Chapter one

Clara paced the length of her bedroom, her mind racing as she tried to come up with a solution to her family's dire financial situation. Her father's gambling debts had gotten out of hand, and they were on the verge of losing everything.

She had tried everything she could think of to get them out of this mess, but nothing had worked. The banks had refused to lend them any more money, and their creditors were getting impatient.

As she stood by the window, looking out at the rolling hills of the countryside, a knock at the door interrupted her thoughts.

"Come in," she called out, turning to see her father standing in the doorway.

"Clara, I have news," he said, his face grim.

She could tell from the look in his eyes that it wasn't good news.

"What is it, Father?" she asked, her heart pounding.

"I've made a deal with someone who can help us," he said, his voice low.

"Who?" she asked, her brow furrowed.

"Alexandro," he replied, his eyes meeting hers.

Clara felt a cold shiver run down her spine at the mention of Alexandro's name. She had heard stories about him, about the way he ruled his empire with an iron fist and the brutal tactics he used to maintain his power.

"What kind of deal?" she asked, her voice barely above a whisper.

"He's agreed to pay off our debts in exchange for your hand in marriage," her father said, his words heavy with regret.

Clara felt as if the ground had fallen out from under her. She had always imagined falling in love and marrying for love, not for money. And certainly not to a man like Alexandro.

"I can't do it, Father," she said, her voice shaking. "I won't marry someone I don't love, no matter what the cost."

"I understand how you feel, Clara," her father said, his eyes pleading with her. "But we have no other choice. This is the only way we can save our family from ruin."

Clara felt tears stinging her eyes as she realized the truth in his words. They were out of options, and this was their last hope.

"I'll do it," she said, her voice barely audible. "I'll marry Alexandro."

Her father's face softened with relief, and he reached out to embrace her.

"Thank you, Clara," he said, his voice choked with emotion. "I promise you, it will all be worth it in the end."

But as Clara lay in bed that night, her mind whirring with thoughts of her impending marriage, she couldn't shake the feeling that she had made a terrible mistake.

Clara stood in front of her father, her eyes brimming with tears as she tried to reason with him.

"You can't just marry me off to Alexandro like I'm some kind of bargaining chip, Dad. I won't go through with it," she said, her voice trembling.

Meliano, Clara's father, looked at her with a hardened expression, his voice clipped and devoid of emotion.

"Clara, you know how dire our financial situation is. We've lost everything because of my gambling habit, and this is the only way to save our family from ruin," he said, his tone final.

Clara felt her heart drop. She had always known her father was reckless with money, but she never thought it would come to this. Being forced to marry someone she didn't love just to save her family's finances was a cruel twist of fate.

"But what about my dreams, Dad? What about my happiness? Am I supposed to just sacrifice everything for the sake of our family's future?" she asked, her voice choked with emotion.

Meliano's face softened, and he sighed heavily. "I understand how you feel, Clara, but sometimes we have to make sacrifices for the greater good. Alexandro is a good man, and he will take care of you."

Clara shook her head, her eyes defiant. "I won't marry him. I won't live a life that's not of my choosing."

Meliano's expression grew stern. "You will do as I say, Clara. You're a part of this family, and you must uphold our name and reputation."

Clara felt trapped. She had always been a dutiful daughter, but this was too much to bear. She couldn't give up on her happiness just to fulfill her family's expectations.

As she lay on her bed that night, Clara's heart was heavy with grief and despair. Her plans to elope with her true love, Michael, had been thwarted, and she was now trapped in a loveless marriage.

Michael had promised to help her escape, but he was nowhere to be found. She tried calling him, but his phone was switched off. It was as if he had vanished into thin air.

Clara was alone, with no one to turn to. The thought of spending the rest of her life with Alexandro, a man she barely knew, was suffocating.

She longed for the freedom to choose her destiny, find her true love and build a life of her own. But now, those dreams seemed so far out of reach.

Clara was filled with a sense of betrayal and heartbreak. She had always believed in love and the power of true companionship, but now she was being forced into a loveless marriage.

She couldn't bear the thought of spending the rest of her life with someone she didn't love. The weight of her family's expectations and obligations had crushed her spirit, leaving her feeling helpless and alone.