Chapter 17

The Jordans were powerful, but the Gilbert family was on an entirely different level. They were a family of true aristocracy, one that had never needed to rely on arranged marriages to secure alliances. Dante's unwavering kindness toward her clearly had nothing to do with her status. Could someone as exceptional as him truly love her, an ordinary woman, at first sight? Seeing the doubt in Elena's eyes, Dante only smiled and gently took her hand. "Come with me. You'll understand soon enough," he said. They walked through the grand corridors of the castle, their steps echoing in the vast space until they reached the heart of the estate. Hanging in the very center of the grand hall was a painting. Elena tilted her head back, and her eyes widened in shock. "My painting… How is it here? You… were the one who bought it?" Dante's expression softened with warmth as he nodded. "I had just taken over Gilbert Group that year. Everything in my career was going perfectly—almost too perfectly