Now I finally get the fans who ship couples! Watching the boss' romance up close is just too sweet! Jethro slid into the back seat and immediately noticed Rowan's beaming face. "What's so funny?" Jethro asked, his expression neutral. "Focus on the road." Rowan's smile vanished instantly, but his curiosity got the better of him. "Mr. Blackwood, that mark on your lip last time—was that from Ms. Gale?" A sudden chill filled the air from the back seat. Rowan shrank in his seat, not daring to breathe. Just when he thought he'd crossed a line and would get no answer, Jethro's cool voice came from behind him. "Keep that to yourself. I don't want to cause trouble for her." A male superior and a female subordinate—gossip was inevitable. For a man of Jethro's status, if the woman linked to him was seen as being from a different social tier, the narrative would always paint her as a gold-digger, a social climber. Until he could fully shield Darcy from that storm, keeping things private was his only way to protect her. The thought darkened his eyes. From now on, I'll have to be more careful. No matter what I feel, I can't show it in front of others. Darcy and Mara arrived at the agreed-upon location to sign the settlement. After one final review of the documents, Darcy turned to the matter of fees. "Ms. Hayes, with everything going on with John, I never asked about your rate. Once we're done here, please send me the invoice and your payment details." Mara smiled, "Of course. This was a straightforward case. My rate is quite reasonable."She quoted a figure. Darcy was stunned. That's not what I found online at all. Everything she'd read said Mara was highly selective, rarely took cases with a settlement under ten million dollars, and her fees were correspondingly astronomical. Yet, not only had she taken Darcy's five-million-dollar case, her fee was shockingly modest. Instantly, Darcy thought of Jethro. Mara was his referral. Did he cover part of it? "Ms. Hayes—" she began to ask, but just then, John walked in. Darcy shelved her question and focused on him. She'd expected him to be sullen, angry, lashing out with bitter words about her and her mother. But he was none of those things. John sat down, glanced over the agreement, and without complaint, signed it with a flourish. Then he initiated the bank transfer.Darcy was baffled. He seems like a different person. Paranoid, she discreetly opened her banking app to triple-check the number of zeros in the transfer. John saw her furtive glance and actually chuckled, unoffended, "Don't worry, Darcy. It's all there. A genuine five million dollars. "I've thought it through. All these years, I was the one who messed up. When you needed a dad most, I didn't care for you. Your mom has her flaws, sure, but she raised you alone, didn't remarry, and did both jobs. Take this five million as my compensation to you two." Darcy stared at him in disbelief. It's not a mask... there'd be a seam. If he's not wearing a mask... is he possessed? She didn't bother digging into where the money came from or whether he was in his right mind when he said that. She pocketed the agreement and walked out of the private room. John watched his daughter walk away, ignoring him, and still felt no anger. He'd discovered that having a lucrative new income stream did wonders for one's mood and patience. Money really does make you more forgiving. It's a hell of a good thing. He slapped his thigh in regret. What kind of life was he living before? If he'd known he could make money this way, why take crap at the Moss family? Was he worried about getting caught betraying Moss Group? Not really. His plan was simple—pull off two or three more deals, then vanish with tens of millions in cash. He'd go back to the remote, dirt-poor mountain village he came from—a place no one outside the locals knew existed—find himself a young, pretty wife in her twenties, and live like a king. Susan could search all she wanted; she'd never find him. Outside, Darcy and Mara walked toward the parking garage. Darcy finally remembered her unfinished question."Ms. Hayes, about the fee you mentioned earlier..." She decided on a direct approach. "Did Mr. Blackwood ask you for any special deal?" Mara paused. These two are definitely on the same wavelength. Her eyes flickered, then she smiled, "He didn't. To be honest, I did take the case as a favor to him, but I didn't quote low on purpose. Favors aren't as solid as money." Just then, Mara sneezed. A slightly awkward silence descended.