Page 49 of Checks & Bonds

Then came the pounding on the door.

It was loud, insistent—not like Carmen's earlier gentle knock. My heart skipped a beat as I froze in place, hands hovering over the keyboard.

"Freya! Open up!"

Henry's voice was unmistakable. The authority in his tone left no room for defiance. My pulse quickened as irritation surged through me. Why couldn't he leave me alone for even a moment?

I stood up slowly, bracing myself for whatever confrontation lay ahead. Crossing the room felt like wading through thick fog, each step heavy with anticipation.

When I opened the door, Henry stood there, his expression full of fury.

"We need to talk," he said without preamble.

"Do we?" I replied coolly, crossing my arms over my chest.

His jaw tightened. "Yes. Now."

I matched his stare, refusing to back down. "I'm not going to dinner, Henry."

"You don't have a choice," he growled, stepping closer. The space between us felt charged, like the air before a lightning strike.

"I always have a choice," I shot back, my voice rising. "And I choose not to play your games tonight."

His eyes narrowed. "This isn't a game, Freya. This is about our future."

"Our future?" I scoffed, shaking my head. "There is no 'our future.' This engagement—this entire arrangement—it's all a joke!"

He took another step forward, his presence overwhelming. "You don't understand what's at stake here."

"Oh, I understand perfectly," I countered, meeting his gaze with unwavering determination. "You think you can control me, make me bend to your will. But I'm not some pawn in your grand scheme."

"You're being unreasonable," he snapped, frustration evident in his tone.

"Unreasonable?" My voice dripped with incredulity. "What's unreasonable is you expecting me to just fall in line and accept this... this prison you've created for me!"

Henry's face hardened, the lines around his mouth deepening. "This is bigger than both of us, Freya. There are obligations?—"

"Screw your obligations!" I interrupted, the words tumbling out before I could stop them. "I won't be forced into something I don't want."

He clenched his fists at his sides, struggling to keep his composure. "You think you have a choice? You think walking away will solve anything?"

"Yes!" I shouted, feeling the weight of my own defiance. "Because at least I'll be free from you!"

For a moment, the silence between us was deafening. His eyes bore into mine, and for an instant, I thought I saw something flicker there—hurt? Anger? It was hard to tell.

"You don't know what you're saying," he finally muttered through gritted teeth.

"Oh, I know exactly what I'm saying," I replied coldly. "I'm done being your puppet."

Henry's expression darkened further, and for a moment, it seemed like he might explode. But instead, he took a deep breath and stepped back.

"You can starve for all I care," Henry spat, turning on his heel and storming down the hallway.

I slammed the door behind him with a force that made the walls tremble. My chest heaved, the anger boiling inside me like a cauldron on the verge of overflowing. Tears filled my eyes, blurring my vision, but I blinked them back fiercely. Crying would mean he'd won, and I refused to give him that satisfaction.

I walked back to my desk and sank into the chair. The screen glared at me, the essay half-written and mocking. The words seemed foreign, as if someone else had typed them. I tried to pick up where I'd left off, but my thoughts scattered like leaves in a storm.

With a sigh, I closed my laptop and leaned back, closing my eyes for a moment. The silence of the room pressed in on me,heavy and oppressive. I took a deep breath, trying to calm the turmoil within me.

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