Chapter 16
Zora
The atmosphere around the Keegan estate feels different from the moment I wake up. At first, I cannot explain why. Nothing appears dramatically wrong when I open my eyes.
The bedroom is exactly as I left it the night before, the curtains remain half-drawn, and the estate itself is still wrapped in the soft gray light of early morning. Yet there is a tension hanging in the air that wasn't there yesterday, something subtle but impossible to ignore.
Then I hear the sound of engines outside. Not one. Several.
Curiosity immediately gets the better of me.
I cross the room and pull back the curtain, only to find the long driveway leading to the manor packed with arriving vehicles.
Black SUVs roll through the gates one after another while armored sedans follow closely behind them, creating a convoy large enough to make it clear that whoever is arriving this morning is not an ordinary guest.
Below, the estate staff move with unusual urgency. Guards who normally appear relaxed and confident suddenly seem alert, their attention fixed on every vehicle entering the property. Even from the second floor, I can feel the shift in energy spreading throughout the estate.
Behind me, I hear movement. Nico emerges from the bathroom, adjusting the cuff of his shirt.
He follows my line of sight toward the window. For several seconds, neither of us speaks.
"What do you think?" I finally ask.
His gaze remains fixed on the courtyard. "I think the Keegans are preparing for someone important."
The answer does nothing to ease my curiosity. If anything, it makes it worse. Because families like the Keegans do not rearrange an entire estate for ordinary visitors.
By the time we reach the main hall downstairs, the mood has shifted even further.
Guests who spent the last few days drinking, laughing, and pretending this place is nothing more than a luxurious country estate now stand clustered together in small groups, speaking in lowered voices.
Several conversations stop the moment new people walk past. Others continue behind carefully practiced smiles. Then the front doors open.
The effect is immediate. It is almost fascinating how quickly a room can fall silent. One moment dozens of conversations fill the hall. The next, every eye is focused on the two men entering through the doorway.
The older man walks in first. He carries himself with the kind of confidence that only comes from decades of power. His silver-blond hair is neatly combed back, his expensive dark coat fits perfectly across his shoulders, and his pale blue eyes move calmly across the room as if he already owns it.
The younger man is somehow worse. Broader. More intimidating. The faint scars crossing his face do little to hide the fact that violence has been a familiar companion throughout most of his life. Unlike his brother, he smiles as he enters the hall.
The smile does not make him look friendlier. It makes him look dangerous.
I do not know either man's name. But judging by the reactions around me, everyone else does. Even Darragh wastes no time crossing the room.
He immediately steps forward to greet the two men, and the subtle tension that has been hanging over the estate all morning suddenly makes perfect sense.
"Erik." Darragh extends his hand toward the older brother before pulling him into a brief embrace. "It's been too long."
"Not long enough." Erik replies dryly.
A few people laugh. The younger brother grins.
"Ladies and gentlemen, allow me to introduce Erik Lindberg and Axel Lindberg." Darragh says.
A murmur immediately spreads through the room. Even before Darragh continues, I can tell these men carry significant weight.
"The Lindberg brothers lead the Sodert?lje organization in Sweden. The Keegans and Lindbergs have stood beside one another for many years, and I am honored to welcome them into our home once again."
Several guests raise their glasses. Others nod respectfully. Nobody looks surprised. Which means everyone here already knew who they were. Everyone except me.
I glance toward Nico. His expression remains calm, but I catch the slight narrowing of his eyes as he studies the brothers. Assessing. Calculating. The way he always does.
Darragh waits for the room to settle before raising his glass.
"Actually, their arrival gives me the perfect opportunity to share some wonderful news."
The smile on his face immediately puts me on edge. Around us, conversations quiet. People turn toward him expectantly.
"I am pleased to announce that the bond between our families will soon become permanent."
Applause immediately breaks out. Confused, I look around the room. Permanent?
Before I can make sense of it, Darragh continues. "The Keegan and Lindberg families have reached an agreement. Roisin will be marrying Axel, securing our alliance for generations to come."
The words hit me like a physical blow. For a moment, all I can do is stare.
The applause grows louder. People begin offering congratulations. Axel accepts them with an easy confidence that suggests this arrangement suits him perfectly.
My attention shifts elsewhere. To Roisin. She is standing near one of the windows at the edge of the room. Alone. Completely motionless.
Everyone else seems caught up in celebration. Roisin looks like she's trying to disappear. Her gaze remains fixed on the floor. Her hands are clasped tightly in front of her. And she doesn't look at Axel even once.
A strange feeling settles in my chest. Because Roisin is young. Far younger than the man she is apparently expected to marry. And while everyone around me celebrates another successful alliance, all I can see is a woman standing alone while strangers applaud a future she doesn't appear to want.
Eventually the room returns to life. Guests gather around the Lindbergs. Beside me, Nico smoothly joins one of the circles forming around the brothers, slipping into polite conversation with the ease of a man who belongs in rooms like this.
I barely hear any of it. My attention keeps drifting back to Roisin. And when I finally notice her quietly slipping away from the crowd, I don't hesitate. The moment the guests become distracted, I separate from Nico and follow her into the quieter part of the estate.
"Roisin."
She slows at the sound of her name. For a moment, I think she might keep walking.
Instead, she comes to a stop and turns toward me. The smile she offers is polite. Practiced. Completely empty. I have seen enough forced smiles in my life to recognize one when I see it.
"Are you alright?" I ask quietly. The question earns a brief flicker of surprise before her expression smooths over once again.
"Of course I am." The answer comes so quickly that it sounds rehearsed.
My gaze lingers on her face. On the tension around her eyes. On the way her hands remain clasped tightly in front of her as though she is physically holding herself together.
"You don't have to lie to me."
For the first time, something cracks. Not enough for anyone else to notice. Enough for me. A tiny flash of exhaustion passes through her eyes before disappearing just as quickly.
"This marriage will strengthen the family." She says quietly.
I almost laugh. Not because the situation is funny. Because she didn't answer my question. Not even remotely.
"Roisin."
She looks away. "This alliance is important."
"Roisin."
Her jaw tightens. "It will secure our relationship with the Lindbergs for decades."
I stare at her for several seconds before finally asking the only question that seems to matter.
"Did anyone actually ask what you wanted?"
That finally gets a reaction. A real one. Not anger. Not sadness. Just silence. The kind of silence that tells me everything I need to know.
For a brief moment, she looks younger than she normally does.
Someone who is simply tired. Very, very tired.
And suddenly I understand exactly why she spent yesterday sitting alone while everyone else enjoyed themselves.
Because none of this feels like a celebration to her. It feels like a sentence.
Roisin lets out a slow breath and lowers her gaze to the floor.
"This marriage will strengthen the family." She says again. "The Lindbergs control important routes throughout Scandinavia, and their influence reaches far beyond Sweden. This alliance secures relationships that the Keegans have spent years building."
The words sound practiced. Not because she believes them. Because she has repeated them so many times that they have become easier to say than the truth.
I study her face carefully, searching for some sign of excitement, some hint that she actually wants this future being handed to her. I find nothing.
"Helping your family doesn't mean sacrificing your entire life for them." I say. "And it certainly doesn't mean marrying a man you don't love."
Something flickers across her expression before disappearing. Pain. Resignation. Maybe both.
For a brief moment, an uncomfortable realization settles heavily in my chest. From an outsider's perspective, I probably sound like a hypocrite.
My engagement to Sebastian wasn't exactly born from romance either.
Business, politics, influence, security, those factors played a role in my decision too.
The difference is that nobody made that choice for me. Nobody stood in front of a room full of strangers and announced my future before I had the opportunity to speak. Nobody treated me like a bargaining chip.
Looking at Roisin now, I cannot shake the feeling that she never had the luxury of choosing anything for herself.
Almost immediately, her walls come back up. "I don't want to talk about this anymore." Her voice is polite. Firm. Final. "I'm tired."
With that, Roisin gives a small, distracted nod before turning away and continuing down the corridor.
I let her put some distance between us before I move. A few seconds pass. Then I quietly follow.