Chapter 14 Chapter Fourteen

• Cynthia woke up with a dull ache in her head. The morning light came gently through the heavy curtains, making long shadows in the room. She took a slow breath, feeling tired and worn out.
• As she became more awake, the memories of the night before came flooding back. The dinner, the embarrassment, the betrayal. Her parents had used her like a bargaining chip. Ken’s family had taken away what little pride she had left. And Ken—silent and uncaring—had let it all happen. He had forgotten their promise to each other. Her dreams of becoming a doctor were pushed aside.
• A sharp pain shot through her head, and she pressed her fingers against her temple to steady herself. Sitting up, she saw she was still wearing the dress from last night—wrinkled and stained with dried tears. She had cried herself to sleep. For a moment, she just sat there, staring at nothing.Then, taking a slow breath, she forced herself to focus. She still had a goal.The real deal was still there—Ken needed to get better, and she was there to help him. That hadn’t changed.A spark of determination lit up in her chest.But Mrs. Sydney’s warning echoed in her mind.