"Father, you won't have me marry someone I'm not in love with," Morgana spat into the soil, her face twisted in disgust. Mr. Bloom shot back angrily, veins bulging on his forehead. "You have no regard for me! This family-the York family-will not experience downfall because of your selfish love interests. It's either you marry Danila or face the consequences." "You've chosen to bring shame upon us." He turned to his wife, who stood silently in the corner, unsure of what to do. "Woman, talk to your daughter. I won't watch her destroy a legacy." "OMG, Father! Do you even care about me at all?" Morgana screamed, her voice thick with emotion. In a frenzy, she ran upstairs and slammed her door. Morgana, the only daughter of the Yorks, belonged to a wealthy family. Her father, a merchant with connections across the globe, wanted her to marry Danila, the son of the Prime Minister of Russia-a man her heart felt nothing for. Unknown to her family, she was in love with Oscar, a local footballer she met during her morning jogs. Fate had brought them together, and no man had ever made her heart feel so alive. They had been dating secretly for nearly six months. Over her dead body would she marry Danila. With a fearless mind and a heart full of love, she was ready to confront whatever consequences her family might impose.
Chapter 1 A Defiant Heart
The grand chandelier in the York mansion flickered with soft light, casting shadows across the marble floors as Morgana stood before her father, her hands clenched tightly at her sides. Her heart pounded with a mixture of fury and desperation, but her voice was steady as she made her declaration. "Father, you won't have me marry someone I'm not in love with," she spat, her disgust palpable. Her pale eyes glistened, catching the light in the room, but there was no warmth in her gaze-only defiance.
The air between them crackled with tension, and for a moment, there was silence, thick and suffocating. Mr. Bloom York, standing tall and imperious, felt his temper flare. His face darkened, and the veins on his forehead bulged as if they might burst at any moment. His gaze, usually cold and calculating, now burned with anger. He wasn't a man who was used to being defied, especially not by his own daughter. "You have no regard for me!" he barked, his voice echoing off the walls. "This family-the York family-will not experience downfall because of your selfish love interests. It's either you marry Danila, or you face the consequences." Morgana recoiled at his words. The sharpness in his tone cut deep, but she remained rooted, determined to stand her ground. Her father's obsession with power, status, and his ever-expanding empire had consumed every inch of his soul. He was willing to sacrifice anything for it-even her. "Consequences?" Morgana's voice trembled, but not with fear. It was thick with emotion, with years of being suffocated by expectations she had never asked for. "You've chosen to bring shame upon us," Mr. Bloom continued, his voice now a low, simmering growl. He turned toward the corner of the room, where Morgana's mother stood silently, her face a portrait of worry. "Woman, talk to your daughter," he commanded, his tone cold. "I won't watch her destroy a legacy I've spent my life building." Morgana's mother, gentle and soft-spoken, opened her mouth to say something but hesitated. The weight of the situation pressed down on her, and she seemed lost, caught between her love for her daughter and her loyalty to her husband. "OMG, Father!" Morgana screamed suddenly, unable to contain the hurt any longer. Her hands shook as tears brimmed in her eyes. "Do you even care about me at all? Or am I just another piece of your business deals?" Her voice cracked as the emotion finally broke free, and she turned, storming out of the room. Her feet thudded against the grand staircase as she ran up to her room, slamming the door behind her. Downstairs, Mr. Bloom stood unmoved, his face set in stone. He turned to his wife, his voice devoid of the fire that had consumed him moments before. "She'll come to her senses," he muttered, though it sounded more like an order than a statement. "You need to talk to her. I can't watch my deal with the Prime Minister slip away because of her foolishness." His wife looked at him, her lips parted as if to protest, but she quickly bit back her words. She nodded, hoping to calm him. "I will speak with her, Bloom," she whispered, her voice barely audible. But Mr. Bloom wasn't interested in being calmed. "Good. I expect her decision by tomorrow. The only thing that can calm me now is hearing that she's accepted her role. She must marry Danila." With that, he turned sharply on his heel and headed out the door, his polished shoes clicking against the floor as his convoy pulled up outside. Moments later, the roaring sound of the engine faded into the distance as his car sped off toward the airport. Upstairs, Morgana collapsed onto her bed, her body racked with sobs. The weight of her father's words felt crushing. Marry Danila? She couldn't even imagine it. The thought of being tied to a man she barely knew, a man whose cold demeanor mirrored her father's, made her stomach churn. Her mind raced, every thought circling back to one person-Oscar. He was the only light in her life, the one person who had shown her what true love felt like. Oscar, with his warm brown eyes and gentle smile, made her heart come alive in ways she never thought possible. How could she ever give that up? Her trembling hand reached for her phone, her fingers fumbling to dial his number. When Oscar picked up, his voice was soft, soothing, as if he could sense her distress through the phone. "Morgana? What's wrong?" She couldn't hold back the tears. "Oscar... my father... he's trying to force me to marry Danila. He's threatening me-he's using the family legacy to control me!" There was a pause on the other end. "Marry Danila? But you don't... you don't love him," Oscar said quietly, the hurt evident in his voice. "I don't love him, Oscar," Morgana sobbed, wiping her eyes. "I love you. And I don't care what they say or what they do. I'm not marrying him. I refuse!" Oscar's voice was firm. "We'll get through this, Morgana. Meet me at our usual spot tonight. We'll figure this out together." Morgana nodded, though he couldn't see her. "I will. I just... I need to see you." They exchanged a few more words before hanging up. Morgana collapsed back onto her bed, staring at the ceiling as her heart raced. She knew the risks she was taking. Defying her father was dangerous, but living without Oscar was unimaginable. As night began to fall, Morgana's room grew dark, but she remained on the bed, motionless. Her thoughts swirled like a storm, and she felt the weight of her father's control like never before. But amid the chaos, her love for Oscar burned stronger than ever. Just as she was about to drift into a restless sleep, a sharp knock sounded at her door. Morgana jolted upright, her heart pounding. The door creaked open, and in stepped Alfred, her brother. "Morgana," he said quietly, his tone unsettlingly calm. "We need to talk." Her heart sank. Alfred wasn't one to intervene lightly. There was something in his eyes, something dark, that made her stomach twist. "I know about Oscar," he said simply, closing the door behind him. Morgana's breath caught in her throat. Her world tilted as she stared at her brother in disbelief. How could he know? "What... what are you talking about?" she stood up terrified.
Other books by Chinemerem
More