Gold clung to Lina as though letting go would shatter the fragile control she had left.
Her fingers twisted tightly into the back of Lina's shirt while quiet sobs escaped her lips. She hated crying like this—hated feeling weak—but the weight of everything her parents had told her pressed heavily against her chest.
Marriage.
A stranger.
A life decided in a single conversation.
Lina didn't pull away. She simply held her, one hand gently rubbing slow circles across Gold's back, patient and calm.
"Hey…" Lina murmured softly after a while. "You're going to run out of tears if you keep this up."
Gold sniffed weakly but didn't lift her head.
"Let me cry," she muttered.
"I am letting you cry," Lina replied. "I'm just warning you. At this rate, my shirt might not survive."
Gold let out a shaky breath that almost sounded like a laugh.
Finally, she pulled away slightly and wiped her wet cheeks with the sleeve of her shirt.
"I still can't believe this," she whispered.
The room was quiet, dimly lit by the soft yellow glow of the bedside lamp.
Lina shifted beside her on the bed.
"Well," she said slowly, "believing it or not doesn't change the situation."
Gold leaned back against the headboard, staring blankly at the opposite wall.
"I'm supposed to meet him tomorrow."
"Yes."
"I don't even know him."
"Yes."
"And my parents already agreed to everything."
"Yes."
Gold turned and glared at her.
"Can you stop saying yes like that?"
Lina raised her hands in surrender.
"Sorry."
For a moment, silence filled the room again.
Gold's mind replayed the conversation with her parents over and over again. The seriousness in their voices. The exhaustion in her father's eyes. The quiet guilt in her mother's tone.
The debt had pushed them into a corner.
And the DeLuca family had offered a way out.
But the price was her future.
Lina watched her carefully.
"So…" she said after a while.
Gold looked at her.
"So what?"
"Tell me about him."
Gold frowned.
"What is there to tell?"
"His name is Martins, right?"
Gold nodded slowly.
"Yes."
Lina tilted her head thoughtfully.
"Martins."
Gold groaned quietly.
"Don't start."
"I'm not starting anything," Lina said, though the mischievous glint in her eyes said otherwise. "I'm just curious about the man who's about to become your husband."
Gold threw a pillow at her.
Lina caught it easily and laughed.
"I'm serious!" Lina continued. "What if he's handsome?"
"That doesn't matter."
"What if he's tall? Dark hair. Intimidating aura. Expensive suits. The kind of man who walks into a room and everyone suddenly stands straighter."
Gold buried her face in her hands.
"You've been watching too many dramas."
"I'm just saying," Lina insisted, grinning. "Your mysterious future husband could be ridiculously attractive."
Gold peeked at her through her fingers.
"And if he isn't?"
Lina shrugged.
"Then at least he's rich."
Gold groaned again.
"You're impossible."
"And yet you called me."
Gold sighed, though a faint smile tugged at her lips.
That was Lina.
No matter how terrible the situation was, she somehow found a way to make the tension lighter.
Hours slowly passed as the two of them talked.
Sometimes the conversation was serious—about the debt, about Gold's parents, about the life that was suddenly waiting for her.
Other times Lina deliberately changed the subject, telling ridiculous stories or teasing Gold until she reluctantly laughed.
Outside the window, the night deepened.
The city slowly grew quieter.
And still, neither of them slept.
At some point, Gold noticed the darkness outside beginning to fade.
The first pale streaks of dawn slipped through the curtains.
She stared at them silently.
"So it's morning already," she said quietly.
Lina stretched and yawned.
"Looks like we survived the night."
Gold hugged her knees to her chest.
"Today I meet him."
The words felt strange leaving her mouth.
Real.
Unavoidable.
Lina turned toward her.
"Are you scared?"
Gold hesitated.
"…A little."
"Understandable."
Gold stared at the faint light creeping across the floor.
"What if he's arrogant?"
"Probably."
"What if he hates the idea of this marriage as much as I do?"
"Also possible."
Gold frowned slightly.
"That's not comforting."
Lina shrugged.
"Look on the bright side."
"What bright side?"
"If he hates the idea too, at least the two of you have something in common."
Gold stared at her.
Then, slowly, she laughed.
The sound was soft, but it was real.
Lina smiled.
"There we go."
Gold exhaled slowly, feeling some of the tightness in her chest loosen.
No matter what happened today, one thing was certain.
Her life was about to change.
And somewhere in the city, Martins DeLuca—the man she was supposed to marry—was waiting.
Gold closed her eyes briefly.
In just a few hours, she would finally meet him.
Gold closed her eyes briefly.
In just a few hours, she would finally meet him.
For a moment, neither of them spoke.
The room had grown quiet again, filled only with the faint sounds of the city waking up outside. A distant car passed on the road. Somewhere far away, a dog barked.
Gold hugged her knees closer to her chest.
Her mind refused to stay calm.
Images kept forming inside her head—different versions of the man she was about to meet.
Some were ridiculous.
Some were terrifying.
"What are you thinking about?" Lina asked.
Gold sighed.
"Him."
Lina smirked immediately.
"Oh? Already thinking about your future husband?"
Gold groaned.
"Stop calling him that."
"Why? It's technically true."
Gold grabbed another pillow and threw it at her again.
Lina caught it with ease, laughing softly.
"You're very violent today."
"Because you're annoying."
"That's fair."
Gold leaned back against the wall again.
"What if he's… scary?"
Lina tilted her head.
"Scary how?"
"I don't know," Gold said quietly. "My parents said his family is powerful. People like that usually aren't… gentle."
Lina thought about it for a moment.
"Well," she said slowly, "he might be intimidating."
Gold frowned.
"That's not helping."
"But," Lina continued, "that doesn't mean he's a bad person."
Gold looked uncertain.
"Besides," Lina added with a grin, "what if he's ridiculously handsome?"
Gold rolled her eyes.
"You're obsessed with that idea."
"I'm just saying."
Gold sighed.
"This isn't a romance movie, Lina."
"Maybe it is."
"It's not."
"Maybe you'll walk into the restaurant," Lina continued dramatically, "and he'll be sitting there in a perfect black suit, looking like some powerful mafia king."
Gold stared at her.
"You need sleep."
"Maybe."
"But imagine it," Lina insisted.
Gold shook her head slowly.
"You're unbelievable."
Lina stretched her arms lazily.
"Well, if he really is handsome, at least this forced marriage won't be completely tragic."
Gold stared at the ceiling.
"Why are you like this?"
"Because someone has to keep you from panicking."
Gold sighed softly.
That much was true.
Without Lina here, she probably would have spent the entire night crying.
"Thank you," Gold said quietly.
Lina blinked in surprise.
"For what?"
"For staying."
Lina shrugged casually.
"Of course I stayed. Did you really think I'd leave you alone after something like this?"
Gold smiled faintly.
Another comfortable silence settled between them.
The morning light slowly grew brighter, filling the room with soft warmth.
After a while, Lina suddenly sat up.
"Alright."
Gold looked at her.
"Alright what?"
"We have work to do."
Gold frowned.
"What work?"
"You're meeting a powerful man today," Lina said. "You can't show up looking like someone who cried all night."
Gold touched her face instinctively.
"…I did cry all night."
"Exactly," Lina replied. "Which is why we need to fix that."
Gold sighed.
"You're treating this like a makeover mission."
"It kind of is."
Lina stood up and grabbed Gold's hand.
"Come on."
Gold resisted weakly.
"Where are we going?"
"To the bathroom."
"Why?"
"To wash your face before you scare your future husband away."
Gold laughed despite herself.
"You're terrible."
"And yet you're smiling again."
Gold shook her head.
Lina pushed her gently toward the bathroom door.
"Go."
Gold turned the faucet on and splashed cold water onto her face.
The cool sensation helped clear the lingering heaviness in her mind.
When she looked up at the mirror, her reflection stared back at her with tired eyes but a calmer expression.
This was really happening.
No more denying it.
She would meet Martins today.
Gold took a slow breath.
Behind her, Lina leaned against the doorframe.
"See?" she said. "You look much better already."
Gold wiped her face with a towel.
"I still feel like my life is about to explode."
Lina smiled slightly.
"Maybe it will."
Gold groaned.
"Very comforting."
"But maybe," Lina added softly, "this won't be as bad as you think."
Gold didn't answer.
She stared at her reflection again.
Somewhere in the city, Martins DeLuca was probably starting his morning too.
Did he feel nervous?
Did he care at all?
Or was this just another business arrangement to him?
Gold exhaled slowly.
Today, she would find out.
And once she walked into that VIP restaurant…
There would be no turning back.