The Chen mansion always felt colder at night. Even with golden chandeliers glowing above the dining table, Sara sensed a chill that seeped into her bones.
Her father sat across from her, scrolling through emails on his tablet. His brow furrowed, lips pressed in a tight line — a man married to his work more than his family.
Sara hesitated, her fork trembling slightly against the porcelain plate. She had replayed this moment in her head countless times since overhearing her stepmother's call. If not now, when?
"Father," she began softly, her voice breaking the silence.
Chen Yong looked up briefly, distracted. "Yes?"
Sara gripped her napkin under the table. "I… heard something. About me. About the Li family."
His eyes flickered for just a second before returning to his screen. "You shouldn't eavesdrop on adults, Sara."
Her heart sank. So it's true.
"Is it?" she pressed, her voice shaking. "Am I—being pushed into something? With Daniel Li?"
The pause that followed was worse than any answer.
Finally, her father sighed and set his tablet down. "Sara, you're no longer a child. Families like ours survive through alliances. The Lis are powerful, influential. If there's an opportunity—"
Her stomach twisted. "So I'm just… an opportunity?"
"It's not like that," he said, though his tone lacked conviction. "It's about stability, about securing a future. You'll understand when you're older."
"I understand enough," Sara whispered, anger rising to drown out her fear. "You didn't even ask me."
Chen Yong's expression hardened. "This isn't about asking. It's about duty. You will respect that."
The words struck like a blade. Sara stared at him, searching for the father who once carried her on his shoulders, who told her bedtime stories when her mother was alive. All she saw now was a businessman calculating returns.
Her stepmother, standing quietly at the doorway, smiled faintly. The look was subtle, but Sara caught it — victory gleaming in her eyes.
Sara shoved back her chair, the legs scraping loudly against the polished floor. "Excuse me."
She fled the dining room before her father could respond, her chest tight, eyes burning.
In her room, Sara pressed her back against the door, struggling to breathe. Her worst fears were real. Her father wasn't blind. He was willing.
For the first time, she truly felt abandoned.
The next morning at school, Lina noticed her pale face instantly. "You didn't sleep, did you?"
Sara shook her head. "I tried talking to him. It's useless. He's… not on my side."
Lina's eyes softened. "Sara…"
Before she could say more, Adrian strolled up, tossing his bag over one shoulder. "What's with the gloomy faces? Did Emily finally curse you both with her evil glare?"
Lina shot him a look. "Not the time."
Adrian raised his hands in mock surrender, but Ryan joined, his voice more serious. "Something happened, didn't it?"
Sara hesitated, then shook her head. "It's fine. Just family stuff."
Leo, passing by with a book in hand, paused. His eyes lingered on her longer than usual, sharp and knowing, but he said nothing.
Later, in the quiet of the library, Sara caught sight of Daniel at the far end. He was reading, as calm as ever.
For a moment, she thought about going to him. Telling him everything. But her courage faltered.
What if he's part of this? What if he knows?
The thought was unbearable. She turned away, hugging her books tightly to her chest.
But even as she walked out, she felt his gaze follow her, steady and unreadable.
That night, lying awake, Sara whispered into the dark, "Mother… what would you have done?"
But only silence answered.
Her trust — in her father, in her family, in everything she once relied on — lay shattered.
And yet, deep within the cracks, something new stirred.
Not just sorrow. Not just fear.
But the first sparks of rebellion.