Liam pulled Sara into his protective embrace, his eyes hardening as he leveled a frigid gaze at his grandmother. "Grandmother, Sara is my woman. I ask that you show her the respect she deserves."
Madam Martin remained unimpressed, her critical eyes sweeping over Sara like she was inspecting flawed merchandise. "The girl has a 'thin fate' written all over her face. Small-minded and fragile—hardly the stature required for the mistress of this house. But since you’ve made your choice, I won’t waste my breath. I’ll head to the temple tomorrow to consult the monks and pick an auspicious date for your union."
"Thank you, Grandmother," Liam replied, his voice devoid of warmth. "Our home is simple tonight; we won't be keeping you for dinner."
The sun had already set, yet Liam was effectively th
