Lara Smith — the only daughter of the prestigious Smith family — had grown up in a world draped in luxury yet riddled with shadows. From the outside, her life looked perfect: a beautiful young woman born into wealth, privilege, and influence. But behind the marble walls of their grand estate, Lara’s life was far from the fairy tale people imagined. Her family was not just powerful — they were desperate. The Smith empire, once unshakable, had been teetering on the edge of bankruptcy. In a ruthless move, her parents struck a deal to save the family’s crown jewel — their company. The cost? Lara herself. She was treated not as a daughter, but as collateral in a business transaction, her future exchanged for the survival of their fortune. Bound by loyalty and family pressure, she had no choice but to surrender her dreams and freedom. Her love life, even before the scandalous arrangement, had been a quiet disaster. She had given her heart to the wrong man — one who shattered it without remorse. Years of emotional scars taught her to build walls so high, no one could climb them. She convinced herself that love was nothing but a beautifully packaged lie, meant to seduce and destroy. Then came Liam. She met him in the most unexpected way — a twist of fate she never saw coming. Liam was unlike anyone she had known: confident yet gentle, powerful yet disarmingly human. He carried himself with a quiet strength, the kind that didn’t need to shout to be heard. In his presence, she didn’t feel like a pawn in someone else’s game; she felt like herself. He didn’t see the “Smith heiress” or the “business bargain.” He saw Lara — the woman behind the name, the one who had been silently screaming for freedom. At first, she resisted him. She had been burned before and had no interest in letting another man near her heart. But Liam was patient. He didn’t just tell her what love was — he showed her. In the way he listened without judgment. In the way his eyes lit up when she laughed. In the way he treated her pain as something to heal, not exploit. Slowly, the cracks in her defenses began to widen. With Liam, she learned that love wasn’t about grand promises or perfect moments. It was about safety — about finding a place where you could be broken and still be enough. He taught her that her worth wasn’t tied to her family’s name, their fortune, or the mistakes of her past. Yet, their story was not without storms. The same family who traded her future would stop at nothing to control her present. And as her feelings for Liam deepened, she faced a dangerous choice: protect her heart by walking away, or risk everything for the one man who had shown her what love truly meant. For Lara Smith, this was no ordinary romance. It was a battle — between duty and desire, between the life she was given and the life she wanted. And for the first time, she was ready to fight. ---

waking up from my deep slumber the day had not yet begin, darkness covered the surface of the day, it was early morning I saw light fitered softly through my window, I know she had lighted another candle indeed, it's a routine, I grew up with. I don't think she will ever get tired of this sincerely to me is tiring praying passionately for the dead person expecially someone you dont have connections with, it sounds weird but it is the truth when would she abstain from acting this way I thoughts, sounds like bad omen this morning am not even in mood to join her in prayer.My grandmother is a priceless jewel that can't be bought with a price . I love her from the deepest. But she function in such a way that i wonder which kind of human been is this. I am not moved for once in my life if she decided to acted somehow because that is how she was. Someone says old age is affecting her. But not really, I don't think that was the problem, she dissipate her self from everybody, and her maintenance can't be underated or else you don't want to be a victim. this makes people called her some weird names which I can't tolerate, but later on I don't have choice but to admit the fact of calling her a witch.Our house is at the center of the village. It was isolated, people has been complaining that my grandmother is not accommodating, obviously it wasn't a lie, some years back one of our neighbors mistakenly drop a dirt at the front of her varandar meanwhile Grandmother abhor dirtiness and can punch anybody for it, grandma broke into her house park the dirt at her front door, I peak at her at our window side,. "Why did she always behave like a witch" I protested.imagine, the dirt is not even obvious even parking it does not make any difference.I Am a quark when it comes to cooking for she does not allow me to step into the Kitchen, but she can wake me up from bed with a lashes of cane which is my morning cup cake, I wonder how she does that even if I try to wake up early she is always overtake and surpassed me, I have been through this since I was 13 now am 17.Anytime grandma light the candle she always wanted me to partake in the prayer, but I have known knowledge about what she does. I couldn't participate in it rather I prefer walking sluggishly to my room and sleep, left her to do her things mean while her call to prayer is welcome light the candle but been arrogant wouldn't let me obey her instruction, I always raised a question in my heart concerning this prayer, what would the prayer do to a dead person any time i raised the question I became daft because is beyond my understanding instead I refused to be a partaker. Actually my name is welcome, she named me welcome. The name always glared at me each time have been called, I don't understand why my name is been called welcome, even at school it's embarrassing, while student make jest of it expecially the bullies, even to me the name sounds off, but what can I do .I heard it several years ago that I was an abandoned child who happened to be picked by my grandmother by the road side and she raised herself. Almost all our neighborhood knows the story behind my birth some of them had advice me to look out for my parent and return to them I count those advise has the most useless advise have listen too, advise that comes when you don't know how to address a matter.Grandma had no cordial relationship with her neighborhood that is why they vacated the house and let her be, because her hot temper could at least boiled water or cook rice eventually.I could remember one incident that happened before my eyes, I was moping the whole house while a number of people entered our compound without knocking. I actually thought they were invited, but not so, they approached me with a frown that plastered on there face like glue, I was shocked, and fear griped me I thought I had done something wrong, only for to realize that they actually came let an apartment. My grandmother was at home immediately she heard there foot step she came out and attend to them, there were discussing with my grandmother about the chemical they were about to launch, I was shocked, how would they that kind of product, the proceed and said the house is isolated it would be good to start the business in the premises, my grandmother didn't say a word even me was thinking other wise the man further and my mom should name the price she looked at them from head to toe left them and went inside before I know my grandmother carried the moping bow and drenched them with the dirty I reserve to discard, infact I was shocked and this people looks wealthy, for someone to come and established a company in our house brings joy to me, but grand ma has watered the joy, the man left angrily seen my grandmother going inside again, they are not actually aware of what she capable of." Where are they?" she said fumming with anger, she looked at me I averted my gaze and looked another direction, but to sincere