replied, muffled against his shoulder.
He laughed and set her down, then pulled me into a quick hug too. "You look tired."
"Funny," I said. "You look tired too and you're late."
"Traffic," he replied easily. Then he glanced around the room, taking in Lucas's expression, Noah's posture, the overall mood. "Yeah. This tracks."
He grabbed an empty chair and dragged it closer, sitting down like he had every right to be there, well I guess he did lol. "Alright. What did I miss?"
No one answered.
Caleb looked toward my grandfather last. "Hello, sir."
My grandfather acknowledged him with a nod. Nothing more.
Caleb leaned back in his chair, unfazed. "Good to see you too granddad."
The silence returned, heavier now.
A few minutes passed. Then another car pulled up.
This time, no one spoke.
The door opened again a few minutes later.
And the air in the room shifted.
I didn't need to turn to know who it was. Ivy's breathing changed beside me. Noah straightened slightly. Lucas's attention snapped toward the doorway.
Zane Whitmore stepped into the room.
He looked nothing like the chaos of the night before. Calm. Composed. Dressed in a dark suit that fit him too well it just had to be tailored for him. No tie. Shirt open at the collar, sleeves crisp, watch visible at his wrist. He looked… expensive. Not flashy.
And irritatingly handsome and..... hot.
The kind that didn't try. The kind that made you aware of space just by entering it.
His gaze moved across the room slowly, taking everything in. It landed on my grandfather first. Then Ivy. Then my brothers. Then Caleb.
And then it stopped on me.
Just for a second longer than necessary.
My stomach tightened.
"Mr. Whitmore," my grandfather said, stepping forward. "Thank you for coming."
Zane inclined his head. "Of course."
They shook hands. Firm. Brief. Two men measuring each other without words.
"Please," my grandfather said, gesturing toward the chair across from his desk. "Have a seat."
Zane did.
The rest of us stayed where we were.
My grandfather cleared his throat. "As you know, this meeting was arranged to formally introduce you to my granddaughter."
Ivy's fingers twitched in her lap.
Zane nodded once. "Yes."
"She is young," my grandfather continued, "but well raised. Intelligent. And..."
"Mr Hartwell." Zane said calmly, interrupting him.
The room went still.
"I'd like to speak plainly," he added.
My grandfather's eyes narrowed slightly, not used to people stopping him mid sentence but he gestured for him to continue.
Zane leaned back in his chair, hands relaxed, voice even. "I've had time to consider the arrangement."
Noah scoffed quietly.
Zane ignored him.
"I won't be proceeding with Ivy."
The words landed hard.
Ivy sucked in a sharp breath. Lucas's head snapped up.
My grandfather stiffened. "Excuse me?"
Zane didn't look away from him. "She's not who I want."
Silence. Pin drop silence.
Then my grandfather said, carefully, "And who exactly do you think you want?"
Zane turned his head.
His eyes found mine again.
"I want Elaine."
And chaos erupted in the room.