# Chloe Pierce's POV
The silence stretches between us like a taut wire. Scarlett's face burns red as she realizes what she's just said.
"That fool." Her words echo in my head. This is what they think of me. That I'm so desperate, so worthless, that marrying a man they wouldn't touch with a ten-foot pole is somehow a gift.
"Chloe, I didn't mean—" Scarlett starts.
"Yes, you did." My voice comes out steady, which surprises me. "You meant every word."
Uncle Felix clears his throat. "The boy has some... challenges, yes. But he's wealthy. His family will take good care of you."
"Take care of me like a pet, you mean."
Victoria's mask of false kindness slips. "Don't be dramatic. You're acting like we're asking you to jump off a cliff."
"Aren't you?"
"We're offering you a solution to an impossible situation," Uncle Felix snaps. "Most girls in your position would be grateful."
