“Send the Poor, Ugly Girl—He’ll Reject Her!” They Laughed… Until the Millionaire Stood Up
Chapter 1
“Send the poor, ugly girl. He’ll reject her in five minutes.”
The words were followed by laughter.
Claire Bennett stood outside the dining room, holding a silver tray with two untouched cups of coffee.
She hadn’t meant to overhear the conversation.
She had simply been asked to bring refreshments to the Bennett family’s private meeting.
Then she heard her older cousin, Vanessa, laughing.
“The others are too beautiful,” Vanessa said. “He’ll think they’re after his money. Claire is perfect.”
Another woman laughed.
“Perfect for rejection.”
Claire lowered her eyes.
She was twenty-seven.
She wasn’t poor because she was lazy.
Her father had died when she was nineteen, leaving behind medical bills and a small repair shop that had eventually failed.
Her mother had suffered a stroke two years later.
Claire had spent most of her twenties working whatever jobs she could find while taking care of her.
She had never had designer clothes.
Never had expensive vacations.
Never had a private driver.
And she had never learned how to pretend she belonged in wealthy rooms.
As for the word ugly?
She heard it often enough.
She had a round face, thick dark-brown hair she usually tied back, soft features, a small scar near her eyebrow, and a body that did not fit the narrow beauty standard of the women in her family.
Vanessa considered that embarrassing.
Claire considered it irrelevant.
She was turning away when another voice stopped her.
“Who are you sending?”
The room became silent.
Claire recognized the voice immediately.
Adrian Cole.
The millionaire they had been discussing.
Thirty-five.
Owner of Cole Industries.
Known for buying failing companies and turning them around.
Known even more for refusing almost every social event his family arranged for him.
Claire had never met him.
She had only seen photographs.
She expected him to sound cold.
Instead, his voice was calm.
“Claire,” Vanessa answered.
There was a pause.
“The quiet girl?”
Vanessa laughed.
“Yes.”
Someone whispered, “He’ll reject her before dinner.”
Adrian didn’t laugh.
“Why her?”
Vanessa answered casually.
“Because the others are too polished. You hate women who chase money, don’t you?”
Another pause.
“And Claire doesn’t?”
“Please.”
Vanessa rolled her eyes.
“She has nothing. She’ll be grateful you even look at her.”
Claire’s fingers tightened around the tray.
She wanted to leave.
She wanted to disappear.
Then Adrian asked:
“Is that what you think of her?”
Nobody answered.
He spoke again.
“I’ll meet her.”
Laughter exploded through the room.
Claire stepped backward.
No.
She wasn’t doing this.
She wasn’t going to be someone’s joke.
She turned and nearly collided with a man standing behind her.
Adrian Cole.
He was taller than she expected.
Dark hair.
Sharp jaw.
Gray eyes.
Black suit.
No smile.
He looked at the tray in her hands.
Then at her.
“Claire?”
She nodded.
He glanced toward the dining room.
“I heard them.”
Her face burned.
“I didn’t.”
“You did.”
She swallowed.
“Yes.”
Adrian looked at her for a long moment.
Then he did something nobody expected.
He took one of the cups from her tray.
Drank it.
Set it back.
And said quietly:
“Walk in with me.”
Claire stared at him.
“Why?”
His eyes stayed on hers.
“Because I want to see why everyone is so sure I would reject you.”
