“She sacrificed everything for me,” he explained as we watched the sunset from a scenic overlook. “Worked two jobs to put me through college. We’re all each other’s had for a long time.”

His dedication to his mother touched me. Family loyalty was something my grandfather had valued deeply.

By our fifth date, I was falling hard.

Three months in, Jason invited me to Sunday dinner to meet Eleanor. I wore casual clothes and minimal jewelry, wanting to make a good impression without flaunting wealth.

Eleanor Miller lived in a modest two-bedroom home in the suburbs, meticulously kept with plastic covers on the furniture and family photos covering every wall.

“Jason has told me so much about you,” Eleanor said, her smile not quite reaching her eyes as she assessed me. “He says you work in investments. That must be lucrative.”

“It can be,” I replied cautiously. “But it’s more about helping the company grow sustainably than making quick profits.”