Her betrothed

Sylvia's pov,

The Next morning, the joy in my heart was short-lived as I sneaked back into the house and saw the look of sadness on my cousin's face. Her expression was one of fear and worry, and I knew immediately that something was wrong.

"Your brother Is here," She spoke to me in a hushed voice, barely audible, I knew what that meant. It meant I was in trouble, I felt my heart sink as I realized the gravity of the situation.

"Where is he?" I asked calmly and she pointed to the living room. As I walked into the living room, I saw my brother Bobby standing near the window, flanked by a few of his men. He turned to look at me, and his face was expressionless. I knew that look, and it meant trouble. My heart was pounding in my chest, and I tried to keep my composure as I walked towards him.

"Where have you been?" He questioned and I swallowed hard as I tried to compose a few words.

"I took a drive to cool off," I stuttered and Bobby smiled as he walked up to me.

"You went out for a drive, is that what you're telling me?" He said, his voice dripping with sarcasm. I could see the disbelief in his eyes, and I knew that my lie wasn't fooling him.

"I'm not sure what you want me to say," I replied, my voice barely above a whisper, "But I didn't do anything wrong." He stepped closer to me, his eyes cold and calculating.

"I think you know exactly what I want you to say," he said, his voice low and dangerous. I could feel the hairs on the back of my neck stand up.

"I don't know what you want me to say. I haven't done anything wrong." I said and He let out a slow breath, and I could see the frustration on his face.

"You know what the problem is, Sister," he said, his voice sharp,

"You don't take this family seriously. You think you can just do whatever you want, without any consequences." I felt a sense of dread settle over me.

"I ask again for the very last time, where have you been?" He said calmly.

"I went for a drive," I began, but before I could finish, he slapped me across the face. The force of the blow knocked me back, and I felt the sting of his hand. I looked up at him, my cheek burning, and I saw the fury in his eyes.

"Tell me the truth," he said, his voice barely above a whisper. "Or this is going to get very ugly."

"I have never raised a hand to you before because you are father's favorite, but I cannot allow you to drag our family name through the mud," he said, his voice rising in volume. "I have worked too hard to build up our reputation, and I will not let you destroy it." I could see the passion in his eyes, the fire in his words. I knew that this was not going to end well.

"I went for a drive," I said loudly, trying to keep my composure. His eyes narrowed as he processed my words.

"Casandra lied to me?" he asked, his voice growing dangerously quiet. I turned to look at Casandra, who was standing in the corner of the room, her face pale and her eyes wide. She shook her head, her lips pressed together tightly.

"I'm sorry, Sylvia," Casandra sobbed, her eyes brimming with tears. I couldn't hold it against Casandra for telling my brother the truth about my whereabouts. I knew that he would have used any means necessary to get the information he wanted, and she was likely afraid of the consequences of withholding it. Without our father's presence, my brother was always untamable and his anger was like a wild animal that could not be controlled.

"I told you not to go near Anthonio," Bobby said, his voice stern. "His family is our enemy, and it is forbidden for us to associate with them."

"But I love him," I sobbed, my heart breaking. "I can't just stop loving him."

"You will learn to love Fernando, your betrothed husband," He replied, his voice unyielding. "He is of noble birth, and his family is allied with ours."

"Why must you always insist on having things your way?" I demanded, my voice trembling with anger. "I am not one of your pawns to be controlled and commanded. I am your sister, and I deserve to be treated with respect and dignity."

"You are indeed my sister," he said, his tone uncharacteristically soft. "And that is the only reason I have not punished you for your insubordination." His words made me feel like nothing more than a prisoner, a possession to be controlled and manipulated.

"Your betrothed husband and his family await your arrival tomorrow, gather your things, we are leaving for the mansion so you can greet father and your Mother before your departure," Bobby said sternly.

"I'm not moving an inch," I said, my voice shaking with rage. "I will not be a pawn in your game, I will not be sold off like cattle."

"Sylvia, it is in your best interest to cooperate, or else I will be forced to take more drastic measures," he said, his voice cold and threatening.

What bothered me the most was that no one dared to challenge Bobby, not even my aunt. She sat there in silence, her face betraying no emotion. It was clear that she didn't want to get involved, and I couldn't help but wonder if it was because she wasn't truly related to Bobby. She was my mother's sister, but he was only my step-brother.

Though it went against my every instinct, I packed my things and followed Bobby. I couldn't give in to his demands, but I also couldn't risk inciting his anger any further. Perhaps, if I could just talk to our father, he would listen to me and reverse his decision.

As the car drove me home, I stared out the window, lost in thought. I thought about how much my life would change if I married a stranger, and I felt a deep sense of dread and sadness. I had always been close to my family, and I couldn't imagine what it would be like to leave them behind. My thoughts drifted to my mother, and I wondered how she felt about the whole situation. Did she want this for me? How would my father allow Bobby to give me off in marriage to a stranger just to secure the family's wealth? I silently wished my dad would change his mind and accept my plea. My mom had always told me that as a woman, I was expected to follow the wishes of my family and society, even if it went against my own desires. But I had never truly accepted this philosophy, believing it to be outdated and unfair.