Chapter 287

Daniel stood a short distance away, his expression cold and distant beneath the streetlamp’s glow. “All my life, you’ve had to control every part of me. Now, I’ve finally become the heir you always wanted-are you still not done interfering?”
His tone was icy, sharper than ever.
Mrs. Chambers glared at her son, anger flaring in her eyes. “You’re my son. It’s my job to look after you.”
Daniel pressed his fingers to his brow, exhausted. He had no desire to argue.
He brushed past Mrs. Chambers and headed inside.
Her voice rang out, clipped and steely. “Tomorrow, I’m arranging a date for you. You will be there. On time.” ᴛʜɪs ᴄʜᴀᴘᴛᴇʀ ɪs ᴜᴘᴅᴀᴛᴇ ʙʏ
Daniel spun around, frustration and resentment clear in his eyes.
“Enough. All my life, I was just a trophy you used to show off to Father. Now that you’ve beaten him, isn’t that enough for you?”
“You-”
“Give it up. I’m not going.”
“Daniel!”
The only answer was the door slamming shut, hard enough to rattle the frame.
Mrs. Chambers seethed, practically stomping her foot. She must be the first mother ever to be locked out by her own son.
Was it really so wrong to want to protect him?
Daniel stretched out on the couch, closing his eyes in a futile attempt to find some peace.
A chill, deeper than he’d ever known, slowly crept over him.
Dragging his weary body upstairs, he collapsed onto his bed.
He breathed in, catching the faintest trace of Nora’s scent on the sheets. Only then did the pounding in his head ease, just a little.
But as soon as he pictured her in Millbrook, coming and going with Louis, a fresh wave of pain burned through his chest.
Was this what it meant…to let her go?
He couldn’t even imagine her and Louis, hand in hand, walking down the aisle. The thought alone was enough to break him.
How could he ever bring her back?
Daniel picked up his phone and called Will. “Send an engagement invitation to Nora.”
Will agreed without question.
Daniel tossed the phone aside, lying on his back and staring up at the ceiling. For once, uncertainty gnawed at him.
Would she come back if she got the invitation?
Nora didn’t see the invitation until the next morning.
She set down her fork and studied the envelope closely. It was indeed for Hans and Eleanor’s engagement party.
Hans and Eleanor? She knew Eleanor had always longed to marry Hans, but she’d never been sure if Hans felt the same way.
Staring at their names, Nora found herself lost in thought.
A bitter smile crept onto her lips.
So Daniel was finally helping Eleanor get what she wanted.
She wondered what it had cost him this time.
But knowing Daniel, whatever the price, he’d pay it willingly.
She put her phone down, torn about whether she ought to go.
She wasn’t fond of Eleanor, but Hans had helped her before. She should at least show up to congratulate him.
But she had no desire to see Daniel.
Louis set his utensils aside as well and brought up the engagement. “Hans is getting engaged. We should go back for it.”
After a moment, he added, “Let’s go a day early, drop off a gift for Hans, and head right back.”
“Alright,” Nora agreed.
Avoiding the party itself meant she wouldn’t have to run into Daniel.
The engagement was two days away. So, the next day at noon, Nora and Louis
hit the road, arriving in Fairvale just after six in the evening.
Before they left, Louis had already arranged to meet Hans.
So when they reached Fairvale, he drove straight to the restaurant parking lot.
But the moment Nora stepped out of the car, she saw the very last person she wanted to see.
Daniel.
He stood at the entrance, tall and strikingly handsome, effortlessly drawing attention.
In the brief moment she watched, Nora counted at least three women approach him for his number.
Louis noticed too. He turned to Nora, asking quietly, “Want me to call Hans and change the location?”