Chapter 14: The Weight of Loyalty

**Chapter Thirteen**

After a year of matchmaking, I didn’t find a single one acceptable.

With such high standards, plus the trouble with the Evans family that had already ruined my reputation, my marriage prospects were completely stalled.

I lived in disappointment and frustration.

But things were completely different for Ethan.

This year, the biggest news in Maple Heights was that the Shaw family’s spoiled boy had suddenly gotten serious. He cut off his useless friends and locked himself at home to study.

When the commissioner’s son came knocking, Ethan set the dogs on him, scaring him off for good.

Everyone said Ethan had lost his mind—how could he not even recognize his best friend?

But I knew that the commissioner’s son, Morgan Lowe, was no good.

In my previous life, when the Shaw family lost everything, it happened so suddenly that I had no time to hide money. All our savings were confiscated, even my jewelry and keepsakes.

Ethan and I were thrown out with nothing but the clothes on our backs.

My parents were already waiting outside, rushing over to hug me and cry.

"Rachel, come home with us. With your parents here, it’ll be all right. We’ll help Ethan together."

But just then, the usually smiling commissioner suddenly changed completely.

"The Shaw family case isn’t settled yet. For now, it’s being treated as fraud."

"Who knows if it might be treason? You want to help Ethan—do you want to go to jail with him?"

"Treason?"

My parents were terrified.

When my uncle and the rest of the family heard, they immediately advised my parents to distance themselves from us.

My mom begged me to abandon Ethan and come home.

I just shook my head and, right in front of her, tore up the divorce papers.

"I live as a member of the Shaw family, die as a member of the Shaw family."

"Whether it’s fraud or something worse, I’ll stay with Ethan. If he goes down, I go down with him. We’ll stick together."

My mom wept bitterly.

"You stubborn fool, you only saw Judge Shaw a few days a year. How can you be so devoted to him? You’re such a fool."