Once the contract was signed and set in stone, Lina went home with a copy of her own. It wasn’t a wedding certificate, but it was definitely something better than that. A contract that not even her Uncle could break. Especially with the DeHaven’s Young Master’s name on it.

Lina was honestly surprised. She didn’t think Kaden would let her go home so late. Kaden had arranged for his chauffeur to drive her home. ​​

Lina walked through the front door, lost in thought.

“Where were you, young lady?” A voice sharply asked.

Lina lifted her head to see it was Milo leaning against a nightstand with a vase on it. He had crossed his arm and raised his chin in the air. He attempted to look authoritative. Well, as authoritative as an eighteen-year-old boy could get.

“Out.” Lina flashed the butler a smile when he approached her with a hot towel to clean her hands.

Lina realized there was flour on Milo’s blue shirt. He must’ve been baking late at night, preparing dough for tomorrow’s breakfast. Her brother was an amazing baker.

“Oh my god, really?!” Milo asked in a shrilling voice. “It’s almost as if I didn’t just see you come through the front entrance at—oh, I don’t know,” he checked his wrist. “One in the morning!”

Lina rolled her eyes. “Who’s the older sibling here?”

“Must be me,” Milo scoffed. “I should’ve come out earlier than you so I can bully you more freely.”

“I’d still pack a mean punch even if you did come out earlier,” Lina retorted, walking up the main staircase that led to her room.

“And shouldn’t it be dad’s role to question why I came home late?” Lina asked, even though they both knew where their father was—knocked out like a lamb at nine at night.

“Obviously dad’s tucked into bed with his PJs, so the responsibility has to fall on someone,” Milo stated, grandly gesturing to himself.

“Yeah well, you’re doing a sorry job at it,” Lina deadpanned, turning the corner and into her room, with a manilla folder tucked under her arms. Ah yes, businessmen and their fondness for this ugly folder.

“What’s that?” Milo asked, pointing to the folder under her armpits. He bet it was stinky.

“Grown-up stuff,” Lina stated.

“Oh come on, I’m eighteen and legally an adult,” Milo scoffed.

Lina halted. Milo followed.

“What?” Milo asked when Lina took a long, hard look at him.

Lina squinted her eyes and would’ve pulled out a magnifying lens if she could.

“Hmm… nope, still no mustache or beard hair,” Lina said. “Definitely still a child.”

Milo gaped at her as if she had just offended him, his livelihood, his family, and his ancestor’s cows!

“You take that back right now, Lina Yang!” Milo cried out, pointing an accusing finger at her like she had bullied the happiness out of him.

“Nothing to take back if it’s the truth,” Lina said in a sing-song voice, happily walking into her room and slamming the door in his face.

Lina felt a sense of satisfaction spread in her chest, happy she won a fight with her little sibling. It was as petty as she could ever get.

“Well, just for that, I’m not going to tell you the juicy gossip I accidentally heard from a little birdie!” Milo shouted into her room, angrily kicking at her white doors. When he saw his shoes left a mark, he smirked. Suddenly, his gloating dropped.

Shoot. The maids would need to clean that tomorrow. It’d probably be some cruel initiation they’d tell the new maids to do… And he hoped it wasn’t the cute one who glared at him this morning.

“Damn it,” Milo grumbled, quickly dropping to his knees to wipe the dirt off her doors.

Just then, the doors swung open.

“Oop!” Milo nearly fell forward, but quickly caught himself.

“What are you doing on your hands and knees in front of your own sister? Gross,” Lina muttered. “Go practice your marriage proposal somewhere else!”

Lina shooed him like she would an obnoxious dog.

“Do you want to hear the gossip or not?!” Milo demanded, shooting up to his feet and glaring at her. She was so damn lucky they only had one sibling, or else neither of them would be each other’s favorite.

“I don’t know, I don’t talk to birds,” Lina deadpanned.

Milo glared at her, wishing she was born a boy so that he could hit her, even if it was just once.

“Alright, alright, tell me,” Lina chuckled, giving him a good pat on the back. If only his reaction to her teasing wasn’t so hilarious, she’d do it less.

“Uncle came for a visit today when you supposedly didn’t show up to his office,” Milo said.

“And?”

“And that’s it because you were being so rude to me,” Milo gloated, crossing his arms and smirking down victoriously at her.

“Just tell me,” Lina groaned.

“No.”

“Milo,” Lina gritted.

“Yes?”

“I’m serious,” Lina warned.

Lina was ready to whack Milo with her slippers. The way that all children should be raised. Unfortunately, he had been too spoiled as the younger sibling to have that life.

“Fine,” Milo relented. “Uncle was frustrated at you for skipping the meal. He was even more infuriated when he heard you got kidnapped by Kaden and then fainted into his arms. Then, he became furious after hearing Dad permitted Kaden to give you treatment.”

Kaden asked for permission? Lina was touched—even if it was the bare minimum. Some people didn’t even get the bare minimum.

Lina didn’t think Kaden would do such a thing. On top of that, her dad agreeing? What are the chances of that happening on the same day?

“Uncle demanded you to come home, but Dad refused, saying you were a big girl now and can handle it on your own,” Milo said.

“That’s surprising,” Lina admitted. “Dad rarely goes against Uncle.”

“I know,” Milo agreed. “I couldn’t believe my ears, but I think Grandfather had something to do with it.”

Lina froze. She predicted her father discovered the forced marriage created by her Uncle, where only he would benefit.

Kaden’s words flashed into her mind. ‘He doesn’t even have guardianship over you. What makes you think he has the right to marry you off?’

“Father must be furious by Uncle’s decision,” Lina thought out loud.

“What decision?” Milo naively asked.

Lina cringed. “Congratulations Milo, Grandfather won’t bother you for great-grandchildren anymore.”

Milo blinked. “Huh?”

“I’m getting married.”

Milo fainted.