Sanguine Rose

Chapter 7

"I will not be forced into marrying that man, Papa!" Catarina's voice quivered with defiance as she stood her ground. Her eyes were filled with a mixture of determination and pain, a reflection of the turmoil within her.

Santiago, her father, glared at her with a mixture of anger and disappointment. "You dare defy me, Catarina? After all I have done for you, this is how you repay me?"

Catarina took a deep breath, summoning the strength to speak her truth. "It's not about repaying you, Papa. It's about choosing a life filled with love and happiness, rather than one dictated by societal expectations and wealth."

Her words hung in the air, heavy with the weight of her convictions. The room fell into an uneasy silence, the tension palpable between father and daughter.

"No, Catarina. You will do as I say," Santiago's voice dripped with authority, his eyes narrowing with a cold resolve. "You will marry Elizalde, a man of wealth and status, and secure our family's future and legacy."

Catarina's heart sank, the weight of her father's expectations pressing down on her. But she refused to let her spirit be crushed. "Papa, love cannot be bought or sold. I have found love in Sebastian, a man who may not have wealth, but who possesses a heart of gold. Can't you see that?"

Santiago's face twisted with anger, his voice rising to a thunderous roar. "Sebastian is nothing but a pauper! He will never be able to provide for you the way Elizalde can. You are blinded by your foolish infatuation! You're bringing shame to our family!"

Catarina's eyes welled up with tears, a mixture of sadness and frustration. She had hoped her father would understand, but his stubbornness seemed unyielding.

"I repeat, I will not marry that man! Since when did loving someone who is poor become a sin, Papa?! Yes, Sebastian may be poor, but the happiness he brings me is worth more than any wealth. He is kind, Papa. Please, open your heart to the man I love. I have followed all your wishes--" Catarina's voice trembled as she cried.

"That was before, Catarina! Before you met that worthless man! You have learned to defy me because of Sebastian!" Santiago shouted.

"That's because you are blind, Papa! You cannot see Sebastian's qualities because you are blinded by your anger towards his family! Isn't that right, Papa? You also fell in love with someone who is not of the same social status. You are mad because until now, you still cannot accept that the father of Sebastian is the one your beloved woman chose, even though you are wealthier than him?!"

A loud slap landed on Catarina's left cheek. She was almost deafened by the force of the slap from her father. Hot tears flowed from Catarina's eyes as she couldn't find any remorse in her father's eyes for slapping her.

"Isn't it true, Papa? You never really loved Mama because you were just arranged to be married. She died by your cruel hands! She died without feeling even a bit of your love! Among all people, shouldn't you be the one who knows how painful it is to marry someone you don't love? But why are you repeating the same thing that happened to you through me, Papa?" Catarina's words were filled with resentment, but they had no effect on her father, whose heart was truly hardened.

"Papa, love is not about material possessions. It's about finding someone who sees your soul, who accepts you for who you are. Sebastian may not have wealth, but he has given me a happiness that money could never buy."

"Enough for this nonsense! My decision is final, Catarina. You will marry Elizalde whether you like it or not! Leave that man, or else--"

"Or else, what, Papa?! Will you kill him like what you did to his father?! I saw what you did, Papa. I saw it with my own eyes---"

Santiago's face contorted with rage, before Catarina could finish her sentence, his hand lashing out and striking Catarina across the cheek. The sound of the slap echoed through the room, leaving a painful silence in its wake.

Catarina stumbled backward, her hand instinctively reaching to cradle her stinging cheek. Tears streamed down her face, a mixture of physical and emotional pain. But she refused to let her spirit be broken.

"Papa, violence will not change my heart. It will only drive me further away from you," she said, her voice trembling but filled with a newfound strength.

Santiago's eyes burned with fury, his hand raised once again, ready to strike. But before he could deliver another blow, Esteban, Catarina's older brother, appeared in the doorway, his voice cutting through the tension like a knife.

"Enough for this cruelty, Papa!"

Esteban's commanding presence filled the room, his eyes fixed on their father with a mix of disappointment and resolve. Santiago's hand froze in mid-air, his anger momentarily subdued by his son's intervention.

Catarina rushed into Esteban's arms, seeking solace and protection. Her body shook with sobs as she clung to her brother, finding strength in his unwavering support.

The room fell into a heavy silence, the air thick with unspoken emotions. The battle for Catarina's heart had only just begun, but she knew that she would fight for her love, even if it meant going against her own father.

Lystrana's breath hitched as she woke from the haunting depths of her dream, her body trembling with an inexplicable mix of fear and fascination. The tendrils of the dream still clung to her, refusing to release their grip on her consciousness.

"Was it a mere figment of my imagination, or something more? Why do these dreams feel so achingly real? Every pain, every emotion, I experience them as if they were my own," Lystrana whispered, her voice laced with a profound sense of longing and confusion.

Her gaze fixated on the portrait of Catarina, the brushstrokes capturing the essence of a woman lost in the labyrinth of her own existence.

"Are you the cause of these dreams that haunt me almost every night? Why have you chosen me, Catarina? What is the significance of our intertwined destinies?" Lystrana's voice quivered, her words a plea for answers that seemed to linger in the air, unanswered.

As if in response, a gentle breeze enveloped Lystrana, whispering secrets only the wind could carry. It caressed her face, carrying with it the weight of unspoken truths and hidden connections.

"You are me, and I am you," the wind seemed to murmur, its voice a delicate echo of forgotten memories and shared experiences.

Lystrana's heart quickened, her mind spiraling into a labyrinth of questions and possibilities. Were they two souls intertwined across the fabric of time? Was their connection a mere coincidence, or a cosmic dance orchestrated by forces beyond their understanding?

Three consecutive knocks brought Lystrana back to reality. She quickly rose from her bed to open the door, expecting to see Sonya standing there, holding the usual morning delivery of red roses.

"Roses from Mr. Guevara," Sonya said, imitating Lucas's serious tone. Lystrana couldn't help but chuckle softly.

"The breakfast is ready, Ms. Lystrana. I won't be able to join you this morning, as I plan to leave early to avoid traveling late," Sonya informed.

"Why didn't you just tell Mang Karyo, Ate Sonya? I would feel much more at ease if he could accompany you on your journey back to your province," Lystrana suggested, her voice filled with genuine care.

"Oh, don't worry, Ms. Lystrana. I'm used to traveling long distances alone."

A faint smile appeared on Lystrana's face as she embraced Sonya.

"Did you get the gifts I prepared for your children, Ate Sonya?"

"Yes, Ms. Lystrana. Thank you. I'm sure the kids will be delighted."