Chapter 2

The next morning, the headlines screamed across society blogs and even some mainstream gossip sites: "LEXINGTON HEIRESS DUMPS MILLER SCION AT FAMILY GALA!" "NAPA SHOCKER: ENGAGEMENT OFF!"

I sat in the heavy silence of the Miller family library, the scent of old leather and wood polish usually a comfort, now suffocating.

Arthur Miller, my grandfather, finally spoke, his voice a low rumble. "The disrespect is... significant."

He wasn't looking at me, but at the antique globe in the corner, slowly spinning it with one finger.

"This isn't just about your feelings, Alex, though those are valid. This is about the Miller name. The Lexingtons, especially that girl, need to understand the gravity."

He paused, his gaze shifting to a portrait of his own father. "Our family doesn't engage in public brawls. We cultivate. We prune. Sometimes, we must remove a diseased branch to protect the vineyard."

The implication was clear, chilling. The Miller "way" was not about shouting matches; it was about dismantling, quietly, precisely.

I was still reeling from the personal betrayal. "She made a fool of me, Grandpa. Of us."

"Indeed," he said, his voice devoid of emotion. "And fools often find their foundations... unstable."

Just then, our butler announced Theodore "Theo" Lexington Sr.

Tori's father rushed in, his face ashen, his expensive suit rumpled. He looked like a man who hadn't slept.

"Arthur, Alex, I am mortified. Utterly mortified." He wrung his hands. "Tori... she' s impulsive. Headstrong. I had no idea..."

Grandfather just looked at him, the silence more damning than any words.

Theo visibly sweated. "The alliance, Arthur. Our businesses. This... this is a disaster. But it can be salvaged."

He took a deep breath. "Alex, my boy. I know this is... unorthodox. But the Lexington commitment to the Millers remains."

He gestured vaguely. "I have other daughters. Morgan, she' s brilliant, runs our sustainable tech. Very capable. Perhaps a better fit, more... grounded than Tori."

My jaw tightened. He wasn't serious.

"Or Chloe," Theo continued, a desperate edge to his voice. "Younger, of course, but spirited. And Emily, very studious, quiet."

He actually offered his other daughters like replacement parts for a broken deal.

"Whichever daughter you feel would... solidify things," Theo stammered, "she would, naturally, be positioned very favorably within Lexington Tech. A significant stake. Heir apparent, you could say."

I stared at him, appalled. This wasn't about love or partnership; it was a fire sale to save his own skin, his own status.

Grandfather finally spoke, his voice like gravel. "Theodore, your daughter publicly humiliated my grandson and this family. You offer us... another transaction?"

Theo flinched. "A stronger transaction, Arthur! A more reliable one!"

I felt sick.