Andrine twirled around her room, lost in the thrill of the memory, her heart racing with joy. Bjorn had noticed her. He’d shouted for her, asked for her. Her mind played it over and over, filling in the details with her own starry-eyed hopes. The hero of her life, her true love, the one she’d admired for so long, had finally seen her. She could barely contain her happiness, her face flushed with excitement as she imagined him holding her, looking at her the way she’d always dreamed.Just then, the door burst open, and Hazel, her older sister, rushed in, her face pale and stricken with fear. “Andrine!” Hazel cried, her voice trembling, a look of horror etched into her features.Andrine stopped mid-twirl, her joyful daydream crashing back to reality. “Hazel? What happened?” she asked, her heart skipping a beat, sensing the urgency in her sister’s tone.Hazel took a shaky breath, her eyes filling with tears as she looked at Andrine. “Mom and Dad… they just accepted a large dowry from Nei
Neil’s jaw tightened, his fists clenching at his sides as his temper flared. The calm, calculating expression he had worn moments before disappeared, replaced by cold anger.Andrine’s gaze flicked toward Neil, but she seemed unfazed by the rising tension. “Bjorn is interesting,” she declared, her lips curling into a rebellious smile. “I like him.”The room fell into stunned silence. Karol’s face twisted in horror, his mind racing as he struggled to comprehend what his daughter had just said. Ingrid stood frozen beside him, her hand covering her mouth as tears welled up in her eyes. And in the corner, Neil seethed, his body trembling with barely controlled rage.The defiance in Andrine’s eyes was unshakable, the tension in the room electric. She had drawn a line, and everyone knew that crossing it would lead to consequences none of them were prepared for.Neil's voice dropped, heavy with finality. “Andrine... you cannot marry Bjorn in the future.”Andrine’s eyes widened in confusion, h
The first SUV's door swung open with a resounding thud, creating a tension-filled atmosphere. Ivan Anderson Suegra stepped out, his long leg hitting the ground first, followed by his towering body. His piercing blue eyes scanned the palace, his expression unreadable but filled with a simmering intensity. The air around him seemed to thicken as he took in the sight of the mansion.From another SUV, Bjorn Rodriguez emerged with a devilish smile curling on his lips. He walked toward Ivan, his excitement barely contained, his eyes gleaming with a twisted satisfaction. This was what he thrived on—chaos, conflict, and drama.“Uncle,” Bjorn called out, his voice cutting through the tense air as he strode up to Ivan. “This is the house. They threatened Dad. Even Neil Holland was there.”Ivan’s gaze sharpened at Bjorn’s words, his jaw tightening. His eyes flicked toward the palace with a cold calculation, absorbing the weight of the situation. His presence was commanding, the kind that made
Karol’s entire body froze in fear. His legs felt weak, his hands trembling as he struggled to process the gravity of the situation. He had no answers for them, and his mind raced to think of how to escape this nightmare. His body shook visibly, and Ingrid, seeing his distress, clutched his arm tightly, her own fear mirrored in her wide eyes.Bjorn, his voice filled with dark satisfaction, leaned in closer. "I saw your daughter Alysha at the Suegra hotel that night," he sneered. "I was there, too, okay?"Karol swallowed hard, his throat dry. The horror of that night was something he had tried to push aside, but now it was crashing back with full force. Bjorn’s words were a reminder of everything that had gone terribly wrong, and Karol knew the danger that was now standing before him.Ivan, watching the scene unfold with cold amusement, flicked his cigarette casually. "But the thing is," he began, his voice dropping to a more menacing tone, "I’m also searching for someone." Karol’s brea
The sleek, black car pulled up to the sprawling gates of the Holland mansion, a heavy silence filled the air. The towering iron gates parted slowly, revealing the grandeur of the estate beyond, its vastness intimidating. Inside the car, Andrine and Alysha sat side by side, their faces pale, their bodies tense as they approached the place that would now serve as their refuge—or prison.Neil Holland sat at the wheel, his face emotionless, his eyes focused on the road ahead. The tension in the car was thick, but Neil showed no signs of hesitation. This was all part of his plan, and he knew the weight of what he had taken on. He glanced briefly in the rearview mirror at Andrine and Alysha, their youthful faces etched with fear and uncertainty.As the car rolled up the driveway, the massive Holland mansion loomed larger with each passing second. Its imposing stone walls, grand windows, and the intricate designs carved into its structure seemed to watch the car’s arrival like a silent senti
Alysha and Andrine entered their new room, and Alysha was taken aback by the sheer luxury of the space. The room was adorned with lavish furnishings, intricate designs, and soft, rich fabrics that reflected the immense wealth of the Holland family. Alysha had always known the family was powerful, but this—this level of opulence—was beyond her imagination.Yet, despite the beauty of their surroundings, Andrine’s sadness was palpable. Her usually vibrant eyes were clouded with gloom as she sat on the edge of the plush bed, her thoughts clearly elsewhere.Alysha, noticing her sister’s distress, walked over to her and gently pulled her into her arms. She kissed the top of Andrine’s head, trying to offer some comfort. The gesture was soft, filled with love and concern."Andrine," Alysha whispered, "what’s wrong?"Andrine looked up, her voice small but determined. "I like Bjorn," she confessed, her words hanging in the air.Alysha’s heart skipped a beat at the mention of Bjorn. She knew tha
After returning from Jarl palace. Ivan leaned back, taking a deep breath as he watched his nephew fuming beside him, Bjorn’s fists clenched in frustration. The boy was only seventeen, but already he was obsessed with finding "his woman," convinced she was somehow hidden away by Neil Holland. Ivan felt a strange mix of amusement and exhaustion. Bjorn, barely out of his teens, dreaming of marriage, while Ivan himself—thirty years old, unbound by anything resembling commitment—remained single and indifferent to the thought.“There are twenty-one girls in the Jarl family,” Ivan muttered, still in disbelief. “And every one of them looks nearly the same. Same long orange hair, same pale skin, same willowy figure.” His brows knitted in frustration as he ran through each encounter in his mind. “But none of them looked like her. She was… different.” The memory of that night flashed through his mind, the girl’s features burned into his memory in ways that haunted him, tugging at something he d
Ivan leaned back, swirling his drink slowly, a glint of intrigue in his gaze. “And when you do bring her here, what exactly do you expect will happen, Bjorn?” he asked, his voice carrying a hint of a challenge. “Do you think that’ll be the end of it?”Bjorn barely heard his uncle’s words, his mind already racing with plans and possibilities. “I don’t care,” he replied defiantly, his eyes blazing. “All I know is, she’s mine. And everyone will see it.”With that, Bjorn turned on his heel, already marching toward the door, oblivious to the complexities and dangers that lay ahead. Ivan watched him go, a small, almost rueful smile on his lips. Young, reckless, and absolutely unprepared for the storm he’s about to unleash.As the door closed behind Bjorn, Ivan exhaled, shaking his head. “Good luck, kid,” he murmured to himself, amusement fading as he considered the chaos his nephew might very well bring to their doorstep.The answer was painfully simple, a truth Ivan had known but never spo