Lauren cried hard, but her resolve remained unshaken. She declared firmly, "No. If I choose to comply now, that's when I'll truly regret it. I've told the family countless times—Andrew isn't ordinary. He's a hidden gem, and he deserves not just me, but any exceptional woman!"

The momentary softness in Tiana's eyes vanished instantly. "So you're still blindly obsessed with him?" she asked coldly.

Lauren trembled as she felt the invisible barrier between mother and daughter, which had briefly