I

"Cosette, babe, please put your work aside for now and come for a stroll with me," Franklyn coaxed, using his usual sweet endearment whenever he wanted something.

I paused what I was doing and looked up at him. Franklyn Carrington—the one person I could truly call a genuine friend. We had been classmates in college, and at one point, he was one of my suitors. I turned him down, but instead of drifting apart, we became closer. It was an odd dynamic, but over time, our friendship deepened, bound by shared struggles and a mutual understanding of our complicated lives.

"Frank, don't you have work? Your dad might scold you," I reminded him.

Franklyn wasn’t in charge of their company yet. He still had to prove himself, thanks to his rebellious streak during college, where he often got into trouble. But being the firstborn of the Carrington family, leadership was inevitable. No matter how many siblings he had, the company would eventually fall into his hands.

He waved off my concern. "Oh, forget about that! Dad’s going to hand me the company anyway. I’ll start taking things seriously once I’m in charge. For now, I just want to enjoy life without any worries. So, please, babe! Come with me!" He pouted dramatically.

I couldn’t help but chuckle at his antics. Taking off my glasses, I smiled at him. "Fine. But we have to be home early, okay? I don’t want to get scolded by my father."

Franklyn grinned, stepping closer to hug me tightly. "And that’s what I love about you! I promise we won’t be late, Princess Setta," he teased before planting a quick kiss on my cheek.

Before leaving, I changed into something more comfortable. A pencil skirt and stilettos weren’t exactly ideal for a casual outing.

"Let’s go, babe!" he said cheerfully as he approached. I smiled, linked my arm with his, and together, we left my office.

I instructed my secretary not to take any calls, mentioning I had an important matter to attend to. Truthfully, I just planned to go straight home after wherever Franklyn decided to take me.

He insisted I ride with him, not wanting us to take separate cars. Our first stop was a cozy Italian restaurant, where we indulged in a delicious meal. After that, he surprised me with a trip to an amusement park. The moment we arrived, a wave of nostalgia hit me. It had been years since I last set foot in a place like this—since childhood, really.

As we strolled through the park, riding a few attractions and playing arcade games, I felt a rare sense of lightness.

"Thank you so much for today, Frank! You really made me happy," I said, grinning as I wrapped my arms around him in a warm hug.

He chuckled, hugging me back before pressing a light kiss to my forehead. I was used to his affection—he had always been this way since our school days. It was one of the things I appreciated about him, one of the reasons we remained so close.

"I told you!" He smirked. "See? I made you happy today, so now you owe me."

I rolled my eyes playfully, knowing he wouldn’t let me forget it.

I playfully punched his arm, laughing along with him. Franklyn escorted me home, and I thanked him again before he left. It was only four in the afternoon—I wasn’t late.

I entered the house with a smile, but my expression quickly faltered when I heard my parents shouting upstairs. Their voices echoed from my father’s home office.

A knot formed in my stomach as I hurried up the stairs, their heated argument growing louder with every step.

Pushing open the door, I found exactly what I expected—Mom and Dad, standing on opposite sides of the room, locked in a tense confrontation. Their yelling ceased the moment they noticed me.

Dad’s face was red with fury, his hands clenched at his sides, while Mom’s eyes blazed with anger. She didn’t say a word. Instead, she stormed out, brushing past me without so much as a glance.

The silence that followed was suffocating.

I exhaled sharply and closed the door behind me.

"Dad, what was that?" I demanded. "I just got home, and the first thing I hear is you and Mom screaming at each other!"

He took a deep breath, slumped into his chair, and rubbed his forehead before meeting my gaze.

"Your mother and I had a disagreement," he said, his voice tight with frustration. "She refuses to let us arrange Geneva’s marriage to Harrison Pierre, the second son of Ezra and Simon Whitmore."

My breath caught.

"W-What?!" My voice rose in disbelief. "Dad, Gene is still too young!"

Dad’s expression hardened. "I agree. Geneva isn’t ready. That’s why you should be the one to marry into the Whitmore family. You’re the one who excels in business. You’re the one I trust."

For a moment, I couldn’t breathe.

The weight of his words crashed over me like a tidal wave.

Yes, Geneva wasn’t ready to marry a stranger—but neither was I. An arranged marriage was the last thing I wanted. I wanted to marry for love, for mutual affection, not for business, not for power.

But what choice did I have?

Saying no to my father was never an option.

Fear clenched at my chest, but so did resignation. I had spent my entire life following his wishes. Business wasn’t my passion—I wanted to dance, to be a ballerina. But dreams had never been mine to chase. As Marcel Allen’s firstborn, my duty had been decided long before I could even understand it.

I had never complained. I had never dared.

Because I knew if I refused, Dad would turn to Geneva instead.

And I wouldn’t let that happen.

She didn’t deserve to go through what I had endured since childhood—the relentless pressure, the constant expectations, the nights I spent crying in silence, forcing myself to be strong.

Dad’s voice cut through my thoughts.

"I told Simon that you should be the one to marry Harrison, but Ezra disagrees!" He slammed his fist on the desk. "She wants Geneva! But what does she even see in that child?! Geneva has never done anything right for this family—she’s rebellious, stubborn, nothing but a constant headache!"

"Dad!" I gasped, horrified.

I clenched my fists, my heart pounding.

I had always known my father saw me as his most valuable asset.

But hearing him say it out loud?

It hurt more than I ever imagined.

I couldn’t bear to hear him speak about my sister like that. My chest tightened as I looked at him, my eyes pleading while his remained cold and unyielding.

"Gene is still young, Dad. She’s not a troublemaker—she’s an achiever, a good daughter, and an even better sister to me. But that doesn’t change the fact that she’s too young to be married off like this. It’s not right!" I argued, my voice trembling with frustration.

But he wouldn’t listen.

He simply waved me off, dismissing me from his office like my words meant nothing.

Defeated, I turned and walked away, my heart heavy with resentment.

Why does our life have to be this way? Why can’t we choose our own paths? Why do they get to control every decision we make?

We have our own lives—shouldn’t we be the ones to decide how to live them?

Being an Allen has never been about love. It’s always been about business, power, and duty.

But what about happiness?

Will I ever find a man who truly loves me? Someone I can love in return?

I refuse to end up like my parents—trapped in a cold, loveless marriage. I won’t let my life become just another transaction.

I won’t let them take away my chance at real love.