Chapter 3

Once Grandpa Davies spoke, everyone breathed a sigh of relief.

This family alliance had invited many prominent business figures to witness it, and everyone was eager to see how it would unfold.

Amidst the whispers, Serena, holding Marcus's hand, faced the guests who had come to celebrate and made her announcement.

"Thank you all for coming today to celebrate my engagement to Mr. Marcus Thorne."

The guests' faces showed varying expressions. No one had expected the Davies and Thorne families to pull such a last-minute switch.

My father hadn't anticipated this either; his face instantly darkened. My own expression wasn't much better, but I forced myself to stand tall, back straight, and in the midst of the chatter, I raised my glass, offering a generous gift.

"Ms. Davies actually swapped fiancés on the spot. She’s not giving Julian any face at all!"

"Didn't Grandpa Davies insist on Julian becoming his grandson-in-law? Why did he agree to the change?"

"Switching fiancés on the day of the engagement party... it's truly humiliating. I wonder what he did to make Ms. Davies take such a drastic step."

The guests' whispers weren’t quiet. My father glared at Marcus and didn't hold back with Serena.

"What you've done will subject your brother to so much gossip!"

"And you, Marcus! You’re not a child anymore. Don’t you ever think about the consequences? Are you trying to slap me in the face?"

Marcus, chastised by my father, timidly tried to take off the ring to give it back to me.

Grandpa Davies waved his hand, stopping Marcus. He gave my head a regretful pat and spoke in a deep voice.

"Julian, don't worry. Grandpa Davies will make this right for you. If you're willing, the Davies family has several other excellent young women."

Mr. and Mrs. Davies, hearing Grandpa's words, simply assumed he was comforting me and didn't pay it much mind.

To their shock, I pointed to Samantha Davies, the Davies family's illegitimate daughter, who was watching the spectacle from the corner.

"Actually, I've always had feelings for Samantha. I hope Grandpa can approve our union."

Their gazes fell on Samantha, darting back and forth between her and me.

Samantha was Mr. Andrew Davies' illegitimate daughter. After Mr. Andrew Davies passed away, she wasn't well-regarded in the family and had a difficult life.

But since she was still a Davies family child, Grandpa Davies didn’t want anyone to say the family mistreated children. So, he took her in and raised her himself.

My father stared at me in shock, then leaned in, quietly trying to dissuade me.

"Julian, I know you're upset, but she's an illegitimate daughter. The Davies family doesn't value her."

I casually swirled my glass, raising it to Samantha as a gesture.

"It's not like she *chose* to be an illegitimate daughter. I think she's quite remarkable, actually. I'm willing to give things a try with her."

Samantha's eyes met mine, her expression relaxed.

"If Mr. Blackwood is interested in me, then let's give it a try."

Everyone's gazes toward me became even more meaningful.

News of the Davies family's on-the-spot fiancée swap spread like wildfire through the circle. The moment the banquet ended, I received a text from my mother.

In the private room, my mother held me close, her eyes glaring at my father.

"David, how dare you let my son suffer such humiliation? I think you're looking to get fired!"

I squeezed my mother's hand, redirecting the conversation to business.

"Grandpa Davies set me up with a new fiancée. Her name is Samantha Davies, and I quite like her."

My father wiped the sweat from his forehead and sighed again.

"She's just an illegitimate daughter, an outsider in the Davies family. Why would you choose her?"

I looked at my parents’ confused expressions and slowly began to explain.

"Grandpa Davies and Grandpa Sterling had an agreement about this alliance; I am definitely marrying a Davies woman."

"Samantha might be an illegitimate daughter, but she’s the most capable among the younger generation of Davies. She’s also the smartest and most composed. From a business perspective, she's the most suitable partner for this alliance."