Kathrine couldn't help but smile. "Who knows, maybe by doing so I can finally win his heart," she teased lightly.
She expected him to roll his eyes or laugh it off.
Instead, Ethan scowled.
"There is no need for you to win his heart," he said bluntly. "You've already won mine, and that's enough. We don't need his blessing."
There was no hesitation in his voice. No softness. Only firm conviction.
Kathrine's smile faltered slightly.
She knew Ethan's feelings toward his father were complicated, but hearing the cold finality in his tone still surprised her.
Growing up, Ethan had never really had a father in the emotional sense. Marcus Emerson had always been present physically, but never truly there. His presence had been more like a shadow that loomed over Ethan's life, shaping his future without ever understanding his heart.
