Sky Chandler, a powerful CEO, first captured Jules Parker's heart in high school with kindness and charisma. Jules idolizes Sky, but when their paths cross again years later in the unforgiving corporate world, the hero of Jules' past becomes a guard...
Lady Arina sat still, her hands cradling a delicate porcelain teacup. The aroma of the tea mingled with the heavy silence in the room, brewing a tension that neither she nor Sky dared to break.
Just as Sky drew a breath to speak, Lady Arina interjected, her voice calm yet weighted. "Mia has chosen a wedding date," she announced, her words cutting through the quiet like the sharp edge of a blade.
Sky hesitated, an unusual falter in his otherwise confident demeanor. "I don't wish to marry Mia," he said softly, his tone almost pleading.
Lady Arina's gaze hardened as she took another sip of her tea. "That's not an option, Sky. Now listen to me. By marrying Mia, you will have a perfect life. I've known her for years, she loves you deeply, and she would never make you unhappy." Her words were swift, her conviction unwavering.
Sky's hands tightened into fists on his lap. "I've always been a good grandson, haven't I?" he asked, his voice now tinged with an edge of vulnerability. "I turn left when you say so, and right when you tell me to. I do everything because I love you, Grandma. But what about you?"
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Lady Arina froze, her teacup hovering mid-air before she carefully set it down. "I do this because I love you, Sky," she said, her voice softer now.
"Then why won't you listen to me when I'm asking for this?" Sky's voice cracked, the frustration spilling through his restraint.
Lady Arina's composure finally cracked. "Because what you're asking for is unacceptable!" she exclaimed, her voice rising with a rare fury. "I don't want this to ruin your life. Marry Mia and forget this... this madness ever happened!"
"Falling in love with Mon is the best thing that's ever happened to me, Grandma!" Sky shouted, his voice trembling with suppressed emotion. "Please... let me choose my own path. I'm tired of being told what to do. Do you hear me? I'm tired!" His voice broke as he collapsed into the weight of his own words.
Lady Arina rose from her chair, her expression stormy. "Are you going against me now?" she demanded. "Didn't you promise to obey me? If you hadn't changed so much, I wouldn't have rushed your marriage!"
"You're forcing me, Grandma!" Sky's voice rose in anguish. "And you call this love? Stop ruining my life like you ruined Selena's and Silvia's!"
Lady Arina's breath hitched at his words. "Sky!" she gasped, her face pale with shock. "Do you realize what you just said? Are you leaving me... like they did?"
Her words conjured memories long buried but never forgotten. The echoes of the past returned with sharp clarity.
"Love isn't reserved for a select few, Grandma. Why should we care what others think?" Selena had yelled once, her tears mixing with her defiance.
"You dare disobey me? You dare betray me like your sister?" Lady Arina had thundered in response, her authority absolute.
"That's why Silvia left us!" Selena had screamed, her voice breaking before a hard slap silenced her.
Selena had turned away, her resolve hardened, and driven away that fateful night. Blinded by tears and despair, she hadn't seen the oncoming car... Lady Arina's heart twisted at the memory.
"I lost my beloved granddaughter to someone unworthy," Lady Arina whispered now, tears brimming in her eyes. "Do you think I'll let history repeat itself?"
Sky's voice softened as he fought to contain his rage. "I won't end up like that. I just want to love Mon. That doesn't mean I'll abandon you, Grandma. Please... just let me live my life."
Lady Arina's tears spilled over as she clenched her fists. "The reason I want you to marry Mia is because she can support you. If one day I'm not here, she'll be the one to stand by you. You must face reality, Sky. Do you expect me to embrace something that could ruin you?" Her voice wavered as she bared her soul. "I've been protecting you since the day you were born. Am I wrong to keep doing so? All my life, I've done everything for you. Can't you do this one thing for me?"
Sky stood motionless, torn between love and rebellion. The weight of her words pressed on him like chains.
Later, Jules arrived at Sky's door, her calls unanswered. She rang the bell again, but inside, Sky sat as still as a statue, numb and unresponsive. His mind spiraled in a storm of emotions, torn between his love for Mon and his loyalty to Lady Arina.
