"My demons won't let me go."
- "Save Myself" by Ed Sheeran
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Evelyn stood in the dimly lit corridor outside the dining hall, her heart pounding in her chest. She had barely slept since her conversation with Draco about the marriage contract. The weight of her family's expectations, the pressure to bear a child, and the suffocating reality of her marriage had finally come to a head.
It wasn't just the thought of bringing a child into this world-it was the realization that her life was no longer her own. She was caught between the demands of two powerful families, her desires and choices slipping further from her grasp with each passing day.
Despite the isolation of Malfoy Manor, the tension within its walls was beginning to suffocate her. Draco had given her the space she asked for, but she could feel his presence everywhere: in the grand halls, in the empty dining room, even in the way the house-elves darted around silently, as if afraid to break the quiet.
Tonight, Draco had returned home early from the office, and Evelyn had barely seen him all day. She felt the tension in the air, a tightness that seemed to coil tighter with every passing moment. Her hand hovered over the doorknob to the dining hall, hesitating. She had planned to skip dinner altogether, but the thought of being alone in her chambers made her feel even more isolated.
She pushed the door open quietly, stepping inside. Draco was already seated at the long, dark wood table, his back to her. His shoulders were stiff, his posture tense as he stared down at the untouched plate in front of him.
"Evelyn," he said without turning around. His voice was quiet, but she could hear the weariness in it.
She froze for a moment, surprised he had known she was there. "I didn't mean to interrupt," she said softly, moving toward the opposite end of the table.
Draco finally looked up at her, his silver-gray eyes filled with a strange mix of emotions-guilt, frustration, and something that looked almost like regret. "You're not interrupting," he said quietly. "I've been waiting for you."
Evelyn's stomach clenched at his words, and she glanced down at her own plate, not hungry in the slightest. She hadn't felt like herself in days, the mounting pressure of the contract and their strained marriage weighing her down like a leaden cloak.
They ate in silence for a few minutes, the only sound the clink of silverware against the plates. Evelyn couldn't stand the silence any longer-it made her mind race, made the thoughts of her uncertain future swirl even faster.
"I've been thinking," Draco said suddenly, breaking the silence. His voice was low, hesitant. "About the contract. About the heir."
Evelyn felt her stomach drop. She hadn't wanted to have this conversation, but she knew it was inevitable. She forced herself to look up, meeting Draco's gaze across the table.
"I don't want you to feel forced into anything," Draco said, his voice steady but laced with an undercurrent of tension. "But we can't ignore this. The contract is binding, and if we don't fulfill it, the consequences will be severe."
Evelyn's heart pounded in her chest, her fingers gripping the edge of the table as she struggled to keep her emotions in check. "You're asking me to have a child, Draco," she said quietly, her voice trembling with barely restrained anger. "This isn't just about fulfilling a contract. It's about bringing a life into this world. A life that will be tied to both of us."
"I know that," Draco replied, his voice strained. "And I know how unfair this is to you. But we don't have a choice. If we don't fulfill the terms of the contract, our families-our entire legacies-could be at risk."
