Chapter 4 End the Engagement

"Not anymore," Arthur said, "I've changed my last name to Zexis."

Lillian took a deep breath and looked Arthur up and down, but the more she looked, the more she realized she couldn't read him at all.

She'd spent years out in the world, dealing with countless people, and almost no one had ever escaped her sharp eye.

But today, none of that seemed to work.

Arthur just stood there quietly, and the presence he gave off alone was enough to silence everyone in the room.

In their minds, Arthur should have looked rough and unkempt, nervous and on edge, maybe too scared to even meet their eyes.

Or maybe the opposite — reckless and rough around the edges, the classic ex-con type.

But the Arthur standing before them was polished and composed, radiating a quiet authority that was impossible to put into words. He couldn't have been more different from someone who'd just walked out of prison.

If anything, he looked like someone who gave the orders.

After a brief moment of surprise, Cody was the first to strike.

"Arthur, we know why you're here today. But you're in no position to marry Lillian, and you have no place in the Genoveses."

The others quickly chimed in.

"Exactly. Someone like you — a convict fresh out of prison — your very presence here is an insult to us."

"What gives you the right to show up? Don't you find it embarrassing just standing here?"

A middle-aged man stepped forward. It was Lillian's father, Santos Genovese. "Yes, there was an engagement between our families, I won't deny that. But as you can see, the gap between you and Lillian is simply too wide. It wouldn't work. The Genoveses don't need an ex-convict. We need someone truly powerful — someone who can take this family to the next level."

Arthur raised a hand to cut him off. "You've all got the wrong idea. I'm not here to honor the engagement. I'm here to call it off."

The room went still for a moment, then erupted in laughter.

"Ha! Call it off? You've got some nerve. What right do you have to call anything off?"

"What, you think Lillian isn't good enough for you? Or that the Genoveses aren't good enough?"

"That's the funniest thing I've ever heard in my life!"

Arthur's expression didn't change. Years of hard experience had left him calm to the core. Outside of his sister, the only thing that could still stir something in him was the hatred tied to his family's past.

"I'm here to end the engagement," he said again.

Cody held up a hand. "Alright, drop the act. You're trying to play hard to get, aren't you? You think we can't see through that? I'm telling you, you can't end the engagement on your own."

Everyone turned to look at Cody, including Lillian.

Santos frowned slightly. "Don't joke about things like this. The Genoveses don't need someone like him."

A strange smile crept onto Cody's face. "Relax, big brother. I wasn't done. Sure, he can have Lillian — but first, he has to do something for us."

He meant take the fall. He wanted Arthur to be their scapegoat.

Santos considered it and gave a slow nod, saying nothing more.

Cody had it all figured out. The moment Arthur agreed, he'd spend the rest of his life rotting in prison. As for marrying Lillian — that was never going to happen. Lillian's future had already been decided. She was meant for the young heir of the Oren Group.

"It's really not that complicated. All you have to do is—" Before Cody could finish, Arthur raised his hand again. "I'll say it one last time. I'm here to end the engagement. Nothing else. And whatever trouble the Genoveses are dealing with — that's your problem to handle, not mine."

The room scoffed.

"Enough with the act. You should be on your knees thanking us."

"Unbelievable. No manners at all. You enjoy showing off in front of your elders?"

"I'm giving you one last chance. Keep this up and I'll have you thrown out."

Lillian exhaled slowly. "There's really no need for games like this. Playing hard to get is a cheap move. It's not a good look."

She'd never been in a relationship, but that was by choice — not because she couldn't find someone.

Arthur had run out of patience. He'd rather be spending this time with his sister. "I've made myself clear. If you won't take my word for it, I'll prove it."

He asked a nearby servant for paper and a pen, wrote out a statement declaring that he was voluntarily ending the engagement, and pressed his thumbprint onto it.

When the written statement was placed in front of everyone, the room went completely silent.

They'd assumed Arthur was just putting up a front. They never expected him to actually go through with it.

"You — how dare you!"

"Do you have any idea what you're doing?"

Arthur said calmly, "Of course I do. This is exactly what I came here for. What's the matter — are the Genoveses unwilling to let me out of this engagement?"

Everyone exchanged glances. No one could find the words.

Their plan had been simple: put Arthur down, then bring up the engagement on their own terms, pressure him into taking the fall, and protect the family. It was clean and straightforward.

But things had gone completely off-script.

Lillian's eyes stayed fixed on that piece of paper, her feelings impossible to sort out.

Arthur didn't linger. He turned to leave.

Then Darroch Genovese, the family patriarch, broke the silence. "Arthur, hold on. Don't worry about that statement — it means nothing. It can be torn up anytime. Your grandfather and I were the closest of friends. The engagement we made together stands. That will never change, and you can trust me on that. I don't care about your record. A promise is a promise, and I intend to keep it."

Arthur was about to turn him down when Darroch spoke again, inviting him to stay. "Come, stay with us for a few days. Stop wandering around out there. Things are different now — it's not safe out there."

Arthur's brow furrowed slightly. "Not safe? What do you mean?"