By late morning, the sun had climbed higher, casting golden warmth across the estate. The calm town beyond seemed untouched by worry, yet inside the Verden estate, every movement carried weight. Liana returned to her room, thinking she could steal a moment to herself, but the heavy expectations of her family shadowed her even here.
The door was barely closed when a knock came.
"Liana, you're needed in the drawing room," her mother's voice called through the door, polite but unyielding. "Darius will be arriving shortly, and it would be proper for you to greet him."
She exhaled, rubbing her temples. Darius — the golden boy, the embodiment of her family's ideals — was coming, and she was supposed to smile and act as if her heart were free. Instead, it felt like it was being quietly crushed under the weight of propriety.
Liana dressed quickly, her fingers brushing the fabric of her gown with distracted tension. She could still feel Eren's presence from earlier, his quiet gaze, the way his voice had brushed against her chest like a gentle caress. I can't think of him now, she scolded herself, though every nerve in her body remembered him.
---
The drawing room smelled faintly of polished wood and the lingering scent of fresh flowers. Her parents stood near the fireplace, chatting politely with a few distant relatives, but their eyes flicked toward the door as Darius entered. He was impeccably dressed, all smiles and charm, but his presence made Liana's stomach twist.
"Liana, my dear," Darius said smoothly, bowing with calculated elegance. "You look… radiant, as always."
She forced a smile, nodding politely. "Thank you, Darius. Welcome to the estate."
Her parents' eyes gleamed with satisfaction, but Liana's heart felt hollow. Every word, every glance, every gesture was an invisible cage she was supposed to admire. And yet, she couldn't stop thinking of Eren.
---
Later, as the formal greetings faded, Liana excused herself under the pretense of tending to the gardens. She wandered aimlessly toward the fountain, needing air, needing silence. Her steps faltered when she saw Eren again, kneeling near the rose bushes, hands buried in soil, his face calm yet focused.
He looked up as she approached, and for a moment, neither spoke. The world seemed to shrink around them, leaving only the soft rustle of leaves and the faint scent of roses.
"Miss Liana," Eren said softly, almost reverently. "You're… outside again."
"I… needed some air," she admitted, brushing a loose strand of hair behind her ear. "The drawing room… it's suffocating."
He nodded, understanding more than she wanted to admit. "Sometimes, the air feels heavy even when the sun shines."
Liana blinked, surprised. His words weren't just observations; they were mirrors to her own feelings. And for reasons she couldn't explain, it comforted her.
They worked in companionable silence for a few minutes, her fingers occasionally brushing the petals of the roses as she tried to distract herself from the dangerous pull of his presence. Yet every time she looked at him, she felt it — the weight of something forbidden, something she wasn't allowed to want, pressing gently against her heart.
---
Suddenly, a shout from the estate gates broke the fragile moment. "Liana! Darius wishes to speak with you in the study immediately!"
Her heart sank. The formalities had begun, and with them, the invisible chains of expectation. She glanced at Eren, who met her eyes for a fleeting second. There was concern there, yes, but also something quieter — understanding, patience, a silent promise.
She swallowed hard. "I have to go," she whispered, almost apologetically.
Eren inclined his head slightly. "Be careful," he said softly. And in that single sentence, there was more meaning than any words could carry — a warning, a comfort, and a bond she wasn't supposed to feel.
---
The study was dimmer than the rest of the house, the curtains drawn to soften the morning sun. Darius lounged in a chair, looking as confident and infuriating as ever. He smiled as Liana entered, but the smile didn't reach his eyes.
"Ah, Liana," he said smoothly, his tone carrying both charm and possessiveness. "I've been looking forward to our… discussions."
Liana forced a polite nod, keeping her distance. Every muscle in her body tensed as the engagement conversation began — her parents' nods of approval, Darius' calculated charm, the invisible web of expectations wrapping around her like ivy.
And yet, in the back of her mind, she felt the echo of Eren's calm gaze, his quiet warning. Why can't I stop thinking about him? she thought. Why does my heart betray me so easily?
Her eyes flicked briefly toward the window, toward the garden where Eren might still be. The thought of him grounded her in the only truth she felt — a small, quiet rebellion against the life she was supposed to accept.
The engagement, her parents' plans, Darius' control — none of it mattered in that brief, stolen moment. Her heart had already found someone else.
---
Later that afternoon, after the conversation ended and the formalities resumed, Liana retreated once more to the garden. She moved quietly along the paths, each step deliberate, until she found Eren seated beneath the large oak tree near the fountain.
"You're here," she breathed, a mix of relief and guilt washing over her.
"I could say the same," he replied, his voice low, steady. "You seem… troubled."
She let herself sit beside him, their shoulders almost touching. "I… I don't want this life," she admitted, her voice barely a whisper. "I'm supposed to marry someone I don't love, and… and I can't stop thinking about you."
Eren's hand hovered near hers, not daring to touch, but his eyes softened. "Then perhaps… you shouldn't," he said quietly. "Even if it's dangerous. Even if the world wouldn't bless it."
Her heart skipped. He understood. He knew. And in that moment, surrounded by the quiet town, the gentle sunlight, and the fragrance of roses, something shifted between them — fragile, forbidden, and yet undeniable.
Liana looked down at her hands, then up at him, her voice trembling. "I don't know how… or if we can… but I want to try."
Eren's lips curved into the faintest, almost imperceptible smile. "Then we will," he said simply. "No matter what the world says."
The wind whispered through the leaves, carrying the unspoken promise of something forbidden, beautiful, and real — a love the world would never bless, yet one they were determined to protect.