Chapter 5

• Carlos's words ran through her mind, holding her bound like invisible chains. Eena kept her gaze on the streetlights as the car moved through the city.
• She can't go home, she thought in her mind. Not to her mother's unlimited persuasion or her father's guilt-stricken silence.
• "Stop," she said suddenly.
• The driver peeped at her in the rearview mirror but didn't question it. The car slowed down, and Eena stepped out. She pulled her shawl together around her shoulder, walking down the streets until she got to Diego's house.
• She didn't text him. She climbed the stairs and knocked.
• The door opened quickly, and Diego's brow shot up.
• "Eena. You're here?"
• She didn't utter a word. She brushed past him and went straight inside.
• Diego shut the door and followed her to the living room. "Eena," he said, taking a careful look at her. "What happened?" He cupped her face with his hands, tilting her face upwards.
• "He told me I belong to him," her voice came out low. "He said it like it was a fact. Like it was already done. And I just sat there, Diego. I didn't say anything. I just... Her voice shook, and she pressed her face with her palm.
• Diego reached for her hands and pulled them away from her face. "Look at me, you're not his. Not in ways that matter.
• Eena sniffed hard. "I feel like I'm disappearing."
• Diego put a finger across her lips, pulling her against his chest.
• "You're still you, Eena. And he can't take that away from you."
• She leaned on him for a long moment, close enough to hear his heartbeat. When she finally pulled back, her anger sharpened.
• "I hate him for making me feel small," she said calmly. "I hate him for making me afraid... and making me feel anything at all."
• "Anything?" Diego said in surprise.
• "I don't know what scares me the most. Marrying him, or how I react when he's close. It's like I want to scream, but some part of me listens."
• Diego's face became pale. He stood up abruptly and began pacing the room. After some minutes, he turned to Eena sharply.
• "Let's relocate together." He gently crouched beside her—determination in his eyes.
• "Let's go somewhere far away. Away from this drama."
• Eena's brows shot up. For a moment, she wanted to say yes, to run into his arms and go anywhere as long as he was there. But she thought of her family.
• "I love you, Diego. But I can't betray my family. This decision is hard, but I'm their only option."
• Diego sighed in pain.
• "This has to stop somehow. I can't watch them succeed in this." He paused for a moment and began again.
• "I don't care if he has all the money in Mexico City. I'll have to find a way to stop him."
• Eena gently caught his arm. "Diego. You can't flex muscles with him. He's too powerful. Going against him could ruin things."
• He leaned forward. "Then we outsmart him. We wait, we plan. But I'm not letting him win."
• For the first time, Eena saw that she was standing between two storms: Carlos's relentless control and Diego's burning fury.
• She gently pulled her hands away from Diego's arm. Feeling the weight of the night again.
• "I should go before my parents notice."
• Diego nodded. "I'll walk you out."
• The street was calm as they stepped outside. The cool breeze of the night grew heavier, signaling rain.
• Eena's gaze caught a sleek black car parked across the road. Headlights off and windows tinted. She gripped Diego's hand tighter, her stomach sank.
• "Eena? Diego followed her gaze.
• "Nothing. She said sharply. "Just thinking."
• But inside, her heart was racing. She knew the car that had dropped her off earlier.
• The car didn't move. It sat there, engine faintly sounding.
• Eena's skin itched as they walked down the streets. Somewhere inside her, she knew she was being followed.
• ______
• Eena woke up with a headache. Her pillow was soaked with the tears she hadn't been able to stop last night. She sat up slowly as the morning light shone into her room.
• She stared at the floor for a moment, then gently tilted her head from left to right. Pulling a robe over her nightdress, Eena walked downstairs.
• The house was still covered in silence.
• She went to the kitchen, got a bottle of water from the fridge, and drank deeply.
• As she turned to head back upstairs, she heard voices from the living room. Her parents.
• Eena curiously crept closer.
• "Catalina", her father said. He would have at least informed us before making such a big announcement".
• "He doesn't have to tell us anything, Octavio. This is good for our family and our name. Let people talk." Catalina cut in sharply.
• Eena's pulse raced, and her curiosity grew wider.
• "Look," Catalina said, pointing at the tablet in her hand.
• Eena could clearly hear the voice of the news anchor
• "Billionaire Carlos Castillo has announced his engagement with Miss Eena Morales. It has been confirmed that the two will be getting married soon. The wedding date is expected to be announced within the week."
• The bottle slipped from Eena's hand and fell on the floor, drawing her parents attention.
• Both her parents turned sharply towards the doorway.
• "Eena" her father hissed.
• But she barely heard him. Her heart pounded painfully as tears rolled down her cheeks. She thought she would faint. "It's public now. Everyone will know. Everyone will talk," she whispered.
• Octavio stood up quickly. But just as he was about to take a step, Catalina held him back.
• Eena lost her balance and staggered back a bit. She slowly sat on the floor, tilting her head up to look at her parents.
• They didn't ask her, they didn't care. She thought.
• And Carlos had just announced her engagement to the entire world without looking her in the eye.