Lana's heart ached as she stepped back into her family's estate. An emergency call pulled her away from the pleasures of Paris and Hyacinth's embrace, and now she found herself back in the grip of her family's expectations.
Her father's failing health had been her mother's reason for calling her back. For days, she'd sat by his side, watching him struggle with a fever and persistent cough that left her feeling helpless. But by some miracle, he had rallied. And now, with his health slowly returning, she had dared to hope things might go back to normal.
That hope shattered one evening over dinner…
It was a quiet night. The heavy rain outside pattered against the windows, adding a sense of calm that Lana knew would only last so long. Her parents sat across from her, their expressions were hard to read but formal, and an unusual tension lingered in the room.
Her father finally broke the silence.
"Lana, there's something we need to discuss with you."
She felt a chill tingling down her spine as her mother reached across the table to take her hand in an insistent gaze.
"Your father has given this a lot of thought, and we believe it's in your best interest."
Her brow wrinkled, her stomach churned as she sensed something was wrong.
"What's this about?"
Her father leaned back in his chair.
"It's about your future. About ensuring our family's legacy, and yours, are secure."
Her heart sank, as her suspicion developed into dread. She knew this line of reasoning all too well. It was the same rhetoric her father had used for every business deal, every decision that had ever put his family name first. But this time, it felt far too personal.
"Our family has made arrangements," he continued, "for you to marry Gregory Turner, the son of one of my oldest business partners."
She felt like the ground beneath her should just open, and swallow her.
"What arrangements? You can't be serious…"
Her father instantly hardened his gaze on her.
"This is not up for debate!"
Her mother's fingers tightened around her hand, a silent plea for her to stay calm. But she could barely breathe.
***
Later that evening, she paced in her room, with her phone clutched tightly in hand as she waited for Hyacinth to pick up. When her voice finally came through, it was the only anchor Lana had in the storm.
"Hyacinth," she whispered, trembling. "My father… he's arranging a marriage for me. He's not giving me a choice."
There was silence on the other end of the line, a heartbeat that felt like an eternity. Then Hyacinth's voice came, filled with both shock and anger.
"What? He can't do that to you… Lana, you're not a child anymore. You can make your own decisions, and that includes marrying whoever you want to. You don't belong to anyone."
Lana fell on her bed, twisting in the sheets as she tried to control her shaking voice.
"He doesn't care! To him, this is just another business transaction, another way to secure his legacy. And Gregory? He's everything my father wants in a son-in-law— Wealthy, connected, ambitious…"
"But what about what you want? You have a life of your own, dreams of your own. He can't just force you into a marriage."
Lana closed her eyes, feeling the pressures of the world weighing on her.
"You don't understand. In my family, duty comes first. My father won't listen. He thinks he knows what's best for me, and he's convinced that this marriage is the only way to secure our family's future."
There was a long silence, and the only sound heard was the quiet breathing on Hyacinth's end of the line.
"Lana," she finally began, her voice breaking. "I can't lose you."
The raw vulnerability in her tone brought tears to Lana's eyes. She pressed the phone closer to her ear, and her heart ached at the thought of being separated from the one person who made her feel loved and free.
"Hyacinth, I don't want to lose you either."
But even as she said the words, an uncertainty ate at her conscience. Her father's will was like concrete. He was a man who always got what he wanted, no matter who, or what stood in his way. And now, his ambitions had her love life caught in their grasp.
***
Days turned into a blur of strained conversations and tense silence. Her father was relentless, insisting that the marriage was in her best interest, and that Gregory was everything she needed in a partner. Each time she tried to argue and explain her feelings, he would dismiss her.
One evening, as she sat alone in her room, her phone vibrated. It was a message from Hyacinth:
'Meet me tonight. Usual place.'
The message sent a thrill through her, a reminder that despite everything, she wasn't alone. She slipped out of the house into the dark, while her heart beat fast like a guilty mind, as she made her way to the little park where they often met.
When she arrived, Hyacinth was already there, waiting under the light of a streetlamp. Without a word, she rushed into her arms, holding her tightly, as if by doing so she could keep the rest of the world at bay.
They sat on a bench, and the quiet night wrapped around them like a cocoon, shielding them from the turmoils of the cruel world..
Hyacinth took Lana's hands,
"We'll figure this out. There has to be a way."
"But how? He's not going to back down, Hyacinth. He never does."
A flash of determination suddenly sparked in Hyacinth's eyes.
"Then maybe it's time to show him that you're stronger than he thinks. That you have a voice and a choice. And make him understand that you're no longer a child he can toil with."
Lana shook her head, tears filling her eyes.
"I'm afraid. I've never disobeyed him before. And I'm so afraid of what might happen if I do."
Hyacinth pulled her closer, grounding her with a warm touch.
"You're not alone in this, Lana. Whatever happens, I'll be here."
They sat in quietness, as the burden of Lana's predicament settled between them like a bad song.