The music continued.....
People still danced on the floor — couples swaying gently under the sparkling chandeliers, laughing softly, lost in their own little worlds. The jazz band played a slow, romantic melody that filled the ballroom with warmth and intimacy. Glasses clinked. Conversations flowed. The engagement party carried on beautifully, exactly as planned.
But Martin's mind was no longer there.
He stood beside Katherine like a statue in a tailored tuxedo, smiling when required.
How weak of a man was he?
He had enough money to quit this whole charade right now. He could walk away from the merger, from the inheritance, from his father's iron grip, and go live a happy life with the woman he had fallen for that very first night. He could take Fiona somewhere far away, build a home with her .
So why was he letting his life be dictated by the elders?
