5
The deadline to pay for the yacht came and went, and we still hadn’t raised enough money.
Then, the owner of the yacht showed up at our house.
I found it strange. Weren’t people that rich supposed to be busy? Why would he personally come all the way to our small town over something like
this? Was he afraid we’d abandon the boat and run?
I snuck a glance at the man. The watch on his wrist was a brand William had mentioned once. It was worth at least eight figures.
I couldn’t make sense of it, so I stopped trying. I just stood beside my father and brother, our heads bowed, hoping he’d show some mercy.
And this man, Nathaniel Vance, did more than show mercy.
My father was stunned. “You’re… you’re giving me a new fishing boat?”
My brother was trembling with excitement. “You mean… I can open a shop on shore? I don’t have to fish anymore?”
Chapter 1
08.48
My brother was trembling with excitement. “You mean… I can open a shop on shore? I don’t have to fish anymore?”
A new, state–of–the–art, fully automated fishing boat was my father’s lifelong dream. Opening a small shop and settling down was my brother’s.
“Correct,” Nathaniel said, his gaze landing on me. He got straight to the point. “On one condition: she marries me.”
He pointed at me. “She has a lucky star. An astrologer I trust told me that marrying her this year will double my assets.”
My father and brother both turned to me. “Sera, what do you think?”
I was completely dumbfounded. Nathaniel looked to be in his late twenties. He was handsome and well–built, though he had a stern look on his face when he wasn’t smiling. A billionaire with a towering frame and a sharp suit… by any measure, I was getting the better end of this deal.
I swallowed nervously. “My dad gets a new boat, and my brother gets a shop. What’s in it for me?”
Nathaniel paused, a flicker of surprise in his eyes, and then he smiled. When he smiled, his stern features softened, revealing a surprising warmth and elegance. I felt my cheeks grow hot and quickly looked away.
He waved a hand, and an assistant brought in several boxes of small cakes.
They were delicious–smelling cupcakes. The kind I could eat three of in one sitting.
Clutching a box of cakes, I asked him the most important questions I could think of.
“Your last name is Vance. Do you know a Melina Vance?”
Nathaniel thought for a moment. “I believe there’s someone by that name among the junior members of a branch family.”
“Is she… afraid of you?”
The smile in his eyes deepened. “Her entire family is most likely very afraid of me.”
“In Port Sterling… is the Vance family more powerful than the Thorne family?”
“By a significant margin.”
“Okay, then.” I hugged the cupcakes tighter and nodded firmly. “I accept.”
“But I’m still in college. Can we… wait to get married?”
Nathaniel’s gaze was deep as he looked at me, a soft smile playing on his lips. “We can get the license now. The wedding can wait until after you graduate.”
I held up my hand to him. “Deal.”
Nathaniel shook my hand. “A pleasure, Mrs. Vance.”
My face flushed. “Maybe you should just call me by my name for now. I’d rather not go public with this yet.”
Nathaniel stood up. He was so tall. I had to crane my neck to look at him.
“Of course, Sera.”
Hearing him say my name felt… different. So different that my ears were still burning long after he’d gone.
