"I can't believe you," Catherine declared vehemently, her hand clenching tightly around Ara's wrist. "John had given his consent to get married in the upcoming months and had also agreed to allow me to arrange a suitable match for him. You deliberately intervened."
Ara's eyebrows rose in surprise, her face maintaining a composed expression despite the throbbing pain emanating from her arm. She took a brief moment to truly observe her mother. Her eyes were deeply set, dark circles underscoring her features, her hair had lost its luster, and she seemed to have lost some weight, if that were even possible. Her mother appeared fragile and weakened. Ara permitted herself a moment to feel genuine sympathy for her mother, who was oblivious to John's meddling in her affairs.
As the vise-like gri
