What Brooke and Mandy said was heartfelt—sincere, even. To the untrained ear, it would sound like they were truly willing to do anything for the Long family.
Everyone else turned their eyes to Sophia, filled with expectation, silently urging her to agree.
Sophia looked back at them—at their pleading, insistent faces—and smiled bitterly.
That was her uncle.
That was her aunt.
These were her relatives.
And yet, their intentions were far too clear.
To them, if she didn't agree, she'd instantly become the villain of the Long family. A sinner. A disappointment. It was as though she, by virtue of her bloodline, was destined to sacrifice herself—for the so-called "greater good."
This... this was the tragedy of being born into a powerful family.
Back when Grandfather was alive, their true faces were hidden—caged by fear and reverence.
But the moment he passed, those masks fell away. Their greed, their schemes, their desperation—it all came pouring out.
How pathetic.
Sophia's eyes grew colder, her voice unwavering. "I refuse."
The silence that followed was chilling.
Mandy's face darkened immediately, her tone laced with contempt. "Sophia, you're being willful. Selfish. How can you turn your back on the Long family for your own interests?"
Her accusation was like fuel to dry wood. The others instantly began glaring at Sophia, judgmental and unkind. The pressure was suffocating.
Brooke turned to Sophia's mother, his voice syrupy with fake concern. "Sister-in-law, please. Persuade Sophia to be reasonable and marry into the Tennat family. The Longs will never forget her sacrifice."
Sophia's mother stood abruptly, her voice sharp. "That's impossible! You can all give up right now!"
There was steel in her eyes. No way in hell was she going to let her daughter be sacrificed like some bargaining chip.
Brooke, caught off guard, didn't say another word.
Now, all eyes turned to Buck.
After Arno, Buck held the most authority in the Long family. His opinion could sway the tide.
Buck knew this. He also knew the people in this room were pressuring him, watching, waiting. If he didn't give them what they wanted, his credibility, his leadership, would falter.
And that terrified him.
He had been silent, forcing himself to decide. As a father, his heart ached. No parent wanted to throw their daughter into a pit for the sake of politics. But as the family head… he couldn't afford to be sentimental.
He finally turned to Sophia, his expression twisted in conflict.
"Sophia…" he began, taking a deep breath.
"I refuse," she interrupted coldly.
Her voice was like a blade, slicing through his hesitation. She knew what he was about to say. And she wasn't going to let him speak it.
Buck's shoulders sagged. He gave a bitter smile. "Sophia, please… understand your father's position…"
"I refuse."
"Sophia…"
"I. Refuse."
Each time he spoke, she cut him down. No hesitation. No cracks in her resolve. Her eyes were ice.
The room fell into stunned silence.
Brooke broke it with a sneer. "Big Brother, Arno's gone now. You're the head of the Long family. If you want to lead us, you can't be so indecisive."
That comment struck deep. Buck's face turned grim. He looked around the room—saw the anticipation, the calculation, the hunger in their eyes.
They didn't want leadership. They wanted control.
He clenched his fists, forced down his guilt, and made his decision.
"You have no choice. You will marry into the Tennat family."
"Buck, have you lost your mind? She's your daughter!" Sophia's mother screamed, disbelief written across her face.
Buck didn't waver. "This isn't just my decision—it's the will of the family. This is not a matter for women to interfere in."
"You bastard!" she roared. "I will never agree to this!"
"You don't have a choice!" Buck snapped back.
The argument erupted—husband and wife, shouting, hurtling blame and pain at one another.
But in the chaos, Sophia stood still. Her expression blank. Detached. As though none of it concerned her anymore.
The rest of the room, meanwhile, breathed sighs of relief. They were smiling.
To them, the matter was settled. Buck had given his order. Sophia would marry into the Tennat family. The family's honor and alliances would be secured.
Born into a wealthy house, she had no choice.
So be it.
And then—
Clap. Clap. Clap.
The crisp sound of applause cut through the noise like thunder.
"Bravo! That was truly entertaining," said John, a smirk dancing on his lips. "Arno, you've been eavesdropping long enough. Don't you think it's time to say something?"
His voice was light, mocking even. But it landed like a grenade in the room.
The Long family froze.
Arno?
Listening?
Everyone turned to the bed in unison.
And then—
Arno, who had been lying cold and still, sat up. Slowly. Deliberately.
His expression was thunderous.
He had been pretending to be dead.
John, ever the showman, had helped orchestrate the ruse—injecting vital energy into Arno's heart to suppress his heartbeat and breathing. It created the illusion of death, fooling everyone.
But Arno had heard everything.
The scheme had played out perfectly.
And he was furious.
The original purpose of his fake death was simple: to see the Long family's true faces. To test their loyalty.
And the results?
They blamed John for his "death."
They suggested allying with his sworn enemy, the White Dragon King.
And worst of all—they offered his beloved granddaughter as a bargaining chip, parading her sacrifice as a noble act of devotion.
He was disgusted.
It wasn't the first time Arno cursed in his mind. If not for John's energy locking his body in stasis, he would've leapt up long ago and slapped each of them across the face.
Now, finally, the spell was broken. His blood pumped freely. His body stirred with life.
And his fury was about to be unleashed.