It was the end of summer in August, and the warm breeze blew slowly.

The fragrance of tea leaves spread throughout the teahouse. Behind the ink paintings, faint conversations could be heard.

Susan Yates sat next to her father, her eyes calm and clear. Her delicate fingertips rubbed the white porcelain teacup, and she sized up the man opposite from her from time to time.

Brad Quin, the fourth son of the Quin family in Chicago. He was also the one who kept a low profile the most.

"Brad, I have to thank the Quin family for the support in this groundbreaking plan."

As John Yates spoke, he poured white tea into the teacup. The rising mist obscured the man's handsome looks. He bowed his head slightly and said in a deep, low, and lazy voice, "You're welcome, John."

It was a meeting with polite greetings between the men. Susan, who was sitting by the side, seemed like an extra.

She didn't know her father's intentions for bringing her over today.

She also understood the logic that one would not rise early unless there were benefits.

The afternoon sun was strong, and the warm rays of light shot through the curtains and onto Brad's face. He was like a statue without smoke and flame, and he was both perfect and exquisite.

Half an hour later, he left early.

The empty teahouse was so silent that only the sound of boiling water could be heard.

After a while, John sighed and turned to look at Susan's clean face. "What do you think of him?"

Susan held her face with her hand and raised her eyebrows. With doubts in her eyes, she asked, "What do you mean, Dad?"

John took a sip while holding the teacup. His nose moved slightly, and no expression could be seen.

After pondering for a few seconds, he said slowly, "The Quin family has agreed to be united with us by a marriage. I brought you here today to meet him first!"

"What?! A marriage?"

Susan's heart sank and she was so shocked that she knocked into the teacup. After forcing herself to calm down, she sneered and said, "Dad, are you joking?"

John didn't say anything. He stared at her calmly and seriously. Susan understood everything.

"Why the sudden marriage? I'm only twenty-four years old. There's no reason for me to get married so early." Furthermore, it was an old-fashioned marriage arranged by both families.

Seeing that Susan wasn't overly agitated, John relaxed his eyebrows and said in a difficult tone, "Did you think that the Quin family would suddenly help us with our finances and solve the problem of the groundbreaking plan because they fancied this piece of land?"

After a while, Susan found her voice back. She said coldly, "The Quin family proposed this marriage?"

"Not completely so. The prerequisite for the Quin family's funding was a guarantee of cooperation. A marriage was currently the most reasonable way."

"So you're selling me to their family?"

Susan's throat felt stuck. She was initially thankful that her native family didn't harbor the idea of using their daughter for commercial gains. Now, this seemed extremely ridiculous.

The Yates family eventually couldn't escape the bondage of benefits.

On the way back, she didn't speak to John. She looked out of the car window. There were only a few clouds in the sky. It was like her mood right now, where she was engulfed in a layer of cold mist.

…

After returning home, Susan locked herself in her room and didn't have dinner.

The sky was gradually turning dark. The temperature on the balcony was slightly cold. She looked at the sunset and the quiet dusky glow. She raised her slightly stiff fingertips and called her agent.

"Help me check Brad Quin's phone number."

From her father's attitude, this marriage was imperative.

However, she was not willing to take this lying down. Regardless of whether she knew Brad or not, which rich families that were united by marriages actually had a good ending?

Furthermore, she had just accepted an invitation to catwalk for the Milan Fashion Week last month. Her career prospects were boundless. She didn't want to imprison herself in the cage of marriage so early.