Anna stood in her father's office, her heart pounding with a mixture of fear and determination. The room was dimly lit, casting eerie shadows across the walls, mirroring the tension that filled the air.
"Father," she began, her voice tentative yet resolute, "I came here to tell you that I cannot marry Devon simply because of your company."
Her father's face contorted into a mix of anger and disappointment. He slowly rose from his mahogany desk, towering over Anna with his stern gaze.
"You think you can keep disgracing me, just like you did yesterday?" he spat, his voice dripping with disdain. "Love isn't enough, Anna! You need someone like Devon. He can give you the life you deserve."
Anna's eyes burned with unshed tears. The weight of her father's expectations bore down on her, suffo
