TORN BY TIME AND LIES

e city's lights flicker to life as the sun dipped below the horizon, casting long shadows across the manicured lawns a

alth, just like the rest of our house. Everything was in its place, every detail carefully curated to p

e like obligations than pleasures. Luncheons with my mother's friends, charity events, and endless shopping sprees. It was a life of luxury, yet it felt holl

man. My dark hair was perfectly styled, my makeup flawless, my clothes expensive and fashionable. But the eyes-my eyes-told a differ

They believed in appearances, in maintaining the illusion of a perfect family. My mother, in particular, was relentless in her pursuit of social stan

n high school, the friends I made at university, they all saw me as a means to an end. They saw the Donovan name and

ndsome, wealthy, influential. But behind his charming smile, I saw the same hunger I had seen in so many others. He didn't love me; he loved the

sat at a corner table, surrounded by the city's elite. He was charming, as always, but there was a coldness in his eyes that sent chills down my spi

to continue the legacy of power and wealth. But every time I thought about it, a sense of dread washed o

ck on the door. "Sophia, dinner's ready,"

urmoil inside. I set the photograph down and took a deep breat

I longed for an escape, for a chance to break free from the glass walls that surrounded me. Littl

ns and expectations. My father, Robert Donovan, was a commanding presence at the table, his deep voice carrying an air of autho

ers, his presence a constant reminder of the future my parents envisioned for me. As he talked ab

ne who would look past the Donovan name and the trappings of wealth, and see the re

ur latest acquisition," my mother

ech startup. It's a small company, but it has a lot of potential. I'm plannin

tration. Every conversation with Jonathan revolved around business and powe

n space, away from the relentless pressure of my family's expectations. I stared out the window

onnection I so desperately craved. Little did I know, my life was about to change in ways I couldn't imagine. And i