e stress. The house was in turmoil. The seamstresses, the decorators, the florists were hurrying around her, moving, whispering, making sure

bsence, three years of rebuilding, to finally find themselves here, at the center of an arranged marriage. A m

s gray suit that seemed tailor-made. He didn't move, and his gaze was fixed on an invisible point in th

emed like someone who imposed himself effortlessly, who didn't need words to make others submit to his will. That dark, piercing, almost unfathomable look attracted her and made her uncomfortable

ut also of a rare intensity. She couldn't discern what he was thinking, what he was feeling, and it disturbed her deeply. Max

med to envelop the space around her, forcing her to pay f

ut also terrified. Everything about him exuded an authority that seemed

She stepped back instinctively, as if his energy was too strong, too imposing for her to resist. He stopped a f

is voice almost matter-of-factly, "but th

h. " What do you mean ? » she asked, her voice be

gardens of the property. "This marriage, Elena, has nothing to do with lo

ng more behind this arranged marriage, that perhaps there were feelings to ex

So you're only here for your inheritance, for yo

Then he replied, in a cold, matter-of-fact tone: "It's more complex than that, Elena. This marriage will all

could he be so... direct, so cold in his intentions? But at the same time, a part of her felt a strange fasci

to better digest the reality of the words he had just spoken. "So this

shone with an indecipherable glow. "Feeling something for each other

gain, but something stopped her. Her grandmother, the woman she loved deeply, was the reason she was here. If this marriage was the

sked, her voice trembling.

yes. "Because that's the way it should be. Because that's in the order

en in this world, so many other possibilities. But no, it was she

sked, her throat tight. "What

ve they are using your marriage to restore their fortunes. They think they are manipulating you. But in

to her grandmother and the betrayal of everything she had known until then. But a part of her, a deep part, w

he words coming out almost in spite of her

rity: "You have no choice. But I assure you, Elena, if you accept this marriage, you will see that your po

e desire to take control of her own life. But something inside her held her back. The gra

n a firmer tone than she had expected, she replie

well, Elena. It's a good choice. But remember, this marriage is just the beg

tered a world that she did not yet understand. But at that mom