“Kids these days can be a handful, but with some gentle guidance, they'll come around," Mrs. Clark mused.
"My boy may not be a classic heartthrob, but he's got talents of his own."
"And with us behind them, they'll want for nothing. Life could be so much easier."
"Just lay the cards on the table. Claire's a bright girl; she knows a golden opportunity when she sees one."
"She might be her school's valedictorian, but even the brightest still have to claw their way up after college. Joining our family would save her decades of struggle."
"I know you'll be able to bring her around."
Octavia understood perfectly well what was happening: Mrs. Clark wouldn't be so blatant if she didn't think the James family was in desperate straits. They were hardly in a position to turn down such a "generous" offer.
She felt wildly uncertain inside, but kept her composure and said, "It's true, kids today just don't appreciate how much their parents go through for them."
"I'll have a frank conversation with Claire. I'm sure, deep down, she knows we want what's best."
Mrs. Clark gave a faint but satisfied smile.
Her own relatives had always mocked her son, calling him a simpleton and pointing out that he'd only gotten to study abroad because she and her husband had greased the right palms. But if she managed to marry him off to a brilliant wife— someone who'd give her a clever grandchild—well, then she'd finally put all her high-and-mighty nieces and nephews to shame.
The only uncertainty was whether Claire would actually listen to Octavia.
As Octavia headed home, she replayed the entire conversation in her mind. How was she supposed to even broach this subject with Claire? Could she trick her into meeting the Clark boy?
But Claire wasn't some puppet she could just pull strings on anymore. She was her own person now a young woman with a mind of her own. If Claire put her foot down, there was nothing Octavia could do.
Meanwhile, Claire had no idea that the James family's troubles had suddenly turned her into their ticket to salvation.
As Octavia was turning these thoughts over, her phone rang-Latham's name lit up on the screen.
"How'd it go? Is it done?"
He'd been waiting all day for news, worn out and rejected by everyone he'd tried to ask for help. It was only now that he truly understood what it felt like when everyone deserted you the moment you fell from grace.
After so many doors slammed shut, he'd pinned all his hopes on Octavia. If she could persuade Mrs. Clark to help, maybe just maybe-they-
couldclaw their way out of thin net.
mess. If not, his only option left would be to marry off his own son for whatever scraps that brought.
"It's over," Octavia replied, her voice heavy with exhaustion. Just trying to negotiate with Mrs. Clark had drained her Back when she was one of Mrs Clark's biggest clients, Leilani had never acted so condescending-she certainly hadn't
spoken in that cold, polite way.
Octavia finally grasped what it really meant to tumble from the top to the bottom.
"So what did Mrs. Clark say?"
Latham was caught between hope and dread, terrified Mrs. Clark would make some outrageous demand Mr. Clark, after all, was notorious for twisting every situation to his advantage-Latham had already seen that first-hand.
"She didn't shoot us down outright. She just said Mr. Clark's got his own troubles,
and then she made a request."
"What request?" Latham's brows knit together.
If Mrs. Clark was bold enough to say it openly, whatever she wanted wouldn't be easy to grant.
“It's..... not completely impossible, but it's certainly not simple either," Octavia said, her tone layered with anxiety.
“Just spit it out!” Latham snapped, nerves fraying. He needed to know if there was any hope left for the James family.
"Mrs. Clark wants us to arrange for Claire to be with her son."
Latham shot upright, stunned. "What?"
"Why on earth would she want that?"
Did the Clark boy actually have his sights set on Claire?