Rania lay on the cold, hard floor, her body shaking with sobs. She couldn't believe what her father had just told her. Ethan, the man she loved, was in prison, accused of theft and adultery. And her father was willing to let him hang unless she agreed to marry Asher.
She felt like she was trapped in a nightmare, with no escape. Her father's words echoed in her mind, "You have until tomorrow morning to make up your mind, Rania. If you don't comply, Ethan will be sentenced to death."
Rania knew she had to think fast. She couldn't let Ethan die. But she also couldn't bring herself to marry Asher. She was torn between her love for Ethan and her desire to escape her father's cruel plans.
As she lay there, she heard a noise outside her cell. It was Lyra, come to gloat no doubt. Rania's eyes narrowed, her anger and resentment towards Lyra burning brighter than ever.
"Well, well, well," Lyra said, her voice dripping with malice. "Look at you, Rania. You're really in a mess now, aren't you?"
Rania glared up at Lyra, her eyes blazing with hatred. "You're enjoying this, aren't you?" she spat. "You're loving every minute of my suffering."
Lyra shrugged, her expression unyielding. "I'm just glad to see you getting what's coming to you, Rania. You've always been so holier-than-thou, thinking you're better than everyone else. But now you're just like the rest of us."
Rania's eyes flashed with anger. "I'll never be like you, Lyra," she said, her voice firm. "I'll never be cruel and heartless. And I'll never give up on Ethan."
Lyra raised an eyebrow, her expression skeptical. "You're going to have to make a choice, Rania. And either way, you lose."
Rania knew Lyra was right. She was trapped, and she had to make a decision. But she didn't want to betray her love for Ethan and her mother's memories, she felt lost.
Lyra, was her father's cruel and heartless advisor, she stood over Rania, a sly smile spreading across her face as she stared down at Rania.
Rania's eyes flashed with anger, but Lyra just laughed. "You're not as strong as you think you are, Rania. You'll do what your father says, or Ethan will die. And moreover, do you think Ethan would really want you to sacrifice yourself for him? He's a man, Rania. He'd want you to be happy, even if it means marrying someone else."
But Rania was resolute. She shook her head, her jaw set in determination. "No," she said, her voice firm. "I won't do it. I won't marry Asher, no matter what you say."
Lyra's smile grew wider. "Oh, Rania," she said, her voice dripping with condescension. "You really are naive. You think you have a choice? You think you can defy your father and get away with it?"
Rania's eyes narrowed, her anger burning hotter than ever. "I won't back down," she said, her voice low and deadly. "I won't marry Asher, no matter what you do to me."
Lyra's expression turned cold, her eyes glinting with malice. "Fine," she said, her voice dripping with venom. "If you want to play it that way, then let's play. But know this, Rania: you will regret defying me. You will regret defying your father." She said, and she turned to leave.
Rania's heart was pounding in her chest. She knew that she was taking a risk by defying Lyra and her father, but she couldn't bring herself to marry a man whose family was the cause of her mother's death. She couldn't bring herself to betray Ethan either.
As Lyra made her way to the door, she stopped and turned to look at Rania.
Lyra sneered at her, her lips curling up in a cruel smile. "You're a fool, Rania," she said. "You're a fool for thinking that you can defy us and get away with it. But I'll give you one last chance. Marry Asher, and we'll let Ethan go free. Refuse, and...well, let's just say that Ethan won't be the only one who suffers."
Rania's heart skipped a beat. Ethan wasn't the only one who'd get hurt; her godmother would be in danger too and she knew that Lyra was capable of carrying out her threats. She knew that Lyra would stop at nothing to get what she wanted. But she also didn't want to give in. She couldn't marry Asher, she prayed desperately in her heart for a way out.
"I…I won't do it," she said, her voice shaky. "I won't marry Asher."
Lyra's expression turned cold, her eyes glinting with anger. "Fine," she said. "Then let's see how you like it when Ethan suffers. Let's see how you like it when he's tortured and executed, along with that old hag! You'll be begging to marry Asher then."
Rania's resolve began to crumble as Lyra's words echoed in her mind. She couldn't bear the thought of Ethan suffering, of him being tortured and executed. She had to protect him, because he was the man she loved.
"Why do you hate me so much? You know what the Winters have done to me, they took my mother, they have been our enemies for generations and you said it yourself before that they are savages, and that they are cruel to their women, without any ounce of kindness, why do you want me to be with people like that?!"
"Because that's what you deserve" Lyra said with a malicious expression on her face.
Rania's eyes flashed with anger, but she had to swallow her pride. She had to accept her fate and do what her father wanted. She took a deep breath and let the tears flow, mourning the loss of her freedom and her love for Ethan.
Her heart was heavy and couldn't fathom why this was happening to her, she couldn't save Ethan and her godmother without losing them, she had to sacrifice herself. And with tears in her eyes and grief in her heart, she had to let go.
"Fine," she said, her voice barely above a whisper. "I'll do it. I'll marry Asher."
Lyra's expression changed from gloating to surprise. "Really?" she asked, her voice dripping with skepticism.
"Y-yes" Rania replied with a stutter which angered Lyra
"I asked you a question, answer me!" Lyra snarled
"Yes! I said I'd do it, I will marry…Asher" Rania replied with great anguish and sadness.
Lyra's expression changed from anger to triumph. "Ah, Rania," she said, her voice dripping with satisfaction. "I knew you'd see things my way. You're not as strong as you think you are."
Rania felt a pang of shame and defeat. She knew that she had given in, that she had betrayed Ethan. But she also knew that she had done it to save him, to protect him from Lyra's cruelty and her father's plot.
"Good," Lyra said, her voice cold. "I'll go tell father and we'll arrange for the wedding to take place. And Rania?"
"Yes?"
"Don't even think about trying to escape or backing out. I'll be watching you closely. And if you try anything, Ethan will suffer the consequences."
Rania nodded, feeling a sense of despair wash over her. She knew that she was trapped, that she had no choice but to go through with the wedding. She could only hope that Ethan would forgive her, that he would understand why she had done it.
As Lyra left, Rania collapsed to the floor, her body shaking with sobs. She knew that she had made a terrible mistake, that she had betrayed the man she loved. But she also knew that she had done it to save him, to protect him and his grandmother.