Deceptive Hearts

2

Alora stared at the city skyline from her apartment window, the lights flickering like distant stars. She'd always find solace in the view,a reminder that life went on even when hers felt like it was spiraling out of control. Tonight, though, there was no comfort to be found.

"Alora, what's with the silence?" Eyra's voice broke through her thoughts. Her sister was sprawled out on the couch, flipping through a magazine but clearly more interested in whatever was eating Alora up inside.

Alora tore her gaze away from the window, her hands fidgeting with the frayed hem of her sweater. "Eyra, I've been given a job. It's...it's not like anything we've done before."

Eyra's interest piqued immediately " A job? Dangerous?"

“Very,” Alora admitted, her voice barely above a whisper. She didn't want to alarm Eyra, but she also knew she couldn't sugarcoat the situation. "I was approached by a woman named Mina Kim. She hired me to-"

"To what?" Eyra leaned forward her playful curiosity turning into something more serious.

"To marry Dante Santoro" Alora blurted out, the words tasting bitter as they left her mouth.

Eyra raised an eyebrow, confused. "Marry? Who is his guy?"

Alora sighed, feeling the weight of the situation pressing down in her situation pressing down on her. "He's the eldest son of the Santoro family - a family with more money than I've ever seen. Mina wants me to get close to him, marry him, and then steal a ridiculous amount of money from his accounts."

Eyra's eyes widened slightly, not with shock, but with the realization of the scale of what Alora was being asked to do. "That's...huge. But why would you even consider this?"

Alora hesitated, her throat tightening. "Because I have no choice. Mina is holding something over me, over us."

Eyra's playful demeanor faded, replaced with a protective intensity. "What do you mean?"

"She threatened you," Alora confessed, her voice trembling. "If I don't do this, she'll hurt you, Eyra. I can't let that happen."

For a moment, Eyra was silent, her mind processing the situation. Finally, she leaned back, crossing her arms. "So, we're in this together, then. You do what you need to do, and I'll be here to back you up. But Alora, you're not actually going to fall for this guy right?"

Alora scoffed, the idea almost laughable. "Dante Santoro? Some rich, spoiled brat who probably spends more time in front of a mirror than I do? Please. I'm not interested in getting emotionally involved."

But even as she said it, doubt began to creep in. She hated how uncertain she felt, how she had to keep reminding herself that this was just a job. She couldn't afford to see Dante as anything more than a target, no matter how charming or attractive he might turn out to be.

"Just remember that" Eyra advised, her voice firm. "It's a job. Get in, get the money, and get out. Nothing more, nothing less."

Alora nodded, though her mind was already racing with thoughts of how this might go wrong. She had seen Dante's picture - he wasn't bad looking, far from it, but that didn't matter. She had to stay focused on the task at hand.

Her phone rang, snapping her back to reality. She glanced at the screen- Mina. With a deep breath, she answered.

"Alora," Mina's voice was as sharp as ever. "The Santoro family is hosting a banquet this weekend. Dante will be there. You need to make sure he notices you."

Alora's stomach churned at the thought. "How exactly am I supposed to do that?"

Mina's tore was icy, leaving no room for hesitation "Dance with him. Engage him in conversation. Make sure you leave an impression. But remember, Alora, it you fail, your sister will pay the price."

Alora's grip tightened on her phone, anger bubbling up inside her. She hated being backed into a corner like this, but she knew she had no choice. "I won't fail."

"Good," Mina replied, her voice dripping with satisfaction. "And Alora, don't forget- this is business arrangements. Keep your emotions out of it. Dante is just a means to an end."

Alora ended the call, her heart pounding. She turned to Eyra, who had been listening closely.

"So I have to go to this banquet," Alora explain, trying to keep her voice steady. "I have to get close to him, make him notice me."

Eyra gave her a long, hard look. "You're not worried, are you? About him?"

Alora hesitated, then shook her head. "No, I'm more worried about you."

Eyra smiled safely, reaching out to squeeze Alora's hand. "I'll be fine. Just  take care of yourself. And whatever happens, remember who you are."

Alora nodded, though her thoughts were already drifting to the upcoming banquet. She didn't want to admit it, but there was a small, nagging voice in the back of her mind that wondered what Dante was really like. Would he be easy to manipulate as she hoped? Or was she understanding him?

As she prepared for the evening, Alora forced herself to focus. This wasn't about survival - for her and for Eyra. But deep down, she couldn't shake the feeling that this job was going to be more complicated than she had ever imagined.

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-900 words-