: The Pri

cour

d and professional. I nod without speaking, sensing where

at's great! Finally, after all these years, there can be peace between us. I'm so h

leam of something unreadable flashing a

The excitement fades from my chest, replaced by a sudden, deep sen

to marry him,"

n as I try to process his words. "What?" I

e floor, my knees weak beneath me. I stare at my father, unable to form coherent words. "Claudia, let's be r

osed to be rational when you're selling me off to get married for a

me. My father watches me for a moment, his expression unreadable. "I asked hi

s burning with tears I don't want to shed, but I can't hold them back. "But A

se you will do this in honor of our family and the company. You are 18 years old, so you do not

r and the company than your own daughter?" I can feel the anger bubbling up inside me, ho

e snaps, his tone cold and unyielding. His a

ho is five years older than me. I have my whole life ahead of me, and you're giving

deep sense of satisfaction. But then, my father's anger fl

e in place, but I refuse to back down. "You will be marrying him. You will comp

demands presses down on me, suffocating me. I want to scream, to run, to do anything

t breaking. "He cares about a treaty mor

nails digging into my palms. I can't breathe, I can't think. I feel like I'm drowning in a sea

e, but it carries the weight of everything I've

barely hear his voice calling after me, demanding I come back, but I don't stop. I slam

my room, and as soon as the door is closed behind me, I collapse onto my bed. The tears co

an who might as well be a stranger. I want to scream, to shout, to run away from it all

t want to do this. But what choice do I have? If I run, my father will find me. Isaac Miller will find me

don't answer. I want to be left alone. I hear the

mutter, my voice h

My father's voice comes next, low and steady, but there's a hint of something I don't recognize. "Claudia, you n

f what's happening is more than I can bear. I just want to forget. I want to forget that my life has

't get th

But I won't give him the satisfaction. I won't let

heart aching. What