CHAPTER FIVE – THE FINAL ULTIMATUM

A soft knock at the door startled her upright. "Karina?" It was her sister Sarah's voice, laced with concern. "Can I come in?" Karina hastily swiped at her tear-stained cheeks. "Yeah, sure." The door creaked open, and Sarah slipped inside, her brow furrowed. "Are you okay? You kind of stormed off back there." Karina shook her head, her shoulders slumping in defeat. "No, Sarah, I'm not okay. This whole situation with Matt is a nightmare." Sarah settled onto the bed beside her, wrapping a comforting arm around her shoulders. "That bad, huh?" "Worse," Karina said, her voice trembling. "He's crass, rude, and he looks at me like... like I'm a piece of meat." Sarah's eyes widened in surprise. "Yikes. That doesn't sound like the charming gentleman Mom and Dad described." "That's because they're blinded by his money and status," Karina spat bitterly. "They don't see him for who he really is." Tears welled up in her eyes once more. "And the worst part is, I don't have a choice. They've already agreed to this stupid arranged marriage. My opinion doesn't matter." Sarah pulled her into a tight hug, stroking her hair soothingly. "Hey, don't say that. Of course, your opinion matters. You're the one who has to marry this guy, not Mom and Dad." Karina sniffled, her voice muffled against Sarah's shoulder. "But what can I do? They'll never listen." Sarah pulled back, her eyes shining with determination. "Then we'll make them listen. You deserve to be happy, Karina. Not trapped in a loveless marriage with some arrogant jerk." A flicker of hope ignited in Karina's chest, and for the first time that evening, she felt a glimmer of resolve. Sarah was right – she couldn't simply resign herself to this fate. She had to fight for her happiness, no matter the cost. With a deep breath, she nodded. "Okay. Let's do this. Let's make them see reason." The two sisters shared a conspiratorial smile, their bond strengthened by a newfound sense of purpose. Karina might be up against a seemingly difficult obstacle, but with Sarah by her side, she felt a surge of courage. The road ahead would be difficult, but she was determined to forge her own path – even if it meant defying her family's expectations. The next morning, Karina and Sarah stood side-by-side in the living room, steeling themselves for the confrontation ahead. They had stayed up late into the night, rehearsing their arguments and bracing for their parents' inevitable pushback. "Are you ready for this?" Sarah asked, squeezing Karina's hand reassuringly. Karina took a deep breath and nodded. "As ready as I'll ever be." They called out for their parents, and within moments, their mother and father appeared, concern etched on their faces. "What's this all about, girls?" their father asked, his brow furrowed. Karina stepped forward, her hands trembling slightly. "Mom, Dad, we need to talk about this arranged marriage with Matt Hogan." Their mother's expression hardened. "What about it? The arrangements have been made, and the wedding is just weeks away." "That's just it," Karina pressed on, her voice wavering. "I don't want to marry Matt. He's... he's not the man you think he is." Their father scoffed. "Nonsense. The Hogans are a respected family, and Matt is a fine young man with a promising future." "But he's awful!" Sarah interjected. "Karina told me how he acted at dinner – crass, rude, and downright disrespectful." Their mother waved a dismissive hand. "I'm sure you're overreacting, dear. All men can be a bit rough around the edges at times." Karina shook her head vehemently. "No, Mom, this is different. The way he looked at me, the things he said... it made my skin crawl. I don't love him, and I know he doesn't love me. This marriage would be a sham, built on nothing but money and status." An uncomfortable silence settled over the room. Their father's face had turned an alarming shade of red, and their mother's lips were pressed into a thin line. "Karina," their father said, his voice low and dangerous. "You will not speak of the Hogans in such a manner. This arrangement was made with the utmost care and consideration for our family's future." Karina fought back tears of frustration. "But what about my future? Don't I have a say in who I spend the rest of my life with?" "Of course you do, dear," their mother said, her tone sickly sweet. "And you've already made your choice by agreeing to this marriage." "I never agreed!" Karina cried, her voice cracking. "You made this decision for me, without ever asking what I wanted." Sarah placed a comforting hand on Karina's shoulder. "She's right. Karina deserves to marry someone she loves, not someone she's been forced into an arrangement with." Their father's nostrils flared. "Enough of this nonsense. The decision has been made, and that's final. You will marry Matt Hogan, and you will do so with dignity and grace." Karina felt her resolve crumbling. "But, Dad –" "No 'buts', young lady!" he thundered, his fist slamming down on the coffee table with a resounding thud. "I will not have my daughter disgracing this family with her foolish notions of love and happiness. This is about securing our future, our legacy. Nothing more." Tears streamed down Karina's cheeks as she turned to her mother, her last glimmer of hope. "Mom, please... you have to understand. I can't go through with this. I'll be miserable, trapped in a loveless marriage." For a fleeting moment, Karina thought she saw a flicker of sympathy in her mother's eyes. But it was gone in an instant, replaced by a steely resolve. "Karina," her mother said, her voice trembling with barely contained emotion. "I love you, my dear, but your father is right. This arrangement is for the good of our family, and it's non-negotiable." She took a deep breath, squaring her shoulders. "If you refuse to go through with this marriage, I... I will have no choice but to disown you. You will be cut off from this family, left to fend for yourself in the world." The words felt like a physical blow, and Karina stumbled backward, her hand flying to her mouth to stifle a sob. Sarah wrapped a protective arm around her, her own eyes glistening with unshed tears. "Mom, how can you say that?" Sarah whispered, her voice thick with disbelief. "She's your daughter, your own flesh and blood." Their mother's jaw clenched, and she blinked rapidly, as if fighting back tears of her own. "I'm doing what's best for this family, no matter how difficult it may be. Karina, you have until the wedding day to come to your senses. After that..." She trailed off, shaking her head slowly. Without another word, she turned on her heel and stormed angrily out of the room, her shoulders trembling with silent sobs. A heavy silence descended upon the living room, punctuated only by Karina's ragged breaths. She clung to Sarah, her body wracked with anguished sobs, as their father watched on, his expression unreadable. In that moment, Karina felt truly alone, caught in the crosshairs of a decision that could shatter her family forever.