Chapter 301
As Hayley spoke, Matthew snorted, clearly not taking the Finley family seriously.
He scoffed, “Who can say what the future holds?
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“The Finley family only has those two sisters left. Do you really think they could ever turn Vrufield upside down?
“Which of the noble families in Vrufield isn’t thriving with descendants?”
Hayley just smiled faintly and didn’t respond.
Zara kept her eyes on the chessboard the whole time, staying completely silent and never joining the conversation.
In the study on the second floor.
Daron walked in, holding Marina’s hand as they entered the study together.
At that moment, the butler came in and set the gifts they’d brought on the desk, smiling as he addressed Harris.
“Mr. Harris, these are the gifts Ms. Finley and Mr. Zamora brought for you. I took a quick look. They’re made from top- quality materials, fine brushes and ink,” the butler said.
“Would you like to give them a try?” he added.
Harris cast a cold glance at Daron holding Marina’s hand and said in a frosty voice, “No need. Take them away. I don’t want them cluttering up the place.”
Marina subconsciously clenched her hand a little at his words.
Daron noticed her mood shift and spoke up to Harris first.
“Grandpa, what did you want to talk to us about?” he asked.
Harris shot Daron a cold glance, settled into his chair, and said in a low voice, “Yesterday you told me that you and Ms. Finley decided to keep your marriage under wraps for now. So, we won’t be announcing it to the family either.
“Today, Ms. Finley is just another guest visiting the Zamora family. For now, don’t breathe a word about your marriage to the elders downstairs.”
Marina had already caught the looks the elders from the Zamora family were giving her, so before Daron could say a word, she quickly agreed.
“Alright, Mr. Zamora,” Marina said.
Harris let out a cold snort, his gaze landing on Marina’s gentle face.
She hadn’t changed much from ten years ago, except now her features had fully matured, no longer the slightly baby–faced girl she once was.
The little girl who used to call him “Grandpa Hartis” in that soft, babyish voice now looked at him with guarded, wary eyes like she was already figuring out how to deal with him if he tried to make things hard for her.
After ten years apart, she was definitely not as likable as she was back then.
It’s all because the old Finley passed away too early. If he hadn’t, the Finley family wouldn’t have ended up like this, and this
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Chapter 301
girl wouldn’t have turned out so prickly,’ Harris thought to himself.
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Daron glanced down at Marina standing beside him, exhaled softly, and said quietly, “Even if we keep our marriage a secret, those granduncles aren’t clueless. They’ll figure out what’s going on between me and Marina anyway.
“Anyone invited to a Zamora family dinner isn’t exactly an ordinary guest.”
Harris shot Daron a cold look and said coolly, “Today’s family dinner is mainly about discussing Victor’s return to the Zamora family.
“As long as you two don’t announce anything, even if they’re curious, they won’t ask too many questions.
“It’s not a problem for someone your age to just date and not get married. What do you think, Ms. Finley?”
Harris turned to Marina and asked her directly.
Marina nodded, her expression earnest as she replied to Harris, “I’ll do as you say.”
Harris let out a low hum and remarked, “Your grandfather really taught you well. You know how to read the room.
“Alright, you two can go downstairs now.”
Marina obediently left Harris’s study.
Daron followed behind her, his expression frosty as he said in a low, serious voice, “Are you really that scared of announcing our marriage?”
Marina looked up at Daron and said softly, “This was our plan from the very beginning to keep things quiet. Isn’t it better for us to stay low–key for now?”
Daron let out a cold snort, his eyes burning as he fixed his gaze on Marina.
“I think you’re just afraid of drawing all the trouble onto yourself,” he said coolly.
Marina looked up at Daron and said softly, “If we can keep ourselves from being put under a microscope and picked apart by the Zamora elders, why wouldn’t we? There’s no need to go looking for trouble.”
Daron frowned, his gaze icy and intense as he stared at her.
“So you really think being married to me is just a big trouble for you?” he asked, his voice low.
Marina shook her head. “No way. This marriage has done wonders for the Finley family. How could it ever be a hassle? I’m just trying to dodge any drama that might come our way. Since Grandpa Harris suggested it, following his lead is probably
the smartest move.
“Isn’t Victor about to make his big return to the Zamora family? Your dad’s been laying the groundwork for him forever Right now, announcing our marriage would just stir up the elders and give them something to complain about. Why poke the hornet’s nest?”
Marina figured Harris was thinking the same thing. Keeping their marriage under wraps for now was all about avoiding extra trouble with the elders.
He still favored Daron.
She didn’t see anything wrong with going along with Harris’s suggestion, but she couldn’t figure out why Daron was making such a big deal out of it.
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Chapter 301
Seriously, this was the option that worked out best for him.
‘Is he just annoyed because I agreed to Grandpa Harris without even thinking about it?‘ Marina wondered.
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Daron stared at Marina, his face dark, those deep black eyes like shards of ice, sharp enough to cut right through her.
Marina looked him straight in the eye, her voice steady as she spoke.
“Mr. Zamora, honestly, at this point, we shouldn’t be turning on each other. We need to focus on what’s best for us and think through every angle, including what’s lurking beneath the surface.”
Daron snorted, his tone cool and detached.
“Do you need me to praise you for staying so calm?” he said.
Marina looked up at him and shot back, “If you insist, I won’t say no.”
Daron couldn’t help but laugh, both exasperated and amused, then shot Marina a fierce glare before grabbing her hand again and heading downstairs.
Marina tried to yank her hand away, but Daron’s grip was unyielding.
“Just now, Grandpa said it’s not a problem for you to show up as my girlfriend, you know,” Daron said.
Marina let out a helpless sigh and muttered under her breath, “Do you really have to put me in the line of fire? Can’t I just blend into the background and keep a low profile today?”
“Just focus all your energy on dealing with Victor. Seriously, don’t worry about me. I’ll be fine,” she added.
Daron shot Marina a frosty look, his voice low and serious.
“Because you say it doesn’t matter, it makes me feel like it does!” he snapped.
“Marina, I want us to be a normal couple. But with you acting like this, do you even want to be a real couple with me?” he pressed.
Marina was speechless.
Daron just dropped that bomb on her, and for a moment, she honestly had no idea how to respond.
Just as the two of them were locked in a standoff, Zara came up from downstairs and called out, “Daron, you should head down. Your dad’s back, and he wants to add Victor to the family register under your mom’s name.”
Daron’s expression turned grim in an instant. He dropped Marina’s hand almost reflexively and headed straight downstairs.
Marina watched as Daron walked off with Zara, heading downstairs, and her heart felt strangely empty. She sighed softly
‘Will we ever be able to just be a normal couple?‘ she wondered.
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Sara Lili is a daring romance writer who turns icy landscapes into scenes of fiery passion. She loves crafting hot love stories while embracing the chill of Iceland’s breathtaking cold.
