Elena stood frozen, Ethan's words still reverberating in her mind.
It wasn't until nearly two in the afternoon that she finally opened her bedroom door.
She'd intended to slip out quietly and take a walk, maybe clear her head.
But the moment she stepped into the hallway, she spotted a familiar tall figure standing in the courtyard beside the begonias.
Ethan.
He turned slightly as if sensing her presence, his long fingers crushing out a cigarette with practiced ease.
His gaze met hers—steady, composed. "Heading out?"
Elena paused mid-step, her grip on her phone tightening unconsciously.
"It's rare to have a break," she said, her voice soft. "Thought I'd go out for a bit."
She couldn't bring herself to meet his eyes. That sentence from earlier—"Let's get married"—kept echoing in her ears, refusing to fade.
Her lashes trembled, and the knuckles of her hand turned white.
"Ethan, about the engagement—"
"I'm not your brother," he interrupted coolly.
Her breath hitched.
She looked up, startled.
His tone was calm, almost indifferent. "Your surname is Shen. Mine is Jiang. I've never been your brother, Elena."
"You only called me that because of Adrian. But now that the engagement has shifted to us, there's no reason to keep addressing me through him."
He wasn't wrong.
Ethan had always been Adrian's older brother. Ever since she'd moved into the Jiang household, she'd called him that—out of habit, and respect. But that connection had been tethered to Adrian.
Now that everything had changed, so had the title.
And yet, hearing him lay it out so plainly felt strangely overwhelming.
There was an unspoken dominance in his tone—not aggressive, but deeply assured, the kind that came from years of command. His voice was calm, yes, but it didn't invite argument.
Elena, still just nineteen, could feel the weight of it pressing down on her.
The gap between her and Ethan wasn't just age.
He had already built a name for himself in the business world—ruthless, sharp, untouchable.
While she was still fumbling her way through university.
"Elena."
His voice pulled her back again.
"I know this isn't easy for you to accept."
"But I need you to understand—this engagement was never about just you and Adrian. It was always about the two families."
She did understand.
In elite circles, marriages were often about alliance, not affection. The individuals involved were secondary to the legacy they carried.
In fact, by traditional standards, it should have been Ethan and her from the start—the eldest children of each family, matched in status and expectation.
But because Ethan had been abroad for so long, and she'd grown up alongside Adrian, the assumption had shifted.
And everyone had gotten it wrong.
From the window of the second-floor study, Mr. and Mrs. Jiang watched the two figures below in silence.
It wasn't until Elena passed through the garden and walked out the main gates—her back straight despite the heaviness in her chest—that Mr. Jiang finally spoke.
"What do you think about Ethan's offer?"
Mrs. Jiang frowned slightly, unsure how to respond.
Mr. Jiang gave her shoulder a light pat. "I'll go have a talk with him."
She nodded silently.
Ethan's return had changed the atmosphere of the house. He had built E.R. Group from the ground up abroad and had only just moved its global headquarters back to Huaihai City to merge with the Jiang family's Tiancheng Group.
Mr. Jiang had long since planned to retire. With Ethan taking over, he no longer needed to intervene in day-to-day operations. Now, he was little more than a board figurehead.
As for Adrian… the boy wouldn't even step foot into the office. It was a joke to imagine him in charge of anything.
These days, Ethan's phone never stopped buzzing. Since the merger announcement, the calls had been nonstop.
He didn't linger in the courtyard. As soon as he received a message from his assistant, he turned and headed upstairs to the study.
He had just opened his laptop and begun sorting through emails when a knock sounded at the door.
"Ethan, got a minute?"
"Come in, Dad."
Mr. Jiang stepped inside, carrying a bottle of wine—clearly intending to talk.
Ethan stood up in greeting, already guessing the reason.
"You're here about the engagement?"
Mr. Jiang chuckled as he poured two glasses. "Partially. But it's been years since we sat down like this. Can't a father enjoy a drink with his son?"
He handed one glass to Ethan, who accepted it without protest and took a seat.
Mr. Jiang didn't waste time.
"How long do you plan on staying in Huaihai?"
Ethan turned his glass slowly between his fingers. The sunlight caught in the cut crystal, casting sharp glints across the desk.
"E.R.'s headquarters has officially relocated. Barring any emergencies, I'm here to stay."
Exactly what Mr. Jiang had hoped to hear.
The Jiang family had always had influence, but Ethan had taken their name global. His presence in Huaihai meant stability—continuity.
After a few updates on the company's direction, Mr. Jiang finally brought up what was truly on his mind.
"So… are you serious about marrying Elena?"
Ethan didn't answer immediately.
He stared down into his glass for a long moment, expression unreadable.
Then he raised his head, met his father's gaze, and replied evenly—
"Are you and Mom against it?"