The storm outside mirrored the chaos brewing within Agnes's heart. The wind howled against the windows of the café, rattling the glass as if nature itself were in upheaval. The oppressive weight that had clung to her for years, a constant reminder of her father's control and Lami's expectations, was now beginning to crack. But the freedom she had so fiercely claimed came at a price.
She sat at the corner table, staring into the untouched cup of coffee in front of her. The warmth from the mug didn't reach her fingers. Her hands felt cold, her thoughts fractured like shattered glass.
Majek had left her to her thoughts for a few moments, stepping outside to clear his mind. He knew, as she did, that there would be no simple resolution to this war. The world they had once known—of whispered promises and quiet manipulations—was gone. And what would come next would be nothing short of a fight for their lives.
But for the first time in as long as Agnes could remember, the thought of fighting felt almost… liberating.
She took a shaky breath, her mind swimming with memories, fragments of moments that had once felt like comfort. Her father's cold gaze, Lami's insidious charm, the feeling of being a puppet to forces beyond her control. All of it had felt inevitable, like a current pulling her under, dragging her through life with no say in the direction. But today, she had fought back. And though it had been terrifying, though she feared what the repercussions would be, for the first time, she felt like she might be able to breathe on her own.
She closed her eyes for a moment, trying to hold on to the strength of her resolve. The air in the café felt thick with unspoken things, and the ache in her chest wouldn't go away. Majek had promised to be there, but could they really navigate the dangers ahead together? Could she truly have the life she longed for?
Footsteps broke her reverie, and she looked up to find Majek standing before her, his face set in determined lines. There was a storm in his eyes as well, a reflection of the battle they both knew was on the horizon.
"Are you okay?" His voice was low, like a grounding force, steady in the midst of all the chaos.
Agnes nodded, but the action felt almost mechanical. She was okay in the sense that she had finally taken control of her own destiny, but the cost of that was still unknown. The weight of her decision hadn't fully hit her, not yet.
"I think I might be," she said slowly, her voice uncertain, "but I'm scared, Majek. What now?"
He didn't hesitate to sit beside her, his eyes softening as he reached for her hand, his fingers brushing against hers in an attempt to ground her.
"I'm scared too," he admitted, his words quiet but fierce. "I'm scared of what they'll do, what your father will do to try and pull you back. But you don't have to face this alone. We'll fight, Agnes. Together."
For a moment, their gazes locked—two people who had once been so divided by their circumstances, now brought together by shared defiance. They didn't need to say more. Their hearts spoke for them, bound by a shared determination.
But even as she drew strength from Majek's presence, the truth loomed over her like a storm cloud. She couldn't outrun the consequences of her choices. She had severed ties with everything she had ever known: family, legacy, duty. The people who controlled her world weren't going to let her slip away so easily. And in their game of power, she was the pawn.
"I don't know what my father will do," Agnes said, her voice thick with the weight of her uncertainty. "But whatever it is, he's not going to stop until he has me back where he wants me."
Majek's jaw tightened at the mention of her father. "We don't have to go back to that world. We can make our own."
Her hand trembled slightly in his. "It's not that simple. It never has been."
There was a long pause as Majek studied her face, his eyes searching for the fear that lingered just beneath the surface. He had always known her as the poised, controlled figure in the boardroom, the daughter of one of the most powerful men in the country. But now he saw her for who she truly was—a young woman thrust into a battle that she never asked for.
"We can make it simple, Agnes," he said gently, squeezing her hand. "We don't have to let them win."
She looked up at him, her eyes filled with a mix of fear and hope. "And if they come after us? If they use everything they have to tear us apart?"
"Then we fight back." His words were firm, resolute. "They may have power, but we have the truth on our side. And together, that's enough to tear down any empire."
Agnes exhaled slowly, the tension in her shoulders easing just a little. "I don't know if I'm ready for this fight."
"You are," Majek said, his voice quiet but sure. "Because you already fought today. And I'll be with you every step of the way."
Her eyes softened as she leaned against him, her head resting on his shoulder. For the first time in what felt like forever, she felt something she hadn't allowed herself to feel in years: hope.
But as the minutes passed, her thoughts began to wander again—back to her father's words, to the cold resolve in his eyes. She knew him too well. He wouldn't give up on her that easily. He would make her life hell to get her back into his fold.
"I can't go back to that life," she said softly, her voice breaking slightly. "I can't live for his empire. I can't be his pawn anymore."
Majek's grip tightened around her. "Then don't."
"I don't even know what freedom looks like anymore," Agnes murmured. "I've been controlled for so long, I don't know who I am without it."
"You're Agnes Lewis," Majek said, his voice unwavering. "You're more than just your father's legacy. You're more than the business, more than the marriage pact. You're the woman who's brave enough to take control of her own life. And that's who I love."
She closed her eyes against the sudden rush of emotion that flooded her chest. "And what if that's not enough? What if I'm not enough?"
"You are enough," Majek said, his words like a promise. "You're more than enough."
The warmth of his words wrapped around her, but beneath it, a cold fear lingered. What if Majek was wrong? What if the consequences of her rebellion were too great? What if the life she had chosen—this life, with him—wasn't possible in a world ruled by the powerful forces that controlled her father and Lami?
Before she could voice her doubts, her phone buzzed, breaking the fragile moment they had carved out. Agnes tensed, her heart racing as she glanced at the screen.
It was a message from her father.
"You think you can escape me? You will regret this, Agnes. There is no escape from the life I've built for you. Come back to me, or I will make sure you lose everything. Your choice. But choose wisely."
Agnes felt the blood drain from her face as she read the message. The cold, calculating tone of her father's words chilled her to the bone.
Her hand trembled as she placed the phone on the table, not daring to look at Majek. She felt him watching her, his eyes filled with concern, but there was nothing she could say to make him understand the depth of her fear.
"I knew this would happen," she whispered, more to herself than to him. "I knew he wouldn't let me go so easily."
Majek didn't say anything at first, but then he took her hand again, his touch firm and reassuring. "You're not alone in this. We'll figure it out. Together."
Agnes closed her eyes, leaning into him. "What if we can't? What if it's too late for us?"
"It's never too late, Agnes," Majek said softly. "We've already won the hardest battle. And now… we fight for each other."