Chapter 3_ The Quiet Surrender

She sprinted upstairs with tears streaking her cheeks, her breaths hitching with each step. She had never taken an interest in any guy, never dated, always too focused on her studies and the life she hoped to build. She had always believed she had the freedom to choose her own path. Now that belief felt like a cruel joke.

At the top of the stairs, Alexa’s eyes met hers. She stood by the railing, worry etched across her face, but Jenna was in no state to talk. She shot her a sharp glance and pushed past toward her bedroom. Alexa followed.

“Stop. Why are you ignoring me? Just hear me out,” her sister pleaded.

She closed her eyes, steadied her breathing, then opened them again. “We will talk later. I am not in the right headspace.”

Alexa nodded quietly and lowered her head, her fingers pulling at the sleeve of her sweater.

Even as the door shut behind her, her hands trembled. The worried expression haunted her, and she pressed her palm to her forehead, wishing she could still the storm inside.

She sank onto the edge of the bed. The sheets that once felt soft now pressed strangely against her palms. The faint scent of jasmine, her mother’s favorite air freshener, drifted through the air. It had always calmed her, but now it only deepened the ache of all she was about to lose.

She gripped the sheets and swallowed hard as her father’s voice echoed in her mind. “Save this family… or cut off.”

Her gaze drifted downward. Could I really do it?

She imagined life without them. Her mother’s quiet warmth. Her father’s stern guidance. Alexa’s clingy laughter. Every wall seemed to whisper memories that begged her not to let go.

She kicked off her shoes and leaned back. His words replayed like a curse. “Choose wisely. Marrying him may keep you safe. Refuse, and nothing will protect you.”

A shaky breath escaped as she covered her mouth to contain her sobs. Stay and lose myself to a man I never wanted. Leave and lose everything I love?

She was not selfish. She never had been. Maybe she had been naive to believe she could choose her own life.

She ran her fingers through her hair, trying to steady her thoughts. Both paths led to him. If I cut ties and run, he will chase me. If I stay, at least they will be safe.

Her heart and mind opposed each other. One screamed to run. The other whispered to endure. She felt like she stood on the edge of a cliff with no right choice ahead. Perhaps saying yes is not surrender. Perhaps it is strategy.

She pressed her palms together and inhaled slowly. Play it smart, Protect them and yourself. Saying yes did not have to mean forever. It only had to mean survival.

A sudden knock jolted her.

“Are you in there?” Alexa’s voice trembled with worry.

Before she could answer, the door eased open and her sister peeked inside. “You didn’t come down. Are you okay?”

Rubbing her eyes, she forced a faint smile. “Yeah, I’m fine. Just tired.”

Alexa stepped in a little further, arms crossed. “You’ve been here for hours. At least come grab a plate.” She hesitated before adding, “Mom made your favorite, and Dad asked me to get you.”

“I’m not hungry,” she murmured, eyes dropping. “Tell them I’ll fix something later.”

“Jen…” her sister’s voice softened, heavy with concern. “You always say that when something’s wrong.”

“I said I’m fine,” she replied, her voice cracking.

Alexa studied her quietly, then nodded. “Okay… but don’t stay up too late.”

When she left, silence folded around the room again. Her stomach twisted with hunger, remembering the snacks her mother had served earlier. But she could not bring herself to go downstairs and pretend nothing had happened, pretend the ultimatum she’d been given wasn’t poison in a glass.

She hated lying, but she saw no other option.

******

She woke in the dead of night, her heart pounding. For a moment the room felt foreign, shadows shifting across the walls. Then the curtains settled in her vision, and the weight of the evening returned. She had not even realized when she fell asleep.

Sitting up, the blanket slipping from her shoulders, the air was cold and still. Moonlight touched the edge of her old dresser. Just as she let out a breath, a gentle knock broke the silence.

“Jenna.”

Her father’s voice was low and steady, carrying that troubling calm she had never fully understood. Her chest tightened. She brushed her hair aside. “Come in,” she said softly.

The door creaked, and he stepped inside with composed ease, a faint smile on his lips, the kind that never quite reached his eyes.

“Finally awake, hmm?” he remarked with mild reproach. “You missed dinner. I even sent Alexa, but still nothing.”

She swallowed. “I just didn’t feel like…”

He cut her off smoothly. “Didn’t feel like facing your dad, right?” His tone carried weight without raising volume. She stared at the carpet, words refusing to form.

He stepped closer, hands clasped behind his back. “I expected you to come to my room and tell me your decision. You did not. So I came to ask myself.”

Her throat tightened. Heat pooled in her chest as he sat on the edge of the bed, the mattress dipping slightly under his weight. A sheen of sweat gathered along her hairline.

“What did you think?” His voice was calm yet edged with authority. He reached for her hand, wrapping it in his warm palms. The pressure was firm, intentional, a reminder of where the power lay.

“Do you remember how you promised to follow my guidance? That you would never turn away from me?”

She looked at their joined hands. “I remember,” she whispered. “But this is not small. You know what kind of life he leads.”

He loosened his grip, just enough for her fingers to tremble. “You think he will hurt you?”

Her voice wavered. “I think he could destroy everything I am.”

He exhaled slowly, his gaze steady. “He is not the monster you imagine. You fear the world around him, not him.”

Her breath quickened. “That world kills people. They sell, they gamble, they take lives like they are nothing. What if I am next? What if I just disappear?”

He held her gaze, calm and unmoving. “He would not let that happen. You will be safe. Protected. He will treasure you.”

She looked away, watching the moonlight stretch across the floor. Her pulse thudded unevenly. Every reason to refuse dissolved under his gaze, firm and patient.

Finally, she nodded once. “If this is what it takes to keep the peace… I will meet him,” she whispered.

His shoulders eased, a slow approving smile forming, sharp and controlled. “Good. I trust you to do what is necessary.”

She forced a brittle smile, her chest tightening. “But that is all I can promise for now.”

He patted her head, his hand lingering a moment too long. “I will always be thankful to you.”

The softness in his tone did not match the glint in his eyes. It felt less like gratitude and more like a promise she would regret keeping.