Slumping further into the sofa, Silas tried to calm his racing heart, his fingers pinching his nose bridge. To keep Esme safe, he had decided to engage with Lara temporarily. He was confident that his parents and Colton would stop trying to hurt Esme once they believed him betrothed to Lara. But Esme, she could never know. Or else, she would leave him.
Silas wanted to keep the whole thing a secret until Lara became the next president of the Smith Corporation. He fished his phone out of his pocket. A wave of apprehension washed over him as he dialed his mother's number. The call was answered in a few rings.
"Hey, Mom. How's Dad holding up?" Silas asked, masking his inner turmoil with a veneer of cheerfulness.
Victoria's response was a mix of frustration and accusation. "Your father's been distant lately, and I have a feeling it's because of you. Why haven't you spoken to him?"
