ANOTHER ARRIVAL

The small tablet slid down Liora’s throat and left only a faint bitter taste on her tongue. She gulped down water and looked up at her reflection. She looked drained and exhausted. The thought of the emotional turmoil she had experienced in the span of days made her feel nauseous.

Walking back to her room, she saw that her food had already been laid out for her. She had no appetite right now, so she chose to tell Nadia to take it back.

“Ma’am, you need to eat,” Nadia said, worry etched on her face.

Liora shook her head and gave Nadia a small smile. “Nadia, you’re looking at me as if I’ll die if I don’t eat now. I promise I’m okay.”

Nadia sighed in defeat and took the food away, shutting the door with a soft click. Hearing the door lock, Liora wondered how long her parents would keep her confined to her room. She had not been allowed to leave since the night of the dinner with the Williams family. The only person she got to see was Nadia; she hadn’t even seen Mr. Ambrose.

Just then the door opened again. Liora sighed, expecting to see Nadia with another tray of food, but when she looked up she immediately stood with her head lowered.

Her mother had entered the room.

“Good morning, Mother,” Liora said, a slight tremor in her voice.

Her mother didn’t respond for a moment. The sound of her heels clicking across the floor filled the room before she finally spoke, her tone laced with a sneer.

“The fact that you can’t even apologize tells me you are not sorry for your actions.”

Liora’s eyes widened. “Mother, forgive me, I—”

“Save it,” her mother snapped. “That is not why I am here.”

She stepped closer to Liora, her expression hard. “We have another visitor coming, and you had better behave this time.”

Liora nodded quietly.

Her mother’s gaze sharpened. “Get this straight into your head. If you mess this up like you did the last time, there will be dire consequences. Is that understood?”

“Yes, Mother.”

“Good. Get ready and don’t waste time.”

Without sparing her another glance, her mother turned and left the room, slamming the door shut behind her. Liora slowly released the breath she had been holding.

Another visitor.

She paced her room anxiously, fear creeping into her thoughts as she wondered who this visitor could be. She didn’t think she could handle another confrontation with her parents.

All she needed to do was dress nicely, be respectful, and keep her head down.

“I can do that,” Liora murmured, rubbing her chest.

Liora walked down the stairs later that evening with a shaky heart. She didn’t know what to expect and only hoped the evening would pass peacefully. Taking her usual seat, she greeted her mother and folded her hands neatly in her lap.

“At least you’re early this time,” her mother said while sipping her wine.

Liora noticed her father was not seated at the table and wondered why, but she kept the question to herself.

Just then she heard voices approaching from the hallway—one familiar and the other unfamiliar. Her father walked into the room with two men in suits, but the one speaking with him immediately drew Liora’s attention.

He was tall, broad-shouldered, and carried himself with quiet confidence.

Liora squinted slightly as she studied him.

His hair.

His lips.

His eyes.

Her breath caught in her throat.

Her eyes widened in shock.

No… it couldn’t be.

But the man who had just taken his seat was unmistakable.

He was the man she had spent the night with.

Liora didn’t realize her mother had been calling her name until she suddenly felt hands gripping her shoulders.

She flinched.

“Liora,” her mother said sharply. “Say hello to our guests.”

Realizing she had not greeted them, Liora quickly stood.

“Good evening.”

The man nodded briefly without sparing her a glance.

Didn’t he recognize her?

She sat down slowly, forcing her expression into a neutral mask when she saw the questioning look on her mother’s face. Her mother could never find out that she had spent the night with this man—it would cause a disaster.

“Welcome to our home, Mr. Grey,” her mother said with a sweet smile.

So his name was Ashvin Grey.

Liora noticed her father had stood to welcome him, something he rarely did. Whoever this man was, he clearly held great importance.

“I came here to hear your proposal,” Ashvin said coolly. “Out with it.”

Her father cleared his throat, and a strange sinking feeling settled in Liora’s chest.

“We would like to offer our daughter for marriage into your family.”

The spoon in Liora’s hand clanged loudly against her plate.

Her head snapped up in shock.

“W-What?”