A wealthy tycoon made his son tie the knot with a down-to-earth farmer as a tough lesson. But he was blown away by what his son pulled off…

He couldn’t. All he could do was sit there, drowning in the reality of the life his father had just forced upon him. As Henry turned and walked out of the room, Richard finally allowed himself to breathe.

His life, as he knew it, was over. Two days passed in a blur of disbelief and mounting dread. Richard found himself standing at the foot of a dusty gravel road, the kind of place he’d only seen in movies.

He could hardly believe his life had come to this, a far cry from the glittering parties and penthouse views he was used to. Vermont smelled like earth and grass, the air too fresh for his liking. His city shoes sank slightly into the dirt as he stared down the narrow road, leading to a farmhouse in the distance.

This was where his father had sent him. With a heavy sigh, Richard picked up his suitcase and began the long walk toward the farmhouse, every step feeling like another nail in the coffin of his old life. The farmhouse was modest, with chipped white paint and a wraparound porch that looked like it hadn’t seen a fresh coat in years.

Despite its worn-down appearance, there was a certain charm to the place that he couldn’t quite ignore. Still, it wasn’t home, and it sure as hell wasn’t where he belonged. As he approached, the front door creaked open, and there she was, Emma.

Richard hadn’t known what to expect, but when he saw her, he was taken aback. She wasn’t at all what he had imagined. Standing on the porch, she was dressed in faded jeans, worn boots, and a simple plaid shirt, her hair tied back in a loose ponytail.

Her face was serious, unsmiling, but there was something undeniably strong about her presence, as if the land itself had shaped her resilience. She looked at him with eyes that didn’t waver, even as she took in his expensive, out-of-place suit. This is Richard Thompson, she asked, her tone almost skeptical, as if Henry’s promise had been too absurd to believe.

Richard swallowed, his usual arrogance faltering under her steady gaze. Yeah, that’s me, he said, attempting to sound nonchalant. He dropped his suitcase on the porch with a loud thud.

Emma didn’t respond right away. Instead, she crossed her arms over her chest, her eyes scanning him from head to toe. He felt exposed under her scrutiny, like she could see every privilege, every ounce of entitlement he carried with him.

I guess your father didn’t tell you much about me, she said, her voice calm but firm. But I’ll say this up front. I didn’t ask for this.

I didn’t want it. Richard blinked, caught off guard. He’d assumed she was in on the whole thing, some desperate girl from the country who had jumped at the chance to marry into money.

But her tone made it clear she had no interest in him or whatever he thought he could offer. That makes two of us, Richard replied, unable to keep the bitterness out of his voice. I didn’t exactly sign up for this either.

Emma nodded slightly, but there was no softening in her expression. She wasn’t here to comfort him or make him feel better about their situation. Well, she said, glancing at his suitcase.

You’re here now. We might as well get on with it. She turned and walked back into the house, leaving the door open behind her.

Richard hesitated for a moment, staring after her before picking up his bag and following her inside. The interior of the house was small but clean, with well-worn furniture and a few personal touches that made the space feel lived in. It wasn’t anything like the cold, sterile luxury of his penthouse apartment back in New York, but there was an undeniable warmth to it.

Your room’s down the hall, Emma called over her shoulder. You can get settled in, and then I’ll show you around. Right, Richard muttered, dragging his suitcase along the wooden floor.

He found the room at the end of the hall, a simple, sparse bedroom with a small bed, a dresser and a window that looked out over the endless fields. It was far from the life of excess he’d known, but he didn’t expect to be staying here long. In his mind, this was temporary, a bump in the road before he could figure out how to get back to his real life…