The next morning arrived far too early.
Lena sat in front of her vanity, a silk robe draped over her frame, her fingers absentmindedly tracing the rim of a coffee cup she hadn't touched in ten minutes. The world outside her window was bright and buzzing, but inside her head, everything was tangled.
Kelly entered without knocking—because of course she didn't need to. "I moved your call with the editor to tomorrow, and your fitting for the event next week has been rescheduled to Friday. Oh, and your mother's assistant confirmed lunch with your parents this afternoon."
Lena looked up at her in the mirror. "You didn't cancel it?"
"You said to only cancel if you had a meltdown, not a minor existential crisis."
Lena gave a dry laugh. "Right. Thanks for splitting hairs."
Kelly smiled sympathetically and placed a light pink envelope beside the coffee. "Also this arrived—official invitation from your parents for the 'family luncheon.' You know, because formalities are everything."
Lena opened it slowly, her stomach twisting at the handwritten flourish of her mother's signature. Classic white card, gold-trimmed. The handwriting read: We expect your grace, your attention, and your cooperation.
"Cooperation," she muttered. "That's code for 'say nothing and smile.'"
Kelly tilted her head. "You sure you want to go to this thing alone?"
"No," Lena said truthfully, standing and grabbing her phone. "But I have to."
By noon, she was back in the Sterlings family estate's opulent dining room. The air was heavy with perfume, polished wood, and the ever-present scent of expectations. Her parents were already seated, both dressed like they were attending a diplomatic meeting instead of having lunch with their daughter.
Her father gave her a nod. Her mother gestured to the seat across from them. "You're late."
"I'm here," Lena replied coolly, sitting down.
"Your tone," her mother warned, "is unbecoming."
Lena folded her hands and forced a polite smile. "Let's get to the point."
Her mother exchanged a quick glance with her father, then placed her utensils down neatly. "The family you'll be meeting next week is one of our most esteemed allies. Long-standing reputation, exceptional business background, and a son who's being groomed to take over the company."
"So it's not just about me," Lena said flatly. "It's about tying together two empires."
"Of course it is," her father said without blinking. "This isn't personal, Lena. It's legacy."
Lena clenched her jaw. "Do I at least get to know his name?"
"Not until the meeting," her mother said with finality. "We want you to come into this with an open mind, free from pre-judgments."
Lena gave a dry laugh. "How considerate of you."
Her mother ignored the sarcasm. "You will be cordial, charming, and agreeable. This is not a negotiation."
"Then I hope they like their future daughter-in-law with a bite," Lena said, rising from her seat. "Because I'm done being palatable."
Her mother's eyes narrowed, but her father only sighed and waved her off. "Do what you must. Just don't embarrass the family."
Lena walked out without another word, heels clicking like defiance across marble floors. She wasn't sure what she was walking into next week—but she'd do it on her terms.
Even if she had to set the room on fire to do it.
Lena's footsteps echoed as she walked out of the dining room, the weight of her parents' words heavy on her shoulders. Her father's dismissal, her mother's cold efficiency—it all felt like an oppressive cloud hanging over her. They had mapped out her life in a few sentences, and it was clear they expected her to follow without protest.
She pushed open the door to the private study at the far end of the hall. It was a space she often retreated to when she needed quiet, a place she had spent countless hours reading, studying, or simply thinking in the midst of the chaos that was her family.
Sitting down at the desk, she rested her elbows on the smooth wood, burying her face in her hands. The world outside the window was bright and chaotic, but in here, it was still—too still.
Arranged marriage.
The words circled in her head like an endless loop. She'd heard of it, of course. She was aware of the old traditions that clung to her family like ivy, suffocating any chance of freedom. But hearing it spoken aloud, hearing it in relation to her own future—it hit harder than she had expected.
Her phone buzzed on the desk, pulling her from her thoughts. It was a message from Skye.
"Lunch with the parents? You're gonna be okay, right?"
Lena stared at the screen for a moment, then typed a response.
"Yeah, just a lot to digest. I'll be fine. Thanks for checking in."
She set the phone down and leaned back in her chair, her mind racing. Skye had been her rock for so long, but this was something Lena needed to process on her own. She wasn't sure how much more of this she could take—how much more of her life she could have dictated for her.
A knock on the door broke the silence. Before she could respond, the door opened slightly, and Kelly's head poked through.
"You good?" she asked, her expression soft with concern.
Lena forced a smile. "I'm fine. Just... thinking."
Kelly stepped inside, her gaze scanning the room before settling on Lena. "I know this is a lot, but remember—you have options. You don't have to do what they say."
Lena looked up at her. "What options, Kelly? My family has already decided. I'm not a person to them anymore. I'm a pawn in their game."
"That's not true," Kelly said gently, sitting on the edge of the desk. "You're their daughter, Lena. And no matter what they think, you have the power to choose how to handle this."
Lena shook her head, frustration creeping into her voice. "I'm not a child anymore. I can't keep pretending this is something I can change. I can't keep hoping they'll see me as more than just a tool to advance their business."
Kelly reached out, placing a hand on hers. "You don't have to let them define you. I know it feels like they're in control, but you're the one living your life. You have the choice, even if it feels like the hardest one."
Lena stared at her hand for a long moment before meeting her eyes. "I don't know what to do, Kelly. I'm just... so tired of fighting all the time."
"You don't have to fight alone. And you don't have to fight everything at once," Kelly said softly. "Start small. Take it one day at a time. But you do have the power to choose."
Lena squeezed her hand tightly, feeling a small sense of comfort in Kelly's words. It wasn't much, but it was something.
"Thanks," she murmured. "I needed that."
Kelly smiled. "Anytime, Lena. You're not in this alone."
Just as Lena was about to say something in response, her phone buzzed again. She glanced at it, and her stomach dropped.
It was from her mother.
"Your meeting with the family is confirmed for next week. You will be meeting them at their estate. Please be punctual and prepared."
Her heart thudded in her chest. Meeting them. It was real now. It wasn't just a distant idea or an abstract decision anymore. It was happening.
"Okay," Lena said, trying to steady her breathing. "It's real now."
Kelly nodded solemnly. "You've got this. Whatever happens, you don't have to let them control everything."
Lena gave her a small, tight smile. "I'll try."
•
Lena sat by the edge of the fountain in her family's courtyard, her fingers tracing idle circles along the rim. The water's gentle rhythm was the only thing grounding her thoughts. The sun had started its descent, casting a golden hue over the marble walls and carefully trimmed hedges that had always felt too pristine—too curated—to ever really feel like home.
Footsteps crunched on the gravel behind her.
"You've been quiet all day," Skye said, gently taking the seat beside her. "Talk to me."
Lena leaned back, letting her head rest against the cool stone. "I feel like I'm being auctioned off," she muttered. "A pawn in a deal I didn't ask to be part of."
Skye didn't respond right away, just waited patiently, giving Lena space to keep going.
"They're having me meet them next week. No names, no photos, no details. Just... show up and smile."
Skye crossed her arms, face hardening. "That's insane. You're not some antique they can pass around."
Lena huffed a laugh, more bitter than amused. "Feels like it, though."
Silence stretched between them for a beat before Skye said, "You're not going through this alone, you know."
Lena looked over at her, gratitude softening her expression. "I know."
After a moment, Skye nudged her with a small grin. "Now, do we storm the family boardroom and stage a protest, or are we still going the 'elegant defiance' route?"
Lena actually laughed this time. "Let's go with elegant defiance. For now."
They sat in companionable silence as the courtyard lights blinked on, one by one, casting a soft glow. Eventually, they headed back inside—where Lena was instantly intercepted by Kelly, tablet in hand and eyes sharp.
"There you are," Kelly said. "Your parents are expecting you in the parlor. Now."
"Of course they are," Lena mumbled under her breath, exchanging a look with Skye.
"I'll wait in your room," Skye offered.
"No," Lena said, straightening her shoulders. "Come with me. I want you there."
When they entered the parlor, her parents were already seated on opposite ends of the room like it was some kind of formal negotiation. Her mother looked poised, legs crossed, fingers steepled beneath her chin. Her father had a brandy glass in hand, as if preparing himself for a legal deposition rather than a chat with his daughter.
"Lena," her mother said crisply. "We're glad you're here. Have a seat."
She sat, Skye remaining quietly behind her, a quiet support system in heels.
Her father spoke first. "The meeting is scheduled for next Friday. Early dinner. At their estate."
"Their?" Lena asked, voice tight. "So we're still not using names?"
"You'll know everything you need to know soon enough," her mother replied. "But for now, we expect you to behave accordingly. No last-minute theatrics."
Lena bit back the retort on the tip of her tongue and simply nodded. "Fine."
"Good," her mother said. "I'll send Kelly the details."
As the conversation shifted to more logistical nonsense, Lena's mind drifted. She couldn't shake the hollow feeling settling in her chest. But at least now, she had a week to prepare—for whatever storm was coming.
And this time, she wouldn't be facing it alone.
•
Later that night, Lena lay sprawled across her bed, one arm flung dramatically over her face. The chandelier above glowed dimly, casting soft shadows along the high ceiling. Skye was perched at the foot of the bed, her shoes kicked off, her fingers scrolling through her phone lazily.
"I swear to god," Lena muttered, her voice muffled by the sleeve of her sweatshirt, "if one more person tells me to act accordingly, I might actually throw myself into that marble fountain."
Skye chuckled. "You'd ruin a perfectly good outfit, and you'd have to sit through a very uncomfortable dinner in wet silk."
"Tempting," Lena groaned. "Anything's better than this royal circus."
Skye looked up from her phone and studied her. "You know… you don't have to do this, right? You could run. Paris, Milan, Korea, Japan, bla bla bla.. literally anywhere. We'll grab Kelly, fake your death, start a new life."
That pulled a weak smile from Lena. "And leave the empire behind?"
Skye grinned. "Who says you need it?"
Lena turned her head slightly to look at her. "I don't know. Maybe I'm tired of running. Maybe I want to see what happens when I face it all head-on, even if it sucks."
"Now that's Lena Sterling," Skye said, tossing a pillow at her. "Fiery, fabulous, and slightly terrifying."
Lena caught the pillow and hugged it close to her chest. "I just don't want to lose myself. Not again. I spent so long trying to fix what Liam broke, I don't even know who I am outside the expectations."
Skye moved closer, her tone soft. "Then figure it out. And if you're going to be forced into this marriage, make it on your terms. Own the room. Scare the hell out of them. Be you."
The words settled over Lena like a balm. She closed her eyes for a moment, breathing in the quiet.
"I think I'm going to be okay," she finally whispered.
"You are," Skye said with certainty. "Because you're not alone in this."
The night outside had fallen still, city lights blinking in the distance. And in that quiet, Lena felt something she hadn't felt in a while—steady. Not healed. Not fearless. But grounded enough to stand.
She didn't know what next Friday would bring. But whatever it was, she'd face it like she always did—head held high, chin slightly tilted, with Skye by her side.
And maybe, just maybe, she'd survive this too.