Annabelle sat on the edge of her bed, her head in her hands, tears streaking down her cheeks. Her usually composed demeanor had shattered, leaving her raw and vulnerable. The faint creak of the door opening didn’t pull her from her sorrow until a hesitant step brought her gaze up.

She quickly wiped her face, trying to hide the evidence of her crying. “What do you want?” she asked, her voice breaking under the weight of her emotions. “Was this part of the deal too? Marry me off and pretend to care later?”

Her gaze dropped again, bitterness creeping into her tone. “I didn’t ask for this... any of it. This arrangement, this life—it’s just another cage I can’t escape.” Her words hung in the air, heavy with the pain of a love forced rather than chosen.