# Noah's POV#
"Noah, we need to discuss this properly," Grandfather's voice carries that familiar authority that built an empire. "But not like this. Not while you're in emotional turmoil."
I press the phone closer to my ear, hearing Chloe's footsteps approaching the study. She's humming something. The same melody she probably hummed while betraying me.
"There's no time, Grandfather. She's—"
"Listen to me carefully," Alistair interrupts, his tone shifting to something colder, more calculating. "I suspected this might happen."
The words hit me like ice water. "What?"
"Your brother chose her for you, remember? Beautiful women often come with beautiful complications. I've been watching the situation develop."
Marcus. My older brother who insisted Chloe was perfect for me. Who pushed us together at that charity gala three years ago. The betrayal runs deeper than I imagined.
"You knew?"
"I suspected. There's a difference. I hoped I was wrong."
