Chains Of Obligation

The night air felt colder now, as if the tension between the three of us had seeped into it. With his posture firm and his hand still resting protectively on my arm, Marco turned to face Alexander.

Alexander was in stark contrast, being very calm. The sour expression in his eyes made me uncomfortable. It was clear that he wanted to be in control of this situation since he was a man used to being in charge.

Marco said, "Alexander, I'm not going anywhere," with firmness. "You can say anything you need to say to Isabella right here."

Alexander raised an eyebrow, a small smile curling his lips. This isn't your conversation, though I like your protectiveness.

Isabella and I need to have a private conversation .

I knew I had to intervene before things went out of control because I could feel the weight of their dispute bearing down on me.

I muttered, "Marco, don't worry," in a shaky voice. "I'll speak with him." Marco looked at me with a worried, hurt look on his face. "Are you sure, Bella?" I nodded in spite of my feelings telling me otherwise.

"I'll be OK. I have to hear what he has to say. With a grudging step back, Marco turned to leave.He said in a quiet but firm voice, "I'll be close by."

Alexander stepped closer as Marco slipped into the shadows, his presence powerful and enticing. 

He asked, "Shall we?" and gestured to a bench by the creek. I moved hesitantly following him.  There was a thick silence between us that seemed to last forever.

When Alexander finally spoke, his voice was not as strong as I had expected. As he began, his gaze was fixed on the sea.

"I wasn't sure how to approach you about this." You should be aware of a few things,  regarding our agreement and my family.

Things that might change your perspective My scowl squeezed my chest. "What kinds of things?" Alexander stumbled for a moment, his composure faltering.

To put it mildly, my dad always has a way of getting what he wants at all cost. And he wants me to marry you right now!.

The seriousness in his voice surprised me, and I searched his face for any sign of a lie. "Why me? Why does he care about your spouse?

Alexander gave a sour laugh.He doesn't think compatibility or love are important factors in marriage. It has to do with alliances, power, and image.

He believes that our marriage will raise the status of your family. You are the perfect person for him to share this story with the world.

His words seemed like a blow, and I had trouble understanding them. So, this isn't about you. It's about him.

He nodded, glaring firmly. "Greetings from the Presley household."

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 Gazing at the whiskey glass he held, Alexander stood in his office at the Presley mansion.

The amber liquid stirred as he tipped the glass, but he could not drink. The discussion with Isabella made him more uncomfortable than he cared to admit."What am I doing?" he asked himself, having a lot of conflicting thoughts.

My father's persistent thirst for power is the reason I'm entangling an innocent woman in this mess.

Alexander's gaze shifted to the massive portrait of his father, Elvis Presley, hanging over the fireplace. Everywhere he went, the man's harsh manner seemed to follow him, a constant reminder of the ideals that had been inborn in him since he was a small lad.

 "Alexander, you're a Presley." His father's voice echoed in his mind. "The choice to select your own path is not yours.  You act in the best interests of the family.

These words had shaped Alexander into the polished, shrewd man the outer world saw, and he had lived by them throughout his life.

On the inside, though, he felt like a puppet being pulled by a guy who valued legacy more than love. He sighed deeply, set the glass down, and caressed his hair.

He could feel the crushing, inevitable weight of his responsibilities pressing down on him. His thoughts were, "Isabella doesn't deserve this." She deserves to be loved freely, not bounded by a legacy they never wanted.

But Alexander knew that he could not escape his father's influence. Control and manipulation were the cornerstones of Elvis Presley's kingdom, and he had no intention of letting his son destroy it.

Alexander's father appeared in the room, his presence as dominant as ever, as if he had been called by his thoughts.

"Have you talked to the girl?" Elvis asked in a sharp voice. "Yes," Alexander said in an emotionless tone.

"And? As she approved of the agreement? Alexander's jaw tensed as he paused.

"She's... thinking about it." Elvis approached, his sharp eyes meeting his son's. "Alexander, she has no other option. You don't either. Whether she likes it or not, this marriage will take place.

Alexander's spine tingled at the finality of his father's words. It felt like a death sentence to hear it said so directly, even though he had always understood that his life wasn't his own.

“Do you ever think about what I want?”  Alexander's voice shook with  rage as he asked. Or don't you care are about that?

Elvis's face became stern.

"Your wants are irrelevant. What the family needs is all that matters. Furthermore, this marriage is urgently needed by the family.

Alexander clenched his fists, his anger bubbling to the surface. “And what happens when she finds out the truth? When she realizes that this is all a façade?”

“She won’t,” Elvis said coldly. “And if she does, you’ll handle it. You’re a Presley. You know what’s at stake.”The conversation ended with Elvis leaving the room, his footsteps echoing down the hall.

Alexander stayed there, heaving in his chest as he tried to regain emotional control. 

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Alexander woke up the following morning with his finger resting over Isabella's contact on his phone.

A part of him wanted to be honest with her, to give her the option that his father would never allow, but he knew he had to go with caution.

His phone rang with a message before he could decide.

*"Meet me at the Prescott Café at noon," it said, from an unidentified number.You urgently need to see something."

 Alexander's instincts went into overdrive as he frowned. It was a mysterious message, yet something about it seemed so important.

He was unable to ignore it. "What now?" he asked himself, his heart thumping as he readied himself to face yet another uncertainty.