Chapter 210

Serena's POV

I was about to decline when Atticus Thorne spoke up. "Serena, before you make your decision, let me explain why I'm going after Rachel, and what we could achieve together."

I held my tongue and waited.

"The Thorne family's always had a tradition," he began, leaning back in his chair. "Since my great-grandfather's time, we've maintained a careful balance. My side of the family focused on public service - Senate seats, governorship positions, that sort of thing. Rachel's branch handled our business interests. It worked perfectly for generations."

My attention caught on the way his fingers tapped against the table.

"But in the last decade," he continued, "Clarence - Rachel's grandfather - started pushing boundaries. He's been making the rounds in D.C., attending fundraisers, getting cozy with the DNC leadership. Meanwhile, Garrett claims he's running Thorne Corp, but everyone knows Rachel's the real power behind the throne."

"Their endgame is obvious," he said, his voice dropping lower. "They want to leverage Thorne Corp's success into political influence. But Clarence can't pull this off alone - he needs heavyweight backing. That's where Lucas Harrington comes in. The sudden engagement announcement wasn't exactly subtle."

He studied me. "I imagine you're wondering why a private equity giant like Harrington International matters in the political sphere?"

I stayed silent, though my mind was racing. I knew money and politics were two sides of the same coin.

"Super PACs," he said simply. "Dark money groups. Think tanks. Modern politics runs on corporate dollars, and the Thornes know it. Sure, they've got money, but compared to the Harringtons? They're playing in the minor leagues. With Harrington International's backing, they could fund a serious political operation. That's why neither Lucas nor Howard could easily refuse this alliance - even if they wanted to."

"And Lucas himself," Atticus continued, "Harrington's golden boy. When his father died and Harrington International was on the brink, everyone expected