Queen of Wild Cards novel Chapter 5

Miranda couldn't bear to let her precious daughter become a widow, which was why she had stalled the Blackwoods without officially declining. Now that Stella had conveniently delivered herself right to their doorstep, it felt like a gift from above.

"Exactly. The Blackwoods are loaded. If we send her in your place, we get to keep the wedding fund, and when Mr. Blackwood dies, she'll inherit a massive fortune. Honestly, I'm doing her a favor."

Frederick nodded eagerly in agreement. "She's right. Having her join the Blackwood Family benefits all of us."

His rationale was simple: marrying her off meant he wouldn't have to look at her anymore, plus he'd pocket a ridiculous amount of money. And when Mr. Blackwood finally kicked the bucket, Stella would get a huge payout. He could easily step in as her 'concerned father' to manage the inheritance, secretly funneling it into his own struggling company.

And if she somehow succeeded in this marriage, the Hawthornes would secure the ultimate ally. Even if the Blackwoods just threw a few scraps his way, Frederick would be set for life.

It was killing several birds with one stone. Absolutely perfect!

The more Frederick thought about it, the more brilliant Miranda's plan seemed. He could practically see the mountains of cash flowing toward him.

"You always were the smart one," he praised her.

...

Upstairs, completely unaware of the den of vipers plotting against her, Stella dragged a pile of discarded items to the landing and yelled, "Hey!" down the stairs.

The three of them snapped their heads up at the shout.

"Chloe, do you still want these clothes? If not, get someone to throw them away."

VERIFYCAPTCHA_LABELVerify