“A marriage contract?” John Walker stared at his parents, incredulous. “Are you serious?”“John, my love, you’re long overdue to get married,” said Martha, his mother. “And you still haven’t had a serious girlfriend. If you don’t get married soon, your grandfather will hand over the Walker Group to outsiders. You know he’ll only transfer the presidency if you get married. Isn’t that right, Roger?”“Your mother is right. You’ve already reached the pinnacle of the group; now all that’s left is the presidency.” Roger spoke as if he’d memorized the line.Martha Walker Sinclair was an authoritarian, controlling, and strategic woman. Her husband, Roger Sinclair, was the complete opposite: calm, submissive, and devoted to his wife’s wishes. Roger joined the Walker family driven by his love for Martha, thereby uniting the Sinclair business with the Walker empire. With the meteoric rise of John, his son, Roger decided to resign from his position as director. He didn’t want to live in his son

It was only two months of wedding preparations, but for Elizabeth, that time was filled with high expectations. She was thrilled with the wedding details. Together with Martha, she took charge of hiring the wedding planner and closely monitored all of John’s requests. Elizabeth agreed with everything; she, too, didn’t want a grand ceremony. She liked the idea of something simple and low-key, something intimate, far from the spotlight of high society.During the preparations, however, she and John didn’t see each other. Martha said her son was buried in work, but would devote himself to her afterward. Elizabeth accepted the explanation, though she was disappointed. Deep down, she had hoped they could at least get to know each other better before the ceremony.Martha treated her with courtesy, but Lizzie sensed a certain veiled resistance on the part of her future mother-in-law, as if there were something behind every smile.John’s father, Roger, was a quiet man, completely submissi

The Walkers owned another property not far from there, a modern mansion situated on top of a hill, surrounded by beautiful gardens. The mansion had been built and prepared to be John’s home when he got married.Elizabeth gazed at the elegant mansion with admiration. The location offered a breathtaking view of the city in the distance. For a moment, she allowed herself to imagine having breakfast beside John, gazing at that serene landscape.The car stopped in front of the imposing entrance. One of the security guards opened the door for Elizabeth to get out, while John exited on the opposite side. They didn’t exchange a word.“Come with me,” he said, walking toward the front door and opening it.The house was empty.Elizabeth entered the spacious foyer, where enormous glass panels offered a panoramic view of the gardens and the city in the distance. From the hall, one could see a large living room, as well as doors leading to the office, the dining room, and the kitchen. A grand s