The Billionaire's True Heiress: From Fake Jewel to Real Crown novel Chapter 268

The relationship between their families was already hanging by a thread. Neither side could handle another round of drama.

“So if I agree to this engagement, there’s no backing out, right?” Claire caught the implication in his words.

“That’s right.” Dane didn’t hesitate.

Claire tilted her head, thinking. “Let me give it some thought.”

Dane watched her, his eyes dark and unreadable. “Alright.”

She frowned, clearly weighing her options. She seemed lost in thought for so long that Dane started to wonder if she would turn him down. Who could blame her? This whole thing was a mess left behind by their parents. Claire had been switched at birth and never felt any real love from her biological family. As for her adoptive parents, it was hard to say if they’d ever truly cared for her. After the truth came out about the switch, the James family treated her completely differently.

“It feels a bit like emotional blackmail, you know?” Claire finally broke the silence. “My dad did steal the woman who was supposed to marry Ablett. Handing me over as some kind of repayment almost makes sense.”

She sighed. “But I don’t like being tied down. If your family wants the perfect, traditional daughter-in-law, I’m not your girl.” She wanted to be honest from the start.

Dane let out a soft laugh. “My family doesn’t have any special expectations for you.”

It wasn’t that they didn’t care about their daughter-in-law, just that Claire was already more than enough. Baldrick liked her a lot.

“Oh, really? So… if we do get engaged, I get to decide when we actually get married?”

Dane nodded. “Yes, that’s up to you.”

“Alright then,” Claire shrugged, “I’ll pay off my dad’s debt.”

“You’re actually willing?” Dane sounded surprised.

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