Your Love Is But a Dream (Clara and Wren)

The engagement party was doomed from the moment it started.

Martha Doodwin, supported by a younger attendant, slowly made her way onto the stage. Her piercing gaze swept over Shirley and Ivy, landing on them with an icy tinality Herlipinunded into a cold, sharp smile.

"You've certainly mastered your tricks," she began, her voice cutting through the air like a blade. "First, you tried to seduce my son and failed. Now, you've taugh your daughter to sink het claws into my grandson. Like mother, like daughter-bathent from the same disgraceful cloth" "Mom!" Carlisle's voice snapped through the tension as he nished to intervene.

But the moment her steely pare tumed on him, Carlisle's bravado melted. His posture deflated, and his voice dropped into something meek.

"What are you doing here?" he whispered harshly, glancing nervously at the crowd.

He had gone to great lengths to keep the engagement a secret from the Zachman Mannt, losowing full well that his mother would disapprove. Yet somehow, she

"Do you think I wouldn't come? Martha adjusted her shawl, her silver hair neatly plied into a severe bun. Her presence exuded an unyielding authority. "My grandson is supposed to be getting engaged, and you thought you could hide it from me? Do you even see me as your mother anymore, Carlisle?"

Carlisle's now rightened, his imitation bubbling beneath the surface. "If I told you, you'd do what you're doing right now-causing a scene. So no, I didn't think you

"Ob, so this is my Lault now she retorted, her tone dripping with sarcasm. "You're trying to force my grandson to marry the daughter of a woman I wouldn't even let set foot in this house. Have you forgotten the promises you made to your father and me? Or are you conveniently ignoring them now?"

Cartiste's face flushed as guilt briefly flickered across his features, But it was quickly replaced with anger as the weight of her words made him feel comered. "Mom," he hissed, keeping his voice low, "there are dozens of guests watching us right now. If you keep this up, you'll be the one making a mockery of the

She scoffed, her laugh dry and humorless, oh, I'm the one making a mockery? If you're worried about the Zachman name, maybe you shouldn't be trying to force my grandson into this face of an engagement,"

qpetate to regain control, Carlisle turned toward Katrina, who stood quietly at the edge of the room. He gestured for her to come forward

What are you standing, there for?" he barked under his breath. "Help Mom to her room. Let her cool down before she causes any more damage."

Katrina's eyes glinted with something unreadable, but she complied. As she walked toward the stage, she passed Carlisle, who leaned in close, his words sharp and How wough for oily be to hear "When this is over, we'll deal with you, too," he muttered

i didn't fluch, didn't even blink She continued to Martha's side, offering her an "You should've told me you were coming, Mom. I would've been happy to

thed her off with a diamassive hand. "I told any of you, I wouldn't have caught you red-handed, would I? Forcing my grandson into marrying t peless woman'a dauginter**

Her finger shot out like an arrow, pointing directly at vy

this

by a congue finally cracked. Her face twisted with barely contained tury, her nails digging into her palm. She could feel the room closing in on her, the stares of emmy gurit like a spotlight lighlighting her humiliation the couldn't even pretend to be unaffected, when Manacaught the venomous glaze she hadn't mat

managed to hide.

Marta's lips curled into a mocking smirk as it to say hy wasn't even worth the effort. "Trash like you doesn't belong anywhere near the Zachman tarily," she Spust, dat meet bottering to look hey in the eye ched her fits tighter, her singles to stop herself from snapping. She formed herself to speak, but her voice betrayed her irritation.

heart be Wien's grandmother," she began, beton strained. "It's a pleasure to meet you. I'm Ivy Jones, Wien's fiancée."

sailed suffly, desperately trying to regain her footing "Wir hasntioned you before. I'd hoped to meet you in better cticumstances, but here we are."