Chapter 6 : Family dispute
737 Words
“Elena”Max called out.
“You’re overstepping,” Max said.
Elena smiled faintly. “Am I?”
“Yes.”
She tilted her head.
“Or are you just worried he’ll start asking questions?”
James looked between them, confusion growing.
“Okay—can someone explain what’s going on?”
Max didn’t answer.
Elena did.
“Our families wanted us to get close,” she said simply.
James blinked. “Wait… what?”
“A business arrangement,” she continued. “They thought we’d be… compatible.”
James slowly turned to Max.
“…Is that true?”
“…Why didn’t you tell me?” he asked.
Max stepped closer.
“Because it doesn’t matter.”
“It does,” James said.
“Be careful,” she said—but her tone had changed.
Then she walked away
James told Max to give him space that they would talk tomorrow he had a ball to attend in two days and his sister needed him home for a bit.
The Shelton mansion,
The atmosphere in the room was tense.
Too tense.
A long polished table separated two powerful families—the Sheltons and the Sinclairs. What was meant to be a simple dinner now felt like a silent negotiation.
Max stood near the window, his posture straight, his expression unreadable.
His father spoke first.
“This is getting out of hand,” Mr. Shelton said firmly. “We arranged this so both families could grow closer. You’ve barely made an effort.”
Max didn’t turn around.
“I made an effort,” he said calmly. “Just not the one you wanted.”
His mother sighed softly. “Max, Elena is a good girl. We’re not forcing anything. We just thought—”
“That I would change?” Max cut in, finally turning to face them.
The room fell silent.
Mr. Sinclair cleared his throat. “No one is asking you to change. We simply believe that spending time together could—”
“Lead to something,” Max finished for him.
His gaze shifted briefly to Elena, who sat quietly, watching.
Then back to his parents.
“You knew,” Max said, his voice steady but sharp.
“You knew who I am.”
His mother’s expression softened. “We do. And we love you.”
“Then act like it.”
That landed heavily.
Max took a step forward.
“If you love me,” he continued, “stop trying to turn my life into something that makes you comfortable.”
His father’s jaw tightened. “Watch your tone.”
“No,” Max said. “You should listen for once.”
The tension thickened.
Even the air felt heavier.
“I’m not confused,” Max went on. “I’m not going through a phase. And I’m definitely not someone you can ‘fix’ by pairing me with someone else.”
His gaze flickered again—this time settling fully on Elena.
She didn’t look away.
“You’re right,” she said quietly. “They can’t fix you.”
Max held her gaze for a moment.
Then spoke, calm and direct.
“Am not broken am not a toy to be fixed and I’ll never love you”
The words were clear.
Not cruel.
But absolute.
A sharp silence followed.
Mrs. Sinclair shifted uncomfortably. “Max, that’s a bit—”
“He deserves to be honest,” Elena said, cutting her off gently.
Max continued, his tone unchanged.
“If you’re hurt,” he said, “don’t blame me.”
He took another step closer
“Blame them”
The weight of his words settled across both families.
“They’re the ones who decided this without asking us,” he added. “They’re the ones who thought this would work.”
Elena let out a small breath.
Not shaky.
Not broken.
Just… real.
“I already know that,” she said softly.
Max studied her for a moment.
There was no anger in her eyes.
Just understanding.
And something quieter beneath it.
“I didn’t expect anything from you,” she continued. “Not really.”
She gave a faint smile.
“But I did hope.”
“Then am sorry and pls stop messing with my person”
Then he walked out after bowing to both families.
Across the room, the parents remained silent.
Because there was nothing left to say.
- Writer
