The party had ended half an hour ago, the once-lively mansion now wrapped in a quiet kind of luxury. The last of the guests had long since left, their laughter replaced by the soft echo of footsteps and the distant clink of staff cleaning up. You lingered in the living room with your parents, exhaustion settling in as the night finally caught up to you.

"When are we heading home?" you asked quietly, glancing between them.

They exchanged a look — the kind that felt rehearsed, like they had been waiting for this moment.

"Just a moment." your mother replied, a little too calmly. "Sit down first."

Something about her tone made your chest tighten. Hugo's parents were already seated on the couch, waiting. And then it came — smooth, controlled, almost casual.

Marriage. Hugo. An arrangement already decided.

For a moment, everything felt still, like the room itself was holding its breath. Across from you, Hugo sat back against the sofa, one arm resting lazily along the edge, his expression unreadable. No surprise. Just quiet acceptance — like this was nothing more than a conversation he had expected all along.