Chapter 17 : Ties That Bind

The car hummed steadily as it made its way through the city streets, the rhythmic sound of the engine a steady companion in the tense silence between Damien and Liyana. The atmosphere in the car was thick, charged with unspoken words, both aware that their lives were about to change in ways neither could control.

Liyana sat in the passenger seat, her fingers tapping on the leather armrest in a steady rhythm. Her mind raced through a thousand thoughts, but one in particular gripped her: how to face her family after everything had been thrown into chaos.

Her phone buzzed in her hand, breaking the silence. She looked down to see an incoming call from Grandpa Xu. She hesitated before answering, already knowing what this meant.

"Grandpa," she said, her voice steady but betraying a hint of unease.

"Liyana, come home now," Grandpa Xu's voice came through, firm yet warm. "Your father, your mother, and everyone else are waiting. They want to see you both—Damien too."

Liyana glanced at Damien, whose eyes remained on the road, focused yet distant. "We're on our way," she replied, hanging up before looking at Damien. "They want to meet us. All of them."

Damien gave a slight nod, his jaw clenched. He had expected this. The Xu family had always been close-knit, and now that the media had thrown them into the spotlight, the questions would come fast. He wasn't sure if he was ready to face the scrutiny.

Liyana stared out the window, the city flashing by in a blur. Her thoughts began to spiral as she wrestled with the gravity of the situation. How was she going to explain this to her family? They would expect the truth, wouldn't they? But what truth would they even believe?

She turned toward Damien, her voice quiet but determined. "Damien, should we tell them everything? Should we come clean to the family? We can't keep this up forever."

Damien didn't immediately respond. The car slowed as they neared their destination. His hand briefly tightened on the steering wheel, his gaze fixed ahead, as though trying to outrun the inevitable confrontation.

"We can't tell them the whole truth," he finally said, his voice calm, though there was a cold edge to it. "If we do, they'll only feel disappointed in us. They'll see it as a betrayal. Our families have high expectations. They think they know what's best for us. If we tell them everything now, they'll question our judgment. And I don't want that."

Liyana's brow furrowed as she processed his words. Disappointment. It stung, but she couldn't help but agree. Their families were traditional, and their expectations for them were lofty. To admit that their engagement was anything but a carefully calculated decision might send their families into turmoil.

Damien looked over at her, his expression unreadable. "We need to control the narrative, Liyana. We can't afford to let them decide how we live our lives."

Liyana didn't reply immediately, though her thoughts churned. This was Damien's world—control, power, manipulation. But this wasn't just a business deal anymore. It was her life too.

The car pulled up to the grand Xu family estate, the large gates opening as they approached. Liyana felt her heart race, the anticipation thickening the air between them. She looked over at Damien once more before stepping out of the car, her heels clicking on the stone path that led to the front door.

Inside, the atmosphere was tense. The moment they stepped into the room, all eyes turned toward them. Grandpa Xu and Grandpa Lu sat side by side, their expressions stern, though there was an undercurrent of curiosity in their gazes. Liyana's mother and Damien's mother stood nearby, waiting, their faces a mixture of expectation and impatience.

Liyana took a deep breath, the weight of the moment pressing down on her. "Grandpa," she greeted with a small bow, trying to steady her nerves. "We've come as you asked."

Grandpa Xu's gaze softened slightly, but there was no mistaking the gravity of the situation. "Liyana, Damien," he began, his voice low but authoritative, "we've heard the rumors. Now, we need to hear it from you."

Damien stood by Liyana, his expression neutral, but there was an unmistakable tension in his posture. He stepped forward slightly, his voice firm. "It's true. Liyana and I are engaged. It was our decision, and we've made it together." His words were calm, controlled, but the implication was clear. This wasn't a decision they had made lightly, and it wasn't a decision anyone else could influence.

The room fell silent for a moment as everyone took in the news. Then, as if on cue, Liyana's mother and Damien's mother exchanged a look, a silent agreement passing between them.

Liyana's mother, always the one to speak first in these family meetings, stepped forward. "An engagement, hmm? Well, that's wonderful news," she said, her voice smooth but with an edge of something more. "But have you considered the next step, my dear? You can't just get engaged and leave it at that. What about the grand engagement party? The wedding planning?"

Liyana's heart sank. She knew what was coming.

Grandpa Lu leaned forward in his chair, his voice cutting through the tension. "A grand engagement party is what we expect. A public event. Something to show everyone the strength of this union. We'll help with the arrangements, of course."

Damien and Liyana exchanged a brief glance, but neither of them said anything. It wasn't so much about the party—it was about what it represented. Their families would see it as an extension of their power, a display of unity. But to Liyana, it felt more like a trap. An invitation to put everything on display for the world to see.

Damien spoke up, his voice steady. "We'll discuss the details later, but for now, the engagement is a personal decision. We'll handle it our way."

But Liyana knew this was only the beginning. The pressure was mounting, and no matter how much she wanted to retain control, she could feel it slipping through her fingers.

The family was waiting, watching, for them to make their next move. And in that moment, Liyana realized just how far they had already fallen into the web of expectations and power.