Elizabeth gave him a soft smile. “Think of it as helping an old friend,” she said, extending her hand.
Scott hesitated, then took her hand and shook it. “Deal,” he said.
Scott, a bit uncomfortable with all the attention, would smile and tell her about the plants and flowers he loved so much.
He explained how each flower had its own needs, like the way roses needed careful pruning or how sunflowers always turned toward the light.
As their wedding day approached, Elizabeth felt a growing weight in her chest. The more time she spent with Scott, the harder it became to go through with their plan.
She couldn’t deny it anymore—she was falling in love with him. What had started as a scheme to escape her father was now something much more complicated.
The night before the wedding, Elizabeth couldn’t take it any longer. She had to tell Scott the truth. Maybe, just maybe, he felt the same way. Maybe they could marry for love instead of for her father’s money. With that hope, Elizabeth went to his house.
When she arrived, the door was slightly open. She hesitated before peeking inside—and there, to her shock, was her father talking to Scott.
“I’ll give you $250 thousand if you call off this wedding,” Richard said, his voice firm as he handed Scott a thick envelope. “I don’t want my daughter marrying a simple gardener,” he added, disdain clear in his tone.
Elizabeth, hidden outside the door, felt her heart race. She wanted Scott to reject the offer, to throw the money back in Richard’s face and defend their plan. But, to her shock, Scott took the envelope without a word.
