The wind outside the manor howled like a wounded beast that night, carrying the cold breath of the mountains across the island. The old estate of the Caldrons stood high upon the cliffs, a place of pride, of lineage, and of expectations carved deep into the bones of those who bore its name.
Aria Caldron was born into that weight.
From the day she first opened her eyes, she was told what her life would be, what it must become. She would be the heir, the leader, the perfect daughter molded by duty to maintain the pride, the business of the family. Her steps were measured, her words rehearsed, and her emotions trimmed into silence. There was no room for failure, no space for dreams that did not align with her parents’ ambitions.
Even as a child, she understood the word destiny. It hung in
