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As the only daughter of an oil magnate, I’d been cradled in luxury since birth. A decade ago, my father, Mr. Hayes, had brought the
sons of the heads of three subsidiary companies into his inner circle, personally grooming them as potential heirs and, more impo-
rtantly, as my future husband. The plan was set: on the day of my twentieth birthday gala, he would publicly announce my chosen
fiancé as his successor.
But three days before the gala, I stumbled upon the three of them at our exclusive private club. Jax was grinding wildly with an
exotic dancer on the dance floor, his movements crude. Caleb was sprawled on a sofa, shamelessly entangled with a catering staff
member. And Aiden, the one I’d harbored a quiet affection for, was locked in a passionate, breathless kiss with Skylar, my suppos-
ed best friend.
What chilled me to the bone was their blatant disregard, their voices sneering as they openly discussed me:
“Tonight, one for each of us–consider it breaking our dry spell. Willow’s such a germaphobe, isn’t she?”
“Right? With her body and mental purity complex, no matter which of us she picks, her virginity won’t be her first anyway, hahaha!”
Watching the sordid scene unfold, a cold laugh escaped my lips. “Since all three of you are already soiled, then I don’t want any of
you!”
That very night, I pushed open the heavy door to my father’s study, my voice resolute. “Dad, I want to marry Liam Sterling, the son
of the Sterling Oil baron!”
My father frowned, his face a mask of disbelief. “You mean… the one rumored to be… less than whole? That timid Mr. Sterling?” He
took a long drag from his cigar, his voice trembling. “Sweetheart, I heard Liam Sterling was born missing a crucial part of his man-
hood, most likely barren! Are you really going to marry him?”
My gaze was unwavering. “Yes. That way, after we marry, our two families can form a powerful alliance, and you won’t have to wor-
ry about the Hayes dynasty lacking an heir.”
My father extinguished his cigar in the ashtray, his tone softening. “But your father cares about your happiness, darling! Why did
none of those three scoundrels catch your eye?”
。,。,,」བྷཱུ,。རྫུ རྣ
The vile images of the three men, their crude words, replayed relentlessly in my mind. My father gently patted my shoulder. “Didn’t you say you had a soft spot for Aiden before? What made you suddenly change your mind?” The thought of Aiden passionately kiss- ing my best friend brought a stinging dampness to my eyes. Seeing my distressed expression, my father pressed no further. He pulled me into his embrace. “Since my Willow has grown up, then your father will respect your decision.” He let out a deep sigh,
then left the study.
Outside the door, Jax, Caleb, and Aiden stood respectfully, watching him leave. As I stepped out of the study, Jax shot me a veno- mous glare. Caleb’s voice was cold as he demanded, “Miss Hayes, were you just slandering us to your father again?” Aiden’s face
was a mask of reluctance, a flicker of resentment in his eyes.
The three of them had been sent to the Hayes estate for training since they were teenagers, groomed as my fiancé candidates. For over a decade, constrained by my father’s influence over their families, they had been forced to play along. Now, Aiden, usually so reserved, spoke with disdain. “Have you already chosen your fiancé?” His gaze pierced me like an icy blade, as if he’d devour me
whole if I dared choose him.
My patience for them had long run out. My icy gaze swept over their faces. “Don’t worry. I’ve already made my choice.” Before I could finish, Caleb called out, “Wonder which unlucky soul among us will end up joining the Hayes dynasty.” Jax glanced at Aiden, a hint of mock pity in his eyes. “Yeah, Aiden, I think you’re the most likely. After you saved Miss Hayes on the beach last time, she
hasn’t been able to take her eyes off you!”
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Ignoring their taunts, I walked straight towards my room. Their low chuckles drifted from behind me. “You think Miss Hayes would be thrilled if she knew her favorite Aiden was messing around with her best friend?” As my door closed, their figures vanished from
my sight. Too bad for them. The three of them had fouled themselves. I wouldn’t choose a single one.
