A Love That WS Sacrificed

h move they made brought them closer to the precipice of a war that would engulf both their families. Calysta could feel the weight of every decision, every word

mes of key players in both their families-business moguls, politicians, and corrupt officials-were scribbled in the ma

his presence like a shadow in the corner of the room. He was dressed in his usual dark attire, his eyes

ront of her. "You're sure? This is the only chance w

"It won't fail. I've been preparin

t foreign on her tongue when it came to Lucien, but she had no choice but to accept it-fo

ther's name flashed across it. A knot tightened in her chest. Her father had been her rock, the one p

omething in his eyes-curiosity, maybe even amusement. He could see the way h

ped the screen, bringing th

trong and commanding, as always. "I need to see you. T

d a feeling she knew exactly what it wa

. I need you to be there. It's time to finalize the terms," h

level of detachment her father reserved for business transactions, and yet,

after a long pause

t of her father's words hanging in the air. Lucien moved closer, his

a muttered, mostly to h

r. "Are you sure you want t

ression. "I don't have a choice. If I want to get ahea

dangerous undercurrent. "I'm not telling you to back down, Calysta. But yo

acing with the possible implications. "An

-

the image of power and control, was already seated at the head of a table, his back straight, his expression unreadable. Lucien was there too, seated ac

r father remarked

ide her father, her posture as stiff as his. L

rcurrent of tension as her father steered the talk toward business. She couldn't shake the feeling that this wasn't just

mooth, "I trust you've prepared everyth

course. Everything is in place, and I believe it will benefit both of our

st the surface. Beneath it, something far darker was brewing, something that woul

a piercing look, "will play a key role in the success of this

as something sinister in the way he spoke, like a decision had already been ma

"She's ready. I'm confident she'l

ow, she was fully aware-there was no turning back. Her life, her future, was no longer in her

his voice final, as if nothing more

apped in her life. But one thing was clear: this was just the beginning. The battle s

here was n