Marriage Contract Between mask and feeling

At the moment I signed my name on that piece of paper, destiny sealed my future against the will of my heart. I was Lucas, a young man whose life was about to be drastically altered by a marriage contract. While my family fought to escape bankruptcy, I was forced to sacrifice my own desires and passions in the name of financial salvation. But there was a problem: I was deeply in love with someone else.

I stood before an impossible dilemma, at a crossroads between obligation and overwhelming passion. As the ink dried on that cursed piece of paper, it felt like my soul was being ripped from my chest. Every stroke of my signature echoed the renunciation of my own desires, the submission to the relentless will of my parents.

My parents believed that the marriage contract with Clara would be the financial salvation they so desired for our family. They didn't understand that love couldn't be bought or forced. I tried to swallow the bitterness that accumulated in my throat, reminding myself that I was doing this for them. But deep in my heart, Isabela continued to echo, a constant and inescapable presence.

With the contract sealed, I was dragged into marriage with Clara...

The wedding day arrived like an unrelenting whirlwind, bringing with it a mix of nervousness and despair. As I stood at the altar, looking at Clara in her immaculate white dress, my heart pounded inside my chest. She looked like a celestial vision, but I knew my soul still belonged to another.

The vows echoed through the church, words I spoke with false conviction. My eyes met Clara's, searching for a spark of love that wasn't there. The crowd applauded, celebrating the beginning of a union that tied me to a destiny I hadn't chosen.

As we walked towards the reception, fake smiles and words of congratulations echoed in my ears. I felt like a puppet in the hands of destiny, moved by invisible strings. On the outside, I maintained the facade of a dedicated husband, but inside, my soul roiled in a storm of emotions.

The party was in full swing, but my heart was somewhere else. While the guests celebrated, I found myself in a dark labyrinth of forbidden thoughts. I felt trapped in a marriage that wasn't my desire, while the woman of my dreams remained out of my reach.

Every time I locked eyes with Clara, a whirlwind of contradictory feelings swept over me. It was as if an internal war was being waged between duty and desire, responsibility and forbidden passion. I wanted to be the husband she deserved, but my heart persistently beat for Isabela's name.

As the night wore on, I found myself at an impasse. Could happiness be found in a forced marriage? I tried to convince myself that it was a matter of time, that love could arise where least expected. But the more I tried, the more my heart rebelled against the idea of betraying my true feelings.

The darkness of the night finally enveloped me, and I found myself in the hotel room I shared with Clara. The silence was deafening as I struggled to push away the memories of Isabela that invaded my mind. I walked to the window and looked at the stars, wondering if they witnessed my anguish.

It was in that moment of solitude and confusion that a sigh escaped my lips. I knew I needed to make a decision, that I could no longer live in this prison of lies. But what would be right? Follow my heart and fight for Isabela, risking dishonor and the ruin of my family? Or succumb to social convention and try to find an acceptable happiness by Clara's side?

As I stared into the darkness of the night, a silent determination took hold of me. I could no longer deceive myself, I could no longer continue pretending to be the man everyone expected me to be. It was time to face the consequences of my choices, no matter how painful they might be.

That night, under the pale moonlight, I decided that I would follow my heart, no matter the consequences. I would face the world to achieve true happiness, even if it meant defying the contract and the expectations imposed upon me.

From that moment on, I was willing to sever unwanted ties and forge my own path. An epic battle was about to begin, a battle between obligation and passion, between society and the desires of the heart.

Knowing that this journey would be filled with challenges and sacrifices, I was willing to face it all because true love knows no bounds.

In the darkness of the night, I made a promise to myself: I would fight with all my might to find the happiness I yearned for. If destiny had placed me at this crossroads, I would make it my ally, not my executioner.

With determined steps, I left the room and made my way to meet Clara. It was time to be honest, to open my heart and share my truth. I knew my words would be like stones thrown into a calm lake, disturbing the surface of the life we had built together. But the truth, no matter how painful, was the only way to set us both free.

Upon reaching the room where Clara was, I felt a tightness in my chest and my breath grew heavy. I knocked on the door, my hand trembling with anticipation. She opened it, revealing a curious and worried gaze. It was the moment of truth.

"Clara," I began, my voice trembling, "I need to be honest with you. This marriage, this contract, is a burden I carry in my soul. I... I love someone else."

The impact of the words reverberated in the air, filling the room with tangible tension. Clara fell silent, processing my words, her eyes searching for answers in my anguished expression.

"Lucas..." she whispered, her voice filled with sadness and disappointment. "I knew there was something you weren't telling me. But that doesn't change the fact that we are married, that we have a commitment."

I held her delicate hands in mine, looking into her eyes with sincerity. "I know, Clara, and that's why I'm here, being honest with you. I cannot live a lie, a marriage devoid of love. I want you to be happy, even if it means we need to find our own separate paths."

Clara and I agreed to live separate lives publicly, maintaining the appearance of a newlywed couple. It was an arrangement that allowed us to pursue our own paths without arousing suspicions or causing scandals.