A Father's Debt and Gideon's Turn

"Why are you always targeting her?" Alistair slammed his open palm against the heavy mahogany desk in his private study, the loud thud echoing through the room. "Margot just arrived in our home. She is a young, helpless girl who knows no one here, yet you treat her like a criminal!"

Evelyn sneered, her eyes flashing with bitter jealousy. She paced across the Persian rug. "This is all your doing, Alistair. Why did you really bring her into our lives? Do not give me that tired excuse about an arrangement between old friends." She stopped and pointed an accusatory finger at him. "This is because of Mara. You brought Margot here because you still harbor deep romantic feelings for her deceased mother!"

Alistair’s jaw stiffened. The accusation hit a raw nerve, pulling his mind back to their grueling college days in the military academy. He and his close classmate, Cyrus Sterling, had both fallen desperately in love with the beautiful army medic, Mara. They agreed to vie for her heart through fair competition, but Mara had ultimately chosen Cyrus.

Taking a deep breath to steady his pulse, Alistair walked around the desk. He gently took his wife’s trembling hands, holding her gaze. "That was a lifetime ago. You are the only woman I love."

"Then why are you treating that girl like royalty?" Evelyn demanded, her voice cracking.

"Years ago, Cyrus and I were deployed on a dangerous military drug sweep mission," Alistair explained, his voice thick with old grief. "We were ambushed. Cyrus fearlessly jumped in front of an incoming bullet to save my life. That hit ruined his leg." Alistair paused, staring down at his wife's hands. "His dying wish was for me to protect his daughter."

Evelyn fell silent, the remaining anger draining from her face. Stunned and humbled by the story of Cyrus’s sacrifice, she offered no further argument. Yet, as she looked down, she remained unaware of the much larger, lingering secret Alistair continued to hide behind his stoic expression. Margot’s mother, Mara, was actually still alive.

By the time the front door clicked open to reveal Margot and Bennett returning from the hospital, the storm in the villa had passed. Evelyn sat on the living room sofa, her previous hostile attitude vanished. She stood up and offered Margot a quiet, sincere apology. Margot accepted it with a calm nod, choosing not to push the issue further, and headed upstairs.

Later that night, the sound of the running shower faded. Margot stepped out of her en-suite bathroom, drying her damp hair with a towel, when a soft knock sounded on her bedroom door. She pulled it open to find Evelyn standing in the dim hallway, looking resolute.

Evelyn stepped inside and got straight to the point. "I am willing to accept you living in this home," she stated coldly. "And I will even accept you marrying one of my sons. But you are forbidden from choosing Bennett."

Margot paused, her expression unreadable. "Why?"

"He is my most outstanding, successful son," Evelyn replied, her chin tilted up with aristocratic pride. "I already have an elite, high-society marriage candidate in mind for him. Keep him out of your consideration."

Margot remained calm. She looked at the older woman and softly replied, "Understood, ma'am."

The rotational dating plan resumed the following morning. Today’s schedule paired Margot with Gideon, the sharp, ambitious vice president of Ashcroft Enterprises. He also harbored a fierce, competitive rivalry with his older brother.

Margot walked out to the driveway and climbed into the passenger seat of his luxury sports car. Before she could even fasten her seatbelt, Gideon’s deep-seated hostility toward his brother surfaced. He gripped the leather steering wheel, his knuckles turning white, and glanced at her.

"So," Gideon began, his voice laced with venom. "How did your day with Ben go yesterday?"

Margot leaned back against the plush seat and answered nonchalantly, "It was fine."

Gideon scoffed, a bitter sneer forming on his lips. "Ben is a cruel, cold-blooded, and inhumane man. He only cares about the company bottom line. If you have any sense at all, I suggest you avoid picking him at all costs."

A playful spark of mischief lit up Margot’s eyes. She turned toward Gideon, flashing him a bright, teasing smile. "Should I choose you as my fiancé instead?"