Stacy's heart raced as she sat across from her mother, their hands interlaced. The weight of the unspoken truth hung in the air, a delicate dance between the love for her parents and the secrets she harbored.
The sudden inquiry about her feelings for Mr. Qin had caught Stacy off guard, and now she found herself entangled in a web of deception.
"Mom, listen to me," Stacy began, her voice steady but laced with a hint of desperation.
She couldn't bear to see her mother's disappointment or witness the sacrifice of their family legacy for her own emotions. "I don't love him now," she confessed, her gaze unwavering.
A flicker of concern crossed her mother's face, an acknowledgment of the pain her daughter had endured before this forced union.
Stacy braced herself for what would come next, realizing the gravity of her admission.