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The door swung open, and Hollis strode in, his expression unreadable, with Linet trailing behind him. 

“That’s her,” Linet said, her voice dripping with disdain, her gaze flicking toward Cressida with disgust. “Crying and playing the victim.”

Hollis stepped forward. “How’re you?” He asked, and Cedrissa couldn’t help but giggle at his question. 

‘How did you expect I’d be in such a situation?’

Cressida’s laugh was dry, amused. Hollis was Linet’s puppet. The fact that he never acknowledged Cressida’s place in the family said it all—he’d outsourced role to his wife, not that he cared.

“Your mother told me about everything that happened, and I just want to say there’s nothing to do than accept your fate.” Hollis said, his voice measured as if consoling her.

‘Accept my fate?’

She already did. Only one phrase grated on her nerves “your mother”. Linet was a stranger to maternal warmth, her presence in Cressida’s life was calculated to further her interests through Carson.

“She’s arranged for you to leave the city, but it’s been canceled.”

Cressida’s eyes locked onto Hollis, the single word slipping out. “Why?”

“Because you’ll be getting married in a few weeks.” His words dropped like a stone.

Cedrissa’s eyes widened, shocked. ‘A marriage?’ She exclaimed in silence, her mind having difficulty processing the announcement.

Her ears rang, her mind struggling to process the words. “A marriage?” She whispered, her brow furrowed in confusion. Hollis’s nod was a silent confirmation, and for a moment, her heart seemed to forget how to beat.

The world narrowed to a single, suffocating truth—she was being sold, traded, or worse. The thought sent a chill down her spine, her breath catching in her throat.

‘What? What’s going on in my life?’

A weight pressed down on her chest, making each breath a struggle. Questions swirled in her mind, but her lips trembled, hesitant to betray her true feelings. The words remained trapped, refusing to escape, as if her mouth itself had conspired against her.

‘Why does it keep getting worse? Just why?’

Hollis’s gaze dropped, a fleeting glimpse of guilt crossing his face. “You’ve always wanted to know where Carson is, haven’t you?”  He asked, and Cressida’s eyes snapped up.

Hollis’s sigh was heavy with reluctance. “The truth is, Carson’s in hiding,” he revealed. “He took out a loan for an illegal venture that tanked, and now he couldn’t repay his debts.”

‘Hum!’

Cressida’s mind rebelled against it. Carson involved in something illegal? It didn’t add up. Carson has always been adamant about staying on the right side of the law but Hollis’s words made a little sense. The Palmers was a powerful family so the only relationship Carson could have with them would be for money or influence.

Cressida’s smirk was a fleeting triumph. “Why not Havyn then?” She asked, her voice laced with defiance. 

Hollis’s hesitation was palpable so Linet stepped in, her tone a cold calculation, “because you’re Carson’s favorite and it’s only fair you help him out,” she said and Cedrissa shifted her gaze to her.

Her gaze locked onto Cressida’s, her words dripping with scorn. “Besides, you’re a divorcee, and Havyn’s already in a relationship.”

The words cut deep, but Cressida's expression remained defiant, her eyes flashing with resentment.

“That’s true.” He agreed, but Cressida didn’t waste a glance on him.

Linet wasn’t satisfied with Hollis’s performance—he seemed to be slowing the conversation rather than driving it faster, so she took over again.

“Rejecting this marriage means destroying Carson’s chance. He’ll keep running until he’s caught and sent to prison.”

“But…” Cedrissa’s voice stammered.

“We can’t afford paying back the loan—marriage is the easiest alternative,” Linet declared. She looked straight into Cedrissa’s eyes, calling in a whisper. “Cedrissa…”

“Carson loves you so much, even more than his biological granddaughter. Imagine if he ever finds out you had a chance to save him but didn’t take it,” Linet said, her voice getting lower after every word, yet firmly manipulating.

“He’ll be…”

Linet’s words flattered, letting Cedrissa’s brain process the end so it’d have a desired effect.

“You don’t want Carson to live the rest of his life in regret, do you?” Linet threw a question, and Cedrissa slightly shook her head.

‘No.’

Linet nodded, satisfied at Cedrissa’s emotional state—Cedrissa’s expression showed how much the words were sinking in her brain.

“If you reject it, you’ll be leaving the city tomorrow. If you accept, let us know so we can make arrangements.”

Linet grabbed Hollis’s hand, making him follow her out.

As the door closed right in front of her eyes, her brows lowered, and tears streamed down her face. Some of the tears followed her facial line to her mouth while many flowed down to her cheek and dropped on her thighs.

‘What should I do?’

Her heart was apart between moving out of the city to start afresh or taking the chance to save Carson—marrying into the wealthiest family in the city as a bonus.

She inhaled sharply and exhaled softly as she lay on the bed, her head relaxing on her palms, facing upward.

‘I must save Carson.’

The marriage could also be her escapade—a chance to have a family she’d fully belong to. However, she could feel something was wrong—a trouble that seemed to loom.

A thought zoomed into her mind, making her forehead frowned as she digested it.

‘Hollis and Linet are always hungry for power. This is their chance to gain connection…’

‘If everything was fine, why didn’t they take the chance to let Havyn marry into the most powerful family?’

***

Two days later~

Cressida’s nerves frayed as the car wound its way through the city streets. Doubts swirled in her mind, each one a sharp jab to her confidence.

‘What have I gotten myself into?’

As the car slowed to a stop, her heart began to thud in her chest. She felt a cold sweat break out on her palms, and her breath caught in her throat. With a shaky hand, she smoothed her dress and took a deep breath to calm the storm inside her. 

‘Stay calm, Cressida. You’ve got to save Carson–that’s all that matters.’

As the car glided through the grand entrance, her anxiety surged. The driveway, lined with towering trees and precision-manicured hedges, unfolded like a velvet ribbon, leading to the restaurant’s opulent façade. 

The chauffeur opened the door, his smile warm and welcoming, “welcome, ma’am.”

Cressida emerged onto the driveway. A crimson carpet stretched before her, flanked by perfectly placed candelabras and lush greenery. At the entrance, two impeccably dressed staff members stood poised, their eyes locked on hers.

Anna, a poised Palmers’ maid, led Cressida to the lounge and nodded graciously. “Please, sit, ma’am.”

Cressida took a seat, her voice barely above a whisper. “Thanks.”

Anna’s eyes sparkled with courtesy. “May I serve you something?”

Cressida forced a smile. “No, I’m fine, thank you.”

“Of course. If you need anything, please don't hesitate to let me know.” Anna said, her smile unwavering, and with a gentle curtsy, she withdrew, leaving Cressida alone in the elegant room.

Cressida almost called out to the maid, curiosity getting the better of her, but she hesitated, unsure what to ask or how to phrase it. With a quiet sigh, she resigned herself to waiting, her eyes scanning the room with growing unease.

‘Shouldn’t he be here before me?’

*

An hour ticked by at a glacial pace, Cedrissa's anxiety simmering just below the surface. She checked her phone for what felt like the hundredth time, her gaze darting to the entrance with growing impatience.

When Anna stopped by earlier, she tried probing about her date, but Anna’s evasive response only fueled her unease—it was as if they were hiding something, and Cedrissa’s mind was racing with worst-case scenarios.

‘Will he ever show up?’

“Welcome, sir.” 

As Anna’s voice announced the arrival, Cressida turned, a warm smile plastered on her face. However, her eyes met a shocking sight—a figure seated in a wheelchair. 

Her smile faltered, then vanished as her eyes widened in stunned silence.

‘Alaric?’ 

‘This can’t be him.’ 

Her mind reeled—the thought echoed in her head like a cruel joke.

‘What happened to him?’

The man wheeling in her direction was a shadow of Palmer Alaric, who disappeared years ago with no news about his existence. He used to be the charismatic heir the public adored with his confident stride, the pocket-dwelling hands, and the dazzling smile.

He was now in a wheelchair, his black hair disheveled, his brow furrowed in a scowl—only his piercing blue eyes, round face, and straight nose remained, though even they seemed dulled, like a fading memory.

Cressida’s gaze snapped back to Alaric, her thoughts shattered by his biting words. 

“Never seen someone in a wheelchair?” He asked, his voice laced with challenge. His piercing blue eyes bored into her, daring her to show pity or surprise.

The question hung in the air, heavy with tension, as Cressida struggled to find a response that wouldn’t get him angry. “I—” she opened her mouth to talk, but he gave her no space.

“Or is this not what you’re expecting?” His words cut deep. He had figured out she’d be expecting the charming him, not the man before her, so he wanted to take the chance to intimidate her. “You hate what you’re seeing? Then reject this marriage.”

Cressida’s eyes slammed shut in frustration. “Ugh!” She was trapped, but Alaric wasn’t interested in hearing her thoughts. Instead, he pulled out his phone. 

“What did she promise you?” He asked curtly, his fingers flying across the screen. “Name your price, and I’ll triple it.”

Cressida’s eyes snapped open, her face burning with indignation. “You think I’d be bought?” She asked, her voice low and even. 

Alaric’s gaze flicked up from his phone, his eyes glinting with challenge. “Everyone has a price,” he said, his tone dripping with cynicism. “I’m letting you determine yours.”

The air thickened with tension as Cressida met Alaric’s gaze, her mind racing with a mix of anger and hurt. Her sudden leap to her feet sent the chair scraping back, her palm coming down on the table with a resounding thud. 

“I’m here because I have to be, not because I want to!” She declared, her voice rising in indignation.

Alaric’s gaze locked onto hers, his expression unyielding.

Cressida’s eyes blazed with a fierce intensity, her jaw clenched in frustration. She knew she shouldn’t be pushing back—not when the stakes were so high, but something primal had taken hold, urging her to speak her mind. 

“Just like you... I don’t want to be here.”

“So… what’s the way out?” Alaric’s eyes narrowed, his arms still crossed as he awaited Cressida's response. 

“What if we turn the tables?” She suggested, her voice low and urgent. “What if we use this marriage as a weapon against them, instead of letting them use it against us?”

Alaric’s expression twisted in skepticism. “How?”