After hanging up, Zephyr stood frozen for a long time in the quiet park. Then, his hands clenched into determined fists at his sides. That evening, after dinner, Zephyr went upstairs and retrieved a small booklet from his room, slipping it into his pocket. As he opened his bedroom door to leave, he nearly collided with his father and older brother. Cedric frowned. "Where are you off to in such a hurry?" Zephyr kept his eyes downcast. "Nowhere important." He brushed past them and headed downstairs. As he descended, he shot a final, icy glance at Jeremy, who met it with a slight, puzzled frown. Cedric sighed as he watched his younger son leave. "What is that boy always so busy with? Running around, but he's just an engineer. What future is in that?" Jeremy offered a smooth, reassuring smile. "If it's what he enjoys, let him be. I'm here for the family business. As the older brother, it's my duty to carry more of the load." Cedric patted his eldest son's shoulder. "You've worked hard all these years." "It's my responsibility." "As for the marriage alliance with the Blackwood Group, I'll push for it. It's good for both families. I'm not giving up easily." Long lashes casting shadows over his eyes, Jeremy smiled, "Thank you, Dad." Zephyr drove straight from the Knight Villa to the Blackwood Villa. At the gate, the butler greeted him warmly. "Mr. Knight, you're here. I'll inform Mrs. Blackwood." Slightly breathless, Zephyr waved him off. "No need. I'll go right in." The butler watched his hurried back, perplexed. I've never seen Mr. Knight in such a state. Something big must be happening. Before he even reached the living room, he could hear Clara discussing the evening's dessert with a maid. She turned and saw him standing at the entrance, her face breaking into a welcoming smile. "Zephyr! Come in, dear. Perfect timing, we just finished the dessert. You have a lucky palate tonight." Zephyr pressed his lips together and glanced around the living room, but didn't see Cindy. His voice was tight with suppressed anxiety. "Mrs. Blackwood, is... is Cindy home?" Clara smiled, gesturing upstairs. "She is, in her room. Are you looking for—" Before she could finish, Zephyr was already taking the stairs two at a time. Clara stared after him for a moment, then shook her head with a bemused chuckle. "That boy is always so composed. What's gotten into him tonight? Cindy's influence, no doubt." Upstairs, Cindy was immersed in an online game when a knock interrupted her. She frowned. Jethro? No, he's been staying at his own place. Irritated, she ran a hand through her hair. "Who is it?" A deep, familiar voice answered from the other side of the door. "Cindy. It's me." She paused, registering that it was Zephyr. With a sigh of annoyance, she quit the game. Creak. The door opened a crack, revealing Zephyr's handsome face. "What are you doing here?" "Can I come in?" Cindy hesitated, then took two steps back, granting him entry. "Make it quick. My squad is waiting for me," she said, dropping lazily into her expensive gaming chair.Now that he was here, facing her, the bold certainty that had propelled him began to waver, replaced by nervous uncertainty. He didn't know if she still had any feelings for him. He didn't know if she'd agree to his wild, impulsive idea. He walked over to her, licking his suddenly dry lips. "Cindy, did my mom come to you?" Cindy froze for a second, then let out a cold, derisive laugh. "Didn't you know already?" "I swear I didn't!" Zephyr blurted, urgent. "If I'd known she came to you for—that—I would've stopped her." Cindy didn't buy it. "You always listen to your mom. To make her life easier in that house, you even moved away. "Now that your dad and brother have this brilliant idea, using your mom as a messenger, why wouldn't you support them?" A sudden, terrible thought struck her. She sat bolt upright, her voice dropping to an arctic chill. "Is that why you're here tonight? To convince me to say yes?" "No!" "Then what do you want?" Zephyr took a deep, steadying breath. He pulled a booklet from his pocket and placed it on the desk in front of her. His passport. Cindy stared at them, a row of mental question marks appearing over her head. "What is this...?" Zephyr drew in another breath. "Cindy, let's get married." Cindy just stared. Her mind blanked for a few seconds before she managed, dazed, "What did you say?" Zephyr pulled a chair over and sat close to her. "I know my dad and my brother. They don't give up until they get what they want. So even though you refused them once, they won't stop. They'll look for another angle—talking to your mom, or going directly to your grandpa to discuss a family alliance. Your mom would put your wishes first, but your grandpa... maybe not." He'd heard about the recent rift between the main Blackwood family branch and Arthur because of Jasper's return.