Final

Lilia, Sabrina, and their mother sat in the car, parked just outside the Masquerade Ball. Their father was notably absent, leaving a strange void in the already tense atmosphere.

Lilia braced herself for her mother's usual barrage of ranting or scolding, yet what she saw instead was far more unsettling—a smile. It wasn't warm or kind; it was proud, almost triumphant as if she had just won some silent victory.

Something about that smile was deeply unsettling.

Sabrina noticed it too. From where she sat beside their mother, her eyes darted nervously between the two. Unable to suppress her curiosity, she broke the silence with a hesitant question.

"Mom, where is Dad?" Sabrina's voice was soft, cautious.

Their mother turned her head slightly, her smile widening as if savoring a private joke. Her tone was calm, measured, yet cryptic as she replied, "Your dad went to speak with Mr. Zethan."

The weight of her words hung heavily in the air. Both girls froze, their eyes widening in shock.

Lilia's mind began to spin. Mr. Zethan? She had spoken to him just minutes ago, a brief and nerve-wracking encounter that had left her shaken. Why would her father need to speak with him? What could they possibly have to discuss?

A sharp pang of unease settled in her chest.

Their mother, seemingly oblivious to their reactions, leaned back in her seat with an air of satisfaction. Her smile grew as she added, "You've caused quite a mess back there. But who knew? A blessing in disguise."

The cryptic remark only deepened Lilias's anxiety. What did she mean by that? What kind of a blessing in disguise was her mother talking about? Despite the barrage of questions flooding her mind, Lilia decided not to ask. There was something unnerving about her mother's tone, something that told her she wouldn't like the answer.

Sabrina, however, wasn't as easily deterred. She straightened in her seat, her voice more insistent now. "Mom, about Mr. Lowell …" She hesitated, the words catching in her throat. "I'm not marrying him, right?"

The smile vanished from their mother's face in an instant, replaced by a sharp frown. Her eyes, cold and unyielding, locked onto Sabrina. "You will," she said, her voice firm and final. "He's rich and powerful. What more could you possibly want?"

Sabrina recoiled slightly, her lips pressing into a thin line. For a moment, it looked as though she might argue, but then she fell silent.

She couldn't bring herself to tell them about her boyfriend. Not now. Not when the atmosphere was already so tense.

The silence stretched on, thick and oppressive, until the car door opened suddenly. Their father slid into the driver's seat, his presence commanding immediate attention. His face was unreadable, as always, though there was a faint smile tugging at the corners of his lips—a smile that sent a chill down Lilias's spine again.

Without preamble, he turned to her and said, "You'll be getting married to Mr. Zethan."

The words hit her like a physical blow. Her heart lurched in her chest as she stared at him in disbelief. "What?… No! I can't marry him!"

Her father's expression hardened. His voice was cold, devoid of any room for negotiation. "What do you mean you can't marry him? You pointed at him during the ball. Everyone saw it."

Lilia's heart sank further. Yes, she had pointed at Zethan, but not because she wanted to marry him. It had been a desperate act, a spur-of-the-moment decision to avoid being paired with Mr. Lowell—the man her parents had originally intended for her.

Panic bubbled in her chest, threatening to overwhelm her. She opened her mouth to explain, to defend herself, but the words wouldn't come.

Her father continued, unmoved. "The engagement party is tomorrow night."

"What?" The word escaped her lips as a whisper, barely audible over the roaring in her ears. She shook her head, her thoughts racing. "Tomorrow night? Don't I get a say in this?"

His frown deepened. "You made your choice when you pointed at him."

Desperate, Lilia turned to her mother, hoping for some support. But her mother's expression was cold, her gaze sharp and unforgiving.

"You'll marry him," her mother said, her voice as unyielding as stone.

Lilias's voice wavered, a note of desperation creeping in. "But, Mother, you said he was dangerous!"

For the briefest of moments, her mother's smirk returned, a strange glint flickering in her eyes. "I didn't finish my sentence," she said, her tone soft. "I meant to say he's dangerously handsome."

Lilia stared at her in disbelief, her mouth opening and closing as she struggled to process the absurdity of her words.

Was this really happening?

She felt like she was the auction, being offered to the highest bidder.

Each word from her parents felt like another link in a chain she couldn't break.

As if the situation weren't already overwhelming enough, her father's voice broke through her spiraling thoughts.

"Lilia won't be coming home with us."

The statement was so abrupt, so final, that it left her momentarily speechless. The heavy silence that followed was deafening, broken only by the muffled hum of the car engine.

Sabrina, who had been silent until now, couldn't hide her curiosity. Though she didn't particularly care about Lilia's situation—her sister's misfortunes were often a source of quiet amusement—this unexpected announcement intrigued her.

Tilting her head slightly, Sabrina studied their father with feigned concern. "Dad, why not?" she asked, her voice calm and inquisitive. "She's family."

Her question was laced with just enough false sincerity to make it sound genuine, though Lilia caught the faint glimmer of mischief in her sister's eyes.

Their father's lips curved into a wider smile, one that sent an icy chill racing down Lilia's spine. The smile wasn't warm or reassuring—it was calculated, as though he were savoring some unseen victory like their mother.

His next words shattered any illusion of normalcy.

"Because she's leaving tonight. She'll be going to Mr. Zethan's house."

The atmosphere in the car shifted instantly. The air grew colder, and heavier, pressing down on Lilia like an oppressive weight. Her breath caught in her throat, and her heart pounded so loudly she was sure everyone could hear it.

"What?" The word escaped her lips as a trembling whisper, barely audible. Her voice cracked, betraying the surge of panic and disbelief that gripped her.

Her wide eyes darted to her mother, who sat with an unsettling calmness, her gaze fixed out the window as if she hadn't heard a thing. Sabrina raised an eyebrow, her expression a mixture of curiosity and indifference.

Lilia's chest tightened as tears threatened to spill. She blinked rapidly, trying to keep her emotions in check, but the enormity of what her father had just said was too overwhelming.

Mr. Zethan's house? Tonight?

Her mind raced, desperate to make sense of it all, but every thought ended in the same suffocating realization: this wasn't a suggestion—it was a command.