Chapter 9 Summary, Analysis, and Study Notes

⚠️ Spoiler Warning: This guide contains detailed spoilers for the entire novel. Proceed only if you've finished reading or are comfortable knowing the plot.

Summary

The chapter opens with the unexpected arrival of Liam Murphy at Organicare, throwing the office into chaos. Tyler, the CEO, is visibly panicked, believing the venture capitalist from Evolution Ventures might be there to invest in the struggling startup. He frantically tries to pull himself together, asking for a clean shirt, his tie, and the pitch deck, while ordering employees to prepare coffee, snacks, and a proper welcome.

Daisy recognizes Liam immediately and reveals to her coworkers that he was her brother Sanjay’s best friend—the person who stood her up for her senior prom and then vanished without a word after practically living with her family for eight years. Mia defends Daisy’s hurt, while Josh and Zoe are more interested in Liam’s credentials and good looks. Josh pulls up Evolution Ventures’ impressive track record: ten million in assets across four funds, over eighty investments, three IPOs, and two acquisitions.

Rochelle delivers the news that Liam specifically asked for Daisy by name. Tyler insists Daisy meet with him, seeing this as the company’s big chance. He mentions that Liam was watching their pitch at a conference the previous week. Despite Daisy’s protests, Tyler pushes her into the conference room, and she ties his tie for him—a skill she learned helping Sanjay and her dad.

In the conference room, Daisy confronts Liam. He drops to one knee and proposes marriage, presenting a blue velvet box. Daisy is stunned and initially dismisses him with sarcasm. Liam explains his situation: his family owns a whiskey distillery in Napa that has been passed down for three hundred years. His grandfather, who passed away two weeks ago, left the distillery to Liam in a trust with a condition—Liam must marry before his next birthday and remain married for a year to prove the marriage is legitimate. If he fails, the distillery goes to his brother, who plans to demolish it and sell the land to save his own business.

Liam argues that Daisy is the perfect candidate for a fake marriage because they don’t like each other, so there would be no expectations. He doesn’t want to involve friends or exes, and he can’t trust a stranger with so much money at stake in a no-fault divorce state. Daisy refuses, still hurt by his past abandonment. She tells him that every time she looks at him, she’ll wonder if he’s going to disappear again. Liam insists he cared about her family and thought leaving was the right thing. He offers to give her something she wants, and Daisy notes that her family already thinks they’re together—which would save her from matchmaking aunties and blind dates. But she ultimately rejects the idea, seeing him as chaos and herself as order, believing they’d destroy each other before they could say “I do.”

Key Events

Liam Murphy arrives at Organicare, causing Tyler to panic and scramble for a pitch deck
Daisy reveals her history with Liam: he was her brother’s best friend who stood her up for prom and disappeared
Tyler insists Daisy meet with Liam, who requested her by name
Liam proposes a fake marriage to Daisy in the conference room
Liam explains the inheritance condition: he must marry before his next birthday and stay married for a year to inherit his grandfather’s Napa whiskey distillery
Daisy refuses, citing his past abandonment and her distrust of his motives

Character Development

Daisy Patel: This chapter deepens Daisy’s backstory and emotional wounds. Her anger toward Liam is rooted in a decade-old betrayal—being stood up for prom and losing someone who was practically family. Her refusal of his proposal shows her self-respect and unwillingness to compromise her values, even when a fake marriage could solve her matchmaking problems. Her internal conflict is visible: she acknowledges that the arrangement would save her from family pressure, but she can’t get past the fear of being abandoned again.

Liam Murphy: Liam reveals a vulnerable side for the first time. His voice catches when he mentions his grandfather’s death, and Daisy notes she’s never seen him so emotional or open. His proposal is pragmatic and businesslike, but the underlying grief and desperation are evident. He’s trying to honor his grandfather’s wishes while protecting his family legacy, even though his brother would destroy it.

Tyler Dawes: Tyler’s panic humanizes him. He’s been sleeping at the office, worried about letting his team down. His desperation for funding makes him overlook Daisy’s objections, showing both his dedication and his tunnel vision.

Themes, Symbols, or Motifs

Marriage of convenience: The central plot device of this chapter. Liam’s proposal frames marriage as a transactional arrangement, contrasting sharply with Daisy’s emotional response to his past betrayal.

Family legacy: The whiskey distillery represents three hundred years of family history. Liam’s grandfather’s condition—that Liam must marry to inherit—shows how family expectations can shape personal decisions.

Order vs. chaos: Daisy explicitly frames herself as order and Liam as chaos. This opposition is central to her rejection of his proposal, as she believes their fundamental incompatibility would doom any arrangement.

Trust and abandonment: Daisy’s refusal is rooted in trust issues from Liam’s disappearance. His past actions make his current proposal feel unreliable, no matter how logical his reasoning.

Financial stakes: The chapter juxtaposes two kinds of desperation—Organicare’s need for funding and Liam’s need to inherit the distillery. Both are driven by financial pressure, but Liam’s is tied to family obligation.

Why This Chapter Matters

This chapter is the pivotal turning point of the novel. It introduces the central conflict—the fake marriage proposal—that will drive the rest of the plot. It also deepens both protagonists’ backstories, revealing the history between Daisy and Liam that explains their current dynamic. The chapter establishes the stakes for both characters: Liam’s inheritance and family legacy, and Daisy’s career and personal boundaries. The proposal, and Daisy’s refusal, sets up the tension that will need to be resolved in subsequent chapters.

Study Questions and Answers

1. Why does Liam choose Daisy as his fake wife candidate, and what does this reveal about his character?

Liam chooses Daisy because he knows her and trusts her, having practically lived with her family for eight years. He explicitly states he doesn’t want to involve friends or exes, and he can’t risk marrying a stranger who might demand fifty percent in a no-fault divorce state. This reveals that Liam is pragmatic and risk-averse when it comes to his family’s legacy, but also that he still considers Daisy someone he can rely on—despite having abandoned her years ago.

2. How does Daisy’s refusal of Liam’s proposal reflect her emotional state and values?

Daisy’s refusal shows she values emotional integrity over practical convenience. She acknowledges that the fake marriage would save her from matchmaking aunties and blind dates, but she can’t accept an arrangement with someone who hurt her so deeply. Her statement that she’d always wonder if he’d disappear again reveals that her trust issues are unresolved, and she’s not willing to put herself in a position where she could be hurt again.

3. What role does the inheritance condition play in advancing the plot?

The inheritance condition—that Liam must marry before his next birthday and stay married for a year—creates a time-sensitive conflict that drives the narrative forward. It forces Liam to pursue Daisy despite her refusal, and it creates a situation where both characters must weigh their personal feelings against practical considerations. The condition also introduces the theme of family legacy and obligation, which will likely continue to shape the story.