Sophie Shaw didn’t know how long she had been unconscious. When she woke up, she was in the passenger seat of a Maybach.

The seat had been reclined slightly, but not completely flat—it was set at an angle that was extremely comfortable to lean back on.

A large men’s jacket was draped over her. It carried a faint scent of ebony and agarwood—a deep, woody fragrance, warm with a hint of damp wood that smelled more and more expensive the longer she took it in.

She was dazed for a moment, then realized the car was parked in a tranquil spot. There were no other vehicles on the road, and the surroundings were serene, quiet, and scenic.

Alaric Blackwood wasn’t in the car. The man was leaning against the driver’s side door with a cigarette between his teeth, holding a phone to his ear as he spoke.

"Twenty million and two houses, and the little thing’s been out for half an hour."

Sophie Shaw: "..."

’Little thing?’

’She was twenty-three years old. What part of her was ’little’?’

’From head to toe, there wasn’t a single ’little’ thing about her. She was 1.7 meters tall alone—how was that little?’

’She had no idea who Alaric Blackwood was talking to, but the teasing curve of his lips suggested he’d been making fun of her for a while now.’

She was suddenly overcome with embarrassment.

’She might have lived with the Kane family for ten years and seen a bit of the world, but all of it—the business deals worth tens of millions, the luxury cars and mansions, the limited-edition couture gowns and handbags, the dazzling jewelry—had absolutely nothing to do with her.’

’The three million she had invested in Heart of the Ocean was the most money she had ever possessed. It was a dowry Joseph Shaw had scraped together for her after he married into the Kane family by selling his old house and some of her late mother’s jewelry.’

’Joseph Shaw had told her it was everything her mother had owned. "When someone’s gone," he’d said, "the things they can’t take with them should be put to good use."’

’At the time, Joseph Shaw’s company was already on a downward spiral with a lot of financial holes to plug, so she hadn’t protested. However, she had secretly kept one of her mother’s necklaces.’

’Her mother had designed it herself, which was the very reason Sophie had chosen to major in jewelry design.’

She pushed herself upright, adjusting the seat back, and saw her purse by her legs. She quickly placed it on her lap, opened it, and checked if the red envelope was still there.

’Thank heavens, it was still there.’

’The ten-million red envelope wasn’t a dream.’

She couldn’t help but think of the deal Bianca Kane had offered her. ’Is there any need to go through with it now?’

’The money she had now was enough to buy all of Damian Morgan’s shares. She didn’t need to help Bianca Kane negotiate some partnership at all.’

’But Bianca Kane had indeed provided a dowry for her, this supposed ’daughter’...’

Just as her thoughts were racing, Alaric Blackwood got into the car.

Seeing she was awake and clutching her purse for dear life, the man chuckled. "Should I take you to the hospital for a thorough check-up?"

"No, that’s not necessary."

’She had just gotten a little overwhelmed, that’s all. After all, she’d never seen so much money before.’

"When you get a chance, send me your bank account number. I’ll wire the bride price to you."

Barely a few seconds after Alaric Blackwood finished speaking, his phone chimed with a DING.

A new message had arrived on WeChat. It was from Sophie Shaw—a long string of digits, her bank account number.

Alaric Blackwood: "..."

’That was faster than a rocket.’

He slowly turned his head to look at Sophie Shaw.

The woman, with a perfectly straight face, tucked her bank card back into her wallet, placed the wallet and her phone into her purse, and then sat primly, clutching the purse in her lap, waiting for him to start the car.

When the driver’s seat remained still for a long moment, she turned her head to look at Alaric Blackwood. "Aren’t we leaving?"

The man was staring at her, seemingly stunned by the speed at which she’d sent her bank information. His lips were slightly parted, as if he wanted to say something but couldn’t find the words.

"Mr. Blackwood?"

"You—"

"What about me?"

Alaric Blackwood smiled thoughtfully. "It’s nothing."

’He wanted to tell Sophie Shaw that, in addition to the properties and the bride price, she would also be receiving five percent of the shares in the Blackwood Group. But after a moment’s hesitation, he decided to save the surprise for later, worried she might faint again if he told her now.’

"What are your plans for the rest of the day?" Alaric Blackwood asked as he started the car.

He whipped the car around in a sharp U-turn.

Steering with one hand, he glanced at her. "Why don’t you let me decide?"

"No, thank you. Could you please just take me home, Mr. Blackwood?"

"I’m meeting a friend to play some pool. Want to join?"

"Maybe next time. I have some things to take care of at home."

’Alaric Blackwood was such a player. It was best to stay as far away from his circle of friends as possible.’

The man fell silent and didn’t push the subject. "Didn’t you say you were going to move in?"

"I’ll move in after the wedding."

’She had promised Joseph Shaw that she would stay obediently at the Kane residence before the wedding, play the part of the ’good daughter,’ and be married off in grand style from their home.’

The Maybach entered the city, its speed slowing considerably. Whether Alaric Blackwood did it on purpose or not, he took two large detours, so by the time he dropped her off at the Kane residence, an hour had passed.

"Are you sure you don’t want to come with me?"

Sophie Shaw thought for a moment before politely declining. "I really do have things to do at home."

She unbuckled her seatbelt and got out. The moment she closed the door, the Maybach’s engine roared, and the car shot away with a WHOOSH.

The exhaust fumes it left behind made Sophie Shaw choke and wrinkle her nose.

She turned and walked into the house. As soon as she entered the foyer, she saw Damian Morgan dressed in casual loungewear.

He was holding a cup of coffee. He walked over to a sunlit window, sat down in an armchair, took a sip, and then his dark gaze drifted over to her.

She walked straight up to him. "I’m buying the shares you and your parents hold."

Damian Morgan let out a snort of laughter. "And how much are you planning to pay for them?"

"Based on Heart of the Ocean’s current market value..."

"That won’t work," Damian Morgan interrupted, setting down his coffee cup. He leaned back, draping an arm over the sofa’s armrest with the air of a haughty superior. "Have you forgotten what I told you? Heart of the Ocean is about to be acquired by the Kane Group. Backed by a public company like Kane, its future is incredibly bright. Unless, of course, you can offer me a price I find satisfactory."

These words were, without a doubt, Damian Morgan’s deliberate attempt to make things difficult for her.

Sophie Shaw felt a headache coming on. "Damian, we were together for three years. Don’t be so aggressive."

"Weren’t you the one who made the outrageous demand for Heart of the Ocean in the first place?"

"The right to manage the company should be mine."

Damian Morgan sneered. "My, your tone has gotten tougher. The Blackwoods are generous, aren’t they? A ten-million bride price... has it gone to your head, Sophie?"

The man stood up, walked over to her, and leaned in close, his eyes filled with contempt. "You called me a Social Climber, but aren’t you getting rich off Alaric Blackwood now?"

"I rely on a woman, you rely on a man. We’re one and the same."

"I’m not like you."

"How are we different?"

"He and I were already engaged. I never deceived him or hurt him. My relationship with him is completely aboveboard. But you—you deceived me. You planned every single step, calculated everything down to the last detail. When you found out I wasn’t the real Kane heiress, you immediately set your sights on Vianne Kane. Everything you did was premeditated and deliberate."

Damian Morgan raised an eyebrow. "And are you telling me you’re not marrying Alaric Blackwood to latch onto your own golden ticket?"

"So what if I am? I’ve already got my hands on that golden ticket."