Ch. 3

                                    

                                          
ESMERALDA BERTILLON
8 YEARS AGO
The day I arrived at Dani's house, I could sense the tension even before I stepped through the door. The atmosphere felt heavy, like a storm waiting to break. I let myself in and barely had time to take off my coat when the sound of Mr. Manuel's voice tore through the quiet. His words echoed off the pristine walls, harsh and unforgiving.
"You will marry Sebastian," he barked, his face flushed with anger. "You don't have a choice! This was decided long before you were even born!"
I hovered by the doorway, unsure whether to leave or stay. Dani stood in the middle of the room, her face pale, tears threatening to spill. Her father's voice was like a whip, each word cutting deeper.
"It's the agreement," he continued, pacing like a caged animal. "Sebastian is your future. His father and I promised this. You know that!"
I watched her crumble under his words, her arms wrapped around herself as if trying to keep from shattering. Dani's breath hitched, and before I could step in, she ran. She bolted up the stairs, her figure vanishing into the shadows of the hallway.
Without thinking, I followed her.
Her room was familiar—plush carpets, delicate lace curtains, soft pastels that looked almost out of place against the harshness of reality. She sat on the edge of her bed, her face buried in her hands, sobbing quietly. Her shoulders shook with each breath, and I could feel her anguish radiating through the space.
"Dani..." I whispered, walking over and kneeling beside her. I reached out, placing a hand gently on her arm. She didn't flinch, but her sobs grew quieter, more restrained.
"I can't do this, Esme." Her voice was broken, barely a whisper. "I don't love him. I never will."
I sat beside her on the bed, my gaze trailing over the room—the carefully arranged family portraits, the perfectly manicured garden visible through the window, the life of privilege and perfection that Dani was trapped in. It was all so painfully curated, like her entire existence had been set up for display.
"You don't know that," I said softly, my fingers grazing hers. "Maybe... maybe if you give him a chance, you'll learn to love him."
Her head snapped up, eyes red and swollen from crying, disbelief flickering in them. "You think love can just happen like that? Like it's something I can turn on because it's convenient?"
I bit my lip, unsure of how to respond. I had seen it in the movies—the arranged marriages that blossomed into something real, something beautiful. The stories where two people, forced together by circumstances, found love along the way. And I wanted to believe it could be true for her too. 
"I've seen it happen," I said, my voice tentative but hopeful. "It's like... those films where they don't love each other at first, but then—over time—they grow closer, and everything falls into place. Maybe it'll be like that for you."
Dani let out a bitter laugh, wiping at her tears. "That's a fantasy, Esme. This isn't a movie. This is real life. And I don't want that life with him."
Her words stung because I had no way to argue with them. She was right. This wasn't a romantic drama. It was a cold, arranged reality, and she was trapped in it. But I still wanted to ease her pain, even if I didn't know how.
"Maybe..." I hesitated, searching for the right words. "Maybe you'll have a happy home. A beautiful daughter. And maybe—just maybe—Sebastian will love you in a way that surprises you. He could cherish you, Dani. Give him a chance."