Lily sat quietly in the corner of the room, watching her family argue. Her father, a stern-looking man with a large mustache, paced back and forth in front of her mother, who sat stiffly on the couch, her hands folded in her lap.
"I cannot believe that my own daughter would throw away her future like this," her father raged. "You're going to be a mother now, Lily. You can't just run off and get married to some country bumpkin."
Lily's mother looked at her with a mixture of disappointment and concern. "We've always expected more from you, Lily," she said. "You were supposed to marry someone from a good family, someone who could provide for you."
"But I love Adam," Lily protested. "He's a good man, and he works hard. We have a happy life together on the farm."
Her father snorted. "A happy life on a farm? That's not a life, that's just...just existing. You need to think about your future, Lily. Think about your child."
Lily's heart sank. She had hoped that her family would be happy for her, but it was clear that they would never accept Adam. She wondered if she had made a mistake by coming back to the manor, but she had wanted to see her family and introduce them to her husband.
"I'm sorry, Father," she said quietly. "I know you don't approve of my choices, but I love Adam, and I'm happy with him."
Her father glared at her. "Love? What does love have to do with anything? You need to start thinking like an adult, Lily. You have responsibilities now."
Lily stood up, feeling defeated. "I understand," she said. "I'll leave now. Thank you for seeing me."
She walked out of the room, tears streaming down her face. She knew that her family would never accept her choices, but it still hurt to hear them say it out loud. She wished that they could see the happiness that she had found with Adam, but she knew that it was unlikely.
As she walked out of the manor and into the cool night air, she felt a sense of relief. She had missed her family, but she knew that she could never go back to the life that they wanted for her. She had found a new family now, with Adam and their child, and that was all that mattered to her.