The Harrington mansion was too quiet.
Elena Harrington stepped into the grand hall, her heels clicking softly against the marble floor. Once, this place had been alive with laughter, glittering parties, and the confident hum of a family that stood at the top of the city's elite. Now, the silence pressed down on her like a weight.
Her father was waiting in the study. The sight of him startled her .Richard Harrington looked ten years older than he had just weeks ago. His shoulders were hunched, his hands trembling around the glass of whiskey he hadn't touched.
"Father?" Elena asked carefully, setting down her purse. "What's happened?"
He looked at her then, his eyes bloodshot, his face pale. "Elena," he said, his voice thick. "Sit down. There's something you need to know."
Her stomach tightened. The Harringtons had been under pressure for months. Her mother's illness had drained their accounts, contract after contract had slipped through their fingers, and creditors were circling like vultures. She feared what more there was to hear.
Still, she obeyed.
Richard exhaled heavily, as though forcing the words out. "The company is finished. The accounts are empty. If we don't find a solution soon, we'll lose the house… everything."
Elena's heart sank, but she kept her voice calm. "There has to be another way. We can sell more assets, renegotiate"
"There is no more time!" he snapped, then closed his eyes, ashamed of his outburst. When he spoke again, his tone was softer, almost broken. "Your mother… the doctors say she needs surgery immediately. Without it, she won't survive the month."
Elena's throat closed up. Her mother's fragile smile flashed in her mind, the way she'd tried to hide her pain even as her body weakened day by day.
Tears pricked Elena's eyes. "Then we'll find the money. We'll.."
Richard cut her off. "I already found a way."
Something in his voice made her pause. He couldn't meet her eyes.
"Damien Blackwood," he said finally. The name alone made Elena stiffen.
The Blackwoods were everything the Harringtons used to be: untouchable, ruthless, a dynasty of power. And Damien… Damien was the coldest of them all.
Richard's hands clenched around the glass. "Years ago, I made a mistake with him. A deal gone wrong. He never forgave me."
Elena's pulse quickened. "What does that have to do with us now?"
Richard looked at her then, his face lined with desperation. "He made an offer. He'll save the company. He'll pay for your mother's surgery. But only… if you marry him."
For a moment, Elena could only stare at him, uncomprehending. "What?"
Her father's voice cracked. "He wants you, Elena. As his wife."
The words hit her like a slap. She shot to her feet, her chair scraping against the floor. "No. Absolutely not. You can't be serious."
"Elena.."
"How could you even consider this?" Her voice shook with fury. "You want to sell me off to that man? He doesn't want a wife, Father. He wants revenge. And you're ready to hand me over like… like some bargaining chip?"
Richard rose too, his face pale and stricken. "You think I don't know that? You think this is easy for me? I have no choice, Elena! Your mother is dying!"
The words struck deep, silencing her.
He stepped closer, gripping her shoulders with trembling hands. "If you don't do this, she won't make it. We'll lose her. Please, Elena. You're the only one who can save us."
Her chest tightened painfully. She wanted to scream, to run, to deny it all. But behind her father's broken eyes, she saw the truth. They were trapped.
And Damien Blackwood… he was tightening the noose.
Elena pulled away, tears blurring her vision. She turned to the window, staring out into the cold night. The city lights glittered in the distance, mocking her with their beauty.
She whispered, more to herself than to him, "You're asking me to sell my soul."
Richard's voice broke. "I'm asking you to save your mother."
Silence filled the room, heavy and suffocating.
Elena pressed a hand to her chest, trying to steady the storm inside her. She thought of her mother's frail hand holding hers in the hospital. She thought of the empire they had already lost.
And of Damien Blackwood's shadow, stretching over them all.
Three days. That was the deadline.
Three days to decide if she would sacrifice her freedom… or her mother's life.