Chapter 1The Calculated Reunion

My family went bankrupt. Then my best friend's brother decided to force my hand.

My best friend was fighting for me. "Sebastian! How could you do this to my best friend?"

Her brother's expression was calm. "You have a crush on her brother, don't you? I had him brought here for you."

My best friend's face changed in an instant. "Oh! Well, in that case!"

Me: ?

My brother: ?

* * *

My family's business collapsed.

My younger brother, Liam, and I were handling it with a grim sort of calm. The one person who wasn't calm was my best friend, Isabelle Thorne.

She called me, practically screaming into the phone. "Chloe! Are you okay? Are there loan sharks camped out on your lawn? Did they splash red paint on your door or something?"

"..." I didn't know whether to laugh or cry. "I'm fine, Izzy. And maybe you should watch a little less TV."

"Can you even afford to eat?" She had already pictured me begging on a street corner. "Quick, give me your bank details, I'll wire you some money!"

"It's okay, really," I reassured her. "I'm fine. Don't worry."

After another ten minutes of dramatic wailing, she suddenly switched gears. "Chloe! I've been thinking, and I've come up with three possible solutions to save your family!"

Thinking she was finally about to be serious, I sat up straighter. "I'm listening."

Isabelle declared, "Plan A! I'll beg my brother to marry you!"

"..."

I knew I shouldn't have gotten my hopes up.

Before the bankruptcy, my family's business had been successful. But compared to the Thorne family, we were small-time. Theirs was old money, an empire that had only grown more formidable in recent years.

And that was all thanks to Sebastian Thorne.

Liam, Izzy, and I were the creative types, none of us with an ounce of business sense or any desire to take over our family companies.

Sebastian was the complete opposite.

In the business world, he was ruthless, decisive, and terrifyingly brilliant—a true titan of industry. I'd only met him a few times, but each time, he was like a walking glacier—imposing, cold, and radiating a chill that dropped the room temperature by ten degrees.

Even though Izzy was his sister, she'd been on the receiving end of his lectures more times than she could count for her wild antics.

She would often come to me, crying. "Everyone else's brother is so sweet and gentle! Why is mine so scary?"

But for all his scolding, their bond was strong. When Izzy's chatter got on his nerves, Sebastian's go-to solution was to throw money at her until she went away. Izzy would instantly transform, snatching the cash with a grin. "Thanks, Seb! You're the best brother in the world!"

If even his own sister was a little intimidated by him, what chance did I have?

Besides, despite his frosty demeanor, Sebastian was tall, devastatingly handsome, and had a line of admirers stretching from New York to Paris.

Why would he ever choose me?

I immediately vetoed her first plan. "What's Plan B?"

Izzy's voice jumped an octave, clearly thrilled with her next idea. "Plan B is—"

"I'll marry your brother!"