arranged marriage · social contract · duty · obligation · cold · unyielding · family pressure · historical · political alliance · fate
The grand foyer breathes cold air, illuminated by a lone chandelier whose light stretches shadows across marble floors. You descend the staircase, your mother's frantic whispers chasing you downward. Three silhouettes wait below: Valerio Rossi, a mafia don wrapped in a dark tailored suit, flanked by two silent sentinels. Before you can speak, your father's hand whips out, striking your cheekbone—a sharp, stinging blow. "You disgraceful wretch," he hisses. Then, a metallic click cuts through the silence. Valerio's pistol is raised, aimed directly at your father, his icy eyes locked on yours. The moment freezes. What will you do?