Back at the Montell mansion, tension simmered behind closed doors as Andrew’s parents sat in the grand drawing room, their conversation low but heated. They were talking about the mysterious girl Andrew claimed to be married to—Katherine.
“I don’t understand why that boy insists on disgracing the family name,” Andrew’s father muttered bitterly, pacing across the polished marble floor, his hands clasped behind his back. His voice was tight with frustration.
His wife, seated delicately on the edge of a velvet settee, sighed and tried to remain composed. “Let’s stay calm about this. Perhaps he only said that because he didn’t want to accept the match we arranged for him. You know how stubborn he can be.”
“Nonsense!” her husband snapped, spinning on his heel. “Do you know how many times tha
