Rosalinda’s POV (Present Day)... “I will not marry him” The words slip out quiet, almost a whisper. Breathless, really. I say it mostly out of a stubborn need to voice my reluctance to tie myself to some total stranger. I am not sure that I have been heard but then, Father glances up from his desk, his brows knitting together in a frown. Yes, he heard. And clearly, he had not expected my refusal. “Rosalinda” he says, in that tone reserved for when he is displeased. “We have discussed this.” The warning hangs there, sharp. Irritation too. Mother stands behind him, her presence in the study a quiet comfort, like always. Isabella Stratford never raises her voice. She does not need to. Soft-spoken, but when she talks people listen. “Rosa, mi calita” she begins with a slow sigh. “What really is the issue? You have been ready for this all your life. It is what you were raised for. Prepared for. And now you say you will not marry Alexander? This is a family legacy. It has to be
Last Updated : 2026-01-14 Read more