Caspar's POV:

After a simple dinner with Daisy Cole at The Ritz. Ethan arranged for his sister Daisy to assist me with some company affairs instead.

Though Daisy was clearly interested in extending our interaction beyond business, I remained focused on finalizing the merger documents as quickly as possible.

The moment business concluded, I wasted no time boarding my private jet back to New York.

During the flight, my thoughts kept returning to Dorothy's cryptic message about finding the marriage certificate.

If she had located it, I could finally terminate my contract marriage with Sienna Bailey and move forward.

The decision to go directly to Dorothy's house from the airport was an easy one.

James pulled the car to a smooth stop in front of Dorothy's Victorian mansion. "Would you like me to wait,sir?"

"That won't be necessary. I'll call when I'm ready to leave."

The familiar scent of Dorothy's home-lemon polish and fresh flowers-greeted me as Martha, her longtime housekeeper,opened the door.

"Mr. Thornton," she said with a warm smile. "Your grandmother is taking her afternoon rest. She should be awake within the hour."

"That's fine, Martha. I'll wait in the study."

Martha's eyes twinkled mysteriously. "She had quite the surprise for you."

*A surprise?* My grandmother's surprises were rarely simple matters. The last "surprise" had been a contract marriage with the Bailey family.

"Is there anything I can get you while you wait?" Martha asked.

"Just coffee, thank you."

In the study, I loosened my tie and checked my phone.

No messages from Edward about Noah, which meant everything was fine at home.

I found myself wondering what Audrey was doing with my son today.Were they enjoying their time together? I pictured them in the sunlit art room, heads bent together over a canvas, Noah's small face lit with that rare smile he seemed to reserve just for her.

A strange longing tugged at me-had Audrey thought of me at all during my absence? Or was she relieved to have these days without my hovering presence? I quickly dismissed the thought, uncomfortable with how much I cared about the answer.

A soft knock announced Dorothy's arrival.

She entered, elegant as always in a tailored navy dress, her silver hair perfectly styled.

"Caspar," she said, kissing my cheek. "You look tired. London wasn't too taxing,I hope?"

"Just business," I replied, getting straight to the point. "Your message

mentioned something about the marriage certificate?"

Dorothy raised an eyebrow, a hint of amusement in her expression. "My.aren't we eager? You've barely been back in the country an hour and already rushing to end your marriage."

"The sooner this is resolved, the better," I stated firmly. "You have it, don't you?"

Dorothy studied me. "Are you absolutely certain you want to terminate the arrangement?"

"Completely certain." My tone left no room for debate.

"The Baileys have proven themselves untrustworthy, and you also know what kind of person Sienna is."

I paused, noting her reluctance. "You're not having regrets about this arrangement,are you?"

A dry chuckle escaped her lips. "I assure you, Caspar, if anyone ends up with regrets about this situation, it wvon't be me."

Dorothy moved to her desk and placed the folder in my hands. "There you have it - your golden ticket to freedom!"

I flipped open the cover, expecting to see Sienna Bailey's name and photograph on the marriage contract. Instead, I found myself staring at a familiar face-Audrey Lane.

The documents nearly slipped from my suddenly numb fingers.

I blinked, certain I was seeing things. But the name printed next to the photograph was clear: Audrey Bailey.

The air left my lungs in a rush. "What is this?" My voice was barely audible.

"That, my dear grandson, is your wife."

Dorothy sighed, settling into her chair.

"After the discovery, I immediately sent someone to investigate the Bailey family. Five years ago, when we arranged the marriage with the Bailey family, they were in financial distress but didn't want to risk their precious Sienna in a contract marriage. So they substituted their adoptive daughter,Audrey,without our knowledge."

"Adoptive daughter?" I repeated, still struggling to process this revelation.

"Yes. Audrey was raised as part of the Bailey family until about five years ago when they discovered she wasn't their blood relation. According to my sources, they essentially cast her out, but not before using her in this final transaction."

I felt a cold fury building. "They married her off to a stranger and then abandoned her?"

"It appears so." Dorothy's eyes softened with understanding. "I suspect that's why she distances herself from the Bailey name now, why she created an entirely new identity as Audrey Lane. She's trying to erase the connection to the people who betrayed her so thoroughly."

"And she has no idea who Samuel West really is?" I asked.

"None whatsoever. As far as she knows. Samuel West is just a name on paper, a man who agreed to a contract marriage and then disappeared from her life."

I reached out, my fingers lightly tracing the outline of Audrey's face in the photograph attached to the marriage certificate.

A storm of emotions surged through me. This woman, who had walked into my home and captivated my son had unwittingly been bound to me all along, a twist of fate neither of us could have imagined.

"So," Dorothy's voice carried a hint of amusement, breaking into my thoughts. "Still eager to proceed with that divorce?"

I couldn't suppress the slight upward curve of my lips as I shook my head."No. Not anymore."

"My, my," Dorothy chuckled,folding her hands in her lap.

"Not five minutes ago, you were practically burning with impatience to end this marriage. " Her eyes sparkled with mischief. "And now suddenly there's no rush at all. How curious."

"That's enough, Dorothy," I said, closing the folder carefully.

"This isn't amusing. I've already arranged to meet with her-as Samuel West-to sign divorce papers next week. " I ran a hand through my hair,a rare display of frustration. "How exactly am I supposed to handle this?"

Dorothy shrugged."Perhaps just tell her the truth. She might be pleasantly surprised to discover that the cold, distant Samuel West is actually the man she's grown quite fond of."

"Fond of?" I scoffed. "You're being optimistic. I've seen how she pulls away whenever I get too close. She's been nothing but professional with me."

"Oh yes." Dorothy nodded, thoroughly enjoying herself. "When I visited

the gallery, she went to great lengths to assure me that there was absolutely nothing between the two of you."

She leaned forward, barely suppressing a laugh. "In fact,she specifically mentioned having a wonderful relationship with her husband."

I sank back into my chair, the irony hitting me like a physical blow."Perfect.Just perfect."

"I must say," Dorothy continued, not bothering to hide her amusement, "in all my years, I've never seen you quite so thoroughly outmaneuvered. It's refreshingly entertaining."

"Grandma," I said, my voice low and serious, "I need you to keep this information to yourself for now."

She waved her hand dismissively. "Your marital drama is your own to manage, Caspar. I'm perfectly content to observe from a distance."

Her eyes narrowed slightly. "Though I will offer one piece of advice-Don't be too hasty, Caspar. Frighten her away, and you might never get her back."

I met her gaze steadily, a newfound resolve settling over me.

"I will win her over."