"Just some womanly matters. Don''t pry," N chided, though her tonecked sharpness.


    Damon nodded. "Got it. Do you need me to drive you?"


    "No, I''ll take a cab," she replied.


    "Alright," he said.


    As Damon drove away, N slipped her marriage certificate into her bag and gged down a taxi. Her destination: the restaurant where she had arranged to meet Alexander.


    ...


    When she arrived, she found herself 30 minutes early. Yet, Alexander was already there.


    "You''re here," he remarked, standing as she approached.


    "Yes," she replied, seating herself across from him.


    Her expression wasposed, her gaze devoid of the resentment that once lingered there. "Why are you so early?"


    "I didn''t have anything else to do, so I came early," he said, shrugging lightly. "What did you want to talk about?"


    N drew a steady breath before speaking. "I thought about what you said after I got home. You''re right—she''s my mother. I can''t cut her out of my lifepletely. I''m willing to try to ept her, but I need you to be honest with me. Why are you really here in Saintornia?"


    Alexander''s eyes shed with surprise. "N, I came to take you and Buddy to Meristate. That''s all. Your mother has been eager to have you both live there. Now is the perfect time. She also wants you to inherit the Nixons."


    N blinked, processing his words. "Doesn''t she already have a son and a daughter? Why would she want me to inherit it?"


    The question lingered in her mind.


    Why would someone who hadn''t visited her in all these years entrust such a powerful legacy to her? Any reasonable person would sense something amiss. "Your younger siblings... aren''t quite suited to inherit the family," Alexander exined.


    Her brow arched. "Why not?"


    "It''splicated," he said, exhaling deeply. "You''ll understand once you''re in Meristate."


    "I''m only nning to learn about her life there," N rified. "That doesn''t mean I''m agreeing to go with you."


    Alexander nodded. "I understand. You''re hesitant because of Damon, aren''t you?"


    "Yes," she admitted. "So I need you to promise not to do anything to him. If you do, I''ll never forgive you or her."


    Both knew precisely who "her" referred to.


    "You have my word," Alexander assured her. "But if you return to Meristate, you and Damon will be


    worlds apart in life and status. Your


    mother will never ept him."


    JUMS


    N''s gaze turned icy. "What she thinks of Damon has nothing to do with


    my She hasn''t been a part of


    my life for years. She has no right to interfere now."


    Sensing the tension around the subject of Damon, Alexander wisely changed the conversation.


    "By the way, Buddy is incredibly


    talented," he said. "If he goes to Meristate, his future will be limitless. He has a natural gift forputers. With the right guidance, I''m confident he could be one of the best in the field."


    N sipped her drink, her face betraying no emotion as she suppressed the anger brewing within her.


    Forcing a thin smile, she asked, "When did you start contacting Buddy?"