Chapter 337
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Chapter 337:
Carmen Golden sat rigidly in a velvet booth, her stomach tied in painful knots. Across from her sat her adoptive mother, Mrs. Golden, who had just flown in from Europe.
Mrs. Golden slammed a thick, glossy folder onto the table. It was filled with profiles of wealthy, arrogant bachelors.
“You humiliated this family when you broke off your engagement to Quentin,” Mrs. Golden hissed, her voice low and venomous. “You are almost thirty, Carmen. Your biological clock is ticking p>
Carmen stared at the photographs. A wave of nausea rolled through her.
“I am not marrying any of these men,” Carmen said, her voice trembling with suppressed anger.
Mrs. Golden’s eyes narrowed into cruel slits.
“You will pick one by the end of this month,” she threatened, tapping a manicured nail on the table. “Or your father and I will cut off your trust fund completely. We will freeze your assets. You will have nothing p>
The blatant financial blackmail snapped something inside Carmen. The pressure in her chest exploded outward. She opened her mouth before her rational mind could stop her.
𝖲𝗁𝖺𝗋𝖾 𝗒𝗈𝗎𝗋 𝖿𝖺𝗏𝗈𝗋𝗂𝗍𝖾𝗌 𝖿𝗋𝗈𝗆
“You cannot force me to marry any of them,” Carmen blurted, her palms sweating. “I already have a boyfriend. And he is more powerful than anyone in that folder p>
Mrs. Golden went still. She studied Carmen with deep suspicion.
“Is that so?” Mrs. Golden sneered. “Fine. Bring this mysterious man to dinner on Friday night. If he does not show up, I am calling the lawyers on Monday to cut you off p>
She stood, grabbed her Hermès bag, and marched out of the café.
Carmen slumped back against the booth and buried her face in her hands.
She had just dug her own grave. She didn’t know a single eligible man capable of intimidating her parents.
She opened her designer wallet to pay the bill. A thick, cream-colored business card slipped from the leather fold and landed on the table.
Carmen stared at it. The gold-embossed Congressional seal gleamed under the café lights.
Justin Collins. United States Senator.
He had pressed the card on her weeks ago after pulling her away from a persistent stranger at a country club. He had suggested, half-jokingly, that they fabricate a relationship for the sake of his political image.
Carmen’s heart began to hammer against her ribs.
It was absolute madness. He was Gaston’s older brother. He was a political titan. But she had no other choice.
Her fingers shook as she dialed his private number.
The phone rang exactly twice before the line opened.
“Miss Golden.” Justin’s deep, incredibly smooth voice filled her ear. He sounded as though he had been sitting by the phone waiting for precisely this moment.
Carmen swallowed. Her throat was completely dry.
“Senator Collins,” she stammered. “I have a serious problem. Does your offer for a mutually beneficial arrangement still stand? I need you to meet my parents this Friday p>
A heavy three-second silence followed.
Carmen’s stomach dropped. She was about to apologize and hang up.
Then a low, dark chuckle vibrated through the speaker.
“It would be my absolute honor to play your devoted boyfriend, Carmen,” Justin said without hesitation.