Bound By Power

4

Elena stumbled back to her room after the heart-shattering conversation with her parents. Her hands trembled as she closed the door behind her, eyes scanning the space that once felt like a sanctuary. The walls, adorned with posters of her favorite singer, seemed to mock her now—symbols of a life she no longer recognized. Her "To-Do" wishlist hung by her desk, filled with dreams of falling in love, traveling, and building a future with someone she chose. All of it, everything, was crumbling right before her eyes.

Tears welled up, blurring her vision as the weight of reality crashed down on her. Her dreams of love, dates with her soulmate, and a life of her own making were vanishing, like smoke slipping through her fingers. A sob escaped her lips, followed by another, until she was crying uncontrollably. For hours, she cried until exhaustion took over, and she fell asleep on her tear-soaked pillow, still clutching the corner of her favorite blanket.

Meanwhile, her siblings—Enzo, Julian, and Mia—had learned of the deal. The news had hit them like a storm, leaving them furious, especially at their father. How could he? How dare he give their Ele away like some bargaining chip? Enzo, the most hot-headed of them all, paced the living room, fists clenched, while Mia tried to reason, though her own anger was barely contained. Julian, usually the peacemaker, couldn’t even muster a calming word, his face grim with disbelief.

Their frustration eventually boiled over. Ignoring any attempts to calm them, the trio stormed up the stairs and banged on Elena’s bedroom door.

"Ele! Open up!" Enzo’s voice was loud and demanding.

"Ele, can you hear us?" Mia added, her tone soft but urgent.

"Ele, please..." Julian’s voice was strained, a rare vulnerability showing through.

Inside, Elena stirred at the persistent knocking. Slowly, she opened her eyes, the conversation with her parents playing in her mind once again, the words echoing like a curse. Marriage with Damien Cortelli. It felt like a nightmare she couldn’t wake from. Her heart sank as she recalled her mother’s pleading eyes, her father’s cold resolve. Tears threatened to fall again, but the commotion from outside her room snapped her back to the present.

With trembling hands, she opened the door, her eyes still red and swollen from crying. The moment her siblings saw her, they rushed in, wrapping her in their arms like a protective shield against the world.

They held her tightly, as if by sheer force they could keep her from the cruel reality that had been forced upon her. And for the first time in what felt like forever, Elena didn’t feel completely alone.
Elena sat on the edge of her bed, tears streaming down her face as her siblings surrounded her. They hugged her tightly, trying to soothe her pain. Enzo, his jaw clenched in frustration, drew gentle circles on her back, struggling to control the rage boiling within him.

“Are you okay?” Julian asked softly, concern etched across his face.

Mia, though the youngest, could hardly bear to see her sister in such distress. “If you don’t want this, you can say no to them,” she insisted, her voice trembling with worry.

“She’s not marrying anyone!” Enzo declared, his teeth gritted in anger. The thought of his sister being forced into a marriage made his blood boil.

“I’m going to talk to Dad,” he said, rising from his seat, but Elena grasped his hand tightly, shaking her head vehemently.

“Please, don’t,” she pleaded, her voice barely a whisper. After taking a deep breath, she finally found the strength to speak. “I’m ready to marry him. It’s my fate. I can’t run away from it; I can’t forget the world I was born into.” Her lips curled into a rueful smile, a bittersweet acceptance settling in her heart.