Part 1
The morning sun crept over the Verden estate, spilling light across the polished floors of the grand halls. Yet inside, a storm brewed, invisible but palpable. Liana moved silently through the corridors, her thoughts heavy and racing. Every glance, every sound, every shadow seemed loaded with hidden meaning. The danger she had sensed before had grown sharper, more insistent, and Darius' presence lingered like a shadow she could not escape.
Her family had begun a new strategy: constant subtle pressure. Her mother's questions, framed as concern, probed her desires and intentions. "Liana, my dear, have you considered the future you want? A stable life, a secure marriage… there is no need for hesitation."
Her father, more blunt in his own way, added, "You are an heiress, Liana. You must think beyond your feelings. Darius is a fine match. He will bring honor to the family."
Honor. The word felt like a chain around her heart. Her pulse quickened with a mixture of rebellion and fear. Every fiber of her being longed to defy them, yet she knew that even a single misstep could ruin everything she cherished — especially her secret with Eren.
---
By mid-morning, she found herself in the garden, heart racing. The roses were still fragrant, but their beauty did little to soothe her growing anxiety. She scanned the horizon, ever watchful, until a familiar figure appeared — Eren, moving silently among the blooms, his dark eyes meeting hers with a mixture of concern and quiet relief.
"You came," he murmured, his voice soft, yet carrying a weight that made her chest ache.
"I had to," Liana admitted, her voice trembling. "Every hour apart… it feels unbearable. I feel as if part of me is missing when you're not near."
Eren's hand brushed hers lightly, a fleeting touch that sent a spark of warmth through her entire body. "Then we endure," he whispered, "carefully, cautiously, but together. No matter what they do, we will protect this… whatever it is between us."
Her lips pressed into a thin line. "And yet… Darius, my parents… they are closing in. I feel like a bird trapped in a gilded cage. Every glance, every word… could betray us."
Eren's dark eyes softened. "We will not falter. Our love may be forbidden, but it is real. And real love… endures."
---
No sooner had they shared that fragile moment than the unmistakable sound of polished boots echoed across the garden. Liana froze. Darius.
He stepped from the shadows with deliberate elegance, eyes sharp and predatory. "Enjoying your stroll, Miss Liana?" he said, voice smooth, honeyed with hidden venom. "Or perhaps… you are practicing deception?"
Liana's heart raced, her chest tightening. She took a careful step back, though Eren remained steadfast, his presence a shield between her and danger.
"And you, sir?" Darius continued, eyes flicking to Eren. "Tending the flowers… or something more? Some attachments… are hard to conceal, aren't they?"
Eren remained calm, though the tension in his posture was subtle but clear. "Just performing my duties," he said evenly, betraying nothing.
Darius' smile was slow and dangerous. "Interesting," he murmured. "Some loves… the world refuses to bless, yet they persist. And I will not rest until I understand yours, Miss Liana."
The words landed like a blade. Liana's fingers clenched in her skirts, heart hammering, while Eren's hand found hers again, grounding her in the storm.
"You see?" he whispered, voice low and urgent. "He is clever, calculating. Every move we make… every heartbeat… is being watched. We must tread carefully."
"I know," she whispered, leaning slightly toward him, though careful to maintain their secrecy. "But I… I cannot stop caring for you. Not now. Not ever."
Eren's eyes darkened with a fierce intensity. "Nor can I stop caring for you, Liana. Even if the world is against us, even if it calls our love forbidden… I will not abandon you."
---
Over the following days, Darius' interference became more aggressive. He would arrive unexpectedly at the estate, lingering near the garden, sending subtle threats through his charm, testing Liana's composure. Her parents' questions grew sharper, more invasive, their insistence that she focus on Darius increasing by the hour.
One evening, as twilight settled, Liana confided in Adrian in secret. "I… I am terrified, Adrian," she admitted, voice trembling. "I do not know how to endure this… the constant scrutiny, the fear of exposure, the danger to Eren."
Adrian placed a firm hand on her shoulder. "You endure because your love is worth it," he said. "Because Eren is worth it. And because the heart that loves this fiercely… does not falter easily. You will survive this, Liana. And you will protect him. Together, you will find a way."
Tears pricked her eyes, but a fierce determination began to bloom within her. She would not be broken. She would fight — carefully, quietly, but with every ounce of her being — for the love that had claimed her heart.
---
The next morning, Liana stole away to the garden again, where Eren waited beneath the oak tree. The world around them was calm, but the storm of danger and tension lingered in every shadow.
"I feared yesterday might have been too close," Eren murmured, eyes scanning the perimeter. "Darius grows bolder. Your parents are not far behind. We must be vigilant."
"I know," Liana whispered, chest tight. "And yet… I cannot stay away from you. Even if it is forbidden, even if it is impossible… I cannot stop loving you."
Eren stepped closer, brushing a strand of hair from her face. "Then we endure," he whispered. "Hidden, cautious, but unwavering. When the world turns against us… we turn to each other. Always."
Her heart swelled with a mixture of love, fear, and longing. In that garden, bathed in soft morning light, surrounded by roses glowing faintly in the dawn, Liana realized the truth: the world might never bless their love, could never accept it, yet it had found them. And in that finding… it had made them stronger than fear, stronger than danger, stronger than anything the world could throw at them.
A love the world would never bless… and yet, it had taken root, and it would endure.