Ryan noticed Alora preparing to follow them upstairs, and he spoke coldly. This woman had skin thicker than a fortress wall. No one had paid her any attention earlier, yet here she was, still trying to trail behind. Alora froze mid-step, her frustration mounting. She was already furious that Elaine would have a private conversation with Terry. Now, this lackey dared to comment? She shot him a glare. "What's that supposed to mean?" "I heard Ms. Alora personally begged Ms. Elaine to call off the engagement." Alora's lips pressed together in a tight line. How had that gotten out so quickly? It had to be Elaine who spilled the beans. D*mn her! She was ruining her reputation!"I imagine, during your plea, you must have exaggerated a few things—perhaps mentioning you and Mr. Wilson grew up together and share a deep bond—leading Ms. Elaine to misunderstand the nature of your relationship. And now, because of you, she dislikes him." Ryan's voice was ice-cold. He remembered how much Elaine used to adore Terry. This woman had clearly stirred up trouble. "Is that true?" Leon's brows furrowed deeply. He had always known Alora wasn't exactly well-behaved. In the past, he'd turned a blind eye because she was his biological daughter. But times had changed. If it weren't for Maya and Rebecca insisting on keeping Alora, saying she'd already been with the Currans for 20 years and shared deep bonds, she would've been sent back to her birth parents long ago. Leon wouldn't hesitate to kick her out if Alora had ulterior motives. "No, no! That's not true!" Alora shook her head frantically. "Dad, he's making it up. I didn't say that!" That day, she had planned to spin such a tale. But Elaine hadn't even given her the chance! Before she could get into her sob story, Elaine had already agreed to call off the engagement. Her carefully rehearsed script had gone to waste. Rebecca glanced at Alora's panicked face without a word. Perhaps Ryan was right. But Elaine had denied that Alora was the reason for her dislike of Terry. They'd have to see how the conversation upstairs played out. Leon cast Alora a sidelong glance but didn't comment further."My apologies, Mr. and Mrs. Curran. I overstepped," Ryan said, bowing slightly toward them. After all, Alora had been their daughter for 20 years. He'd just been too anxious seeing how strained things were between Elaine and Terry. Rebecca shook her head. "It's fine. You're just looking out for Terry." Even Terry's trusted aide wanted Elaine and Terry to work out. Too bad. Upstairs. Elaine led Terry into her room and sat on the couch as soon as they entered. Terry followed, shutting the door behind him. "What do you want to talk about?" Elaine asked, her gaze sharp. "Let me be clear. The engagement is non-negotiable."She wasn't in the mood for pointless pleasantries, cutting straight to the chase. Terry walked over, placing the gift bag on the coffee table. At 6'2", his towering frame blocked half the light, casting shadows across Elaine's face. "What's this?" she asked, her brows furrowing. Terry sat down, a faint smile tugging at his lips. "Why don't you open it and see?" Even with her frosty expression, he still found her utterly adorable. In the blink of an eye, the girl he'd been waiting for had reached the age where she could marry. He was determined to bring her home as soon as possible. He'd been waiting for this day for two years. Elaine cast a disinterested glance at the bag and uttered two curt words: "Not interested."