At a tense family gathering, Zoe interrupts and begs Eddy to marry her so she can avoid a forced alliance with Gabriel—she says the Browns and Fords are bound by mutual interests and staying without love will ruin her. She promises to be a devoted wife and pleads that marrying her would save her life. The room erupts: her father calls her an ingrate, orders her out, and accuses her of pushing Edward to defy the family; others threaten and argue over kneeling and apologies. The plea exposes a public rift, leaving Eddy pressured to decide whether to save Zoe by marrying her.