Dinner was as awkward as it could possibly be.
Mother kept trying—desperately—to steer Leah away from wedding logistics, redirecting her enthusiasm into safer, more neutral territory. Ashton, on the other hand, seemed to delight in every stolen glance, a smirk curving his lips whenever our eyes accidentally met—not that I was trying to look at him, but somehow it kept happening. And Father?
Father appeared to be enjoying the tension.
It wasn’t a secret that my father thrived under pressure. The man had clawed his way through setbacks and scandals, dismantled competitors, and overtaken families and businesses alike. He had built an empire from sheer willpower and ruthlessness, ensuring that no one would ever dare look at him the wrong way. Tobias Hayden was not just powerful—he was immov
