Chapter 205: Lira’s Decision

"It's not like I haven't had other offers," Mira said softly, her tone coaxing now. "I've negotiated with families far less suitable than Adrian's—families with third-class Awakened who wouldn't care about your feelings at all. I've turned them all down because I knew you deserved better. Adrian is a good match, Lira. He's strong, intelligent, and he respects you. I would never push you into something like this if I didn't believe it was the best choice for you."

Lira's breath hitched as she stared at her sister, her chest tightening with a mix of emotions she couldn't sort through.

She remembered the days when Mira had been her protector, her confidant—the sister who always had her back.

But now, all she saw was someone who was trying to manipulate her, using her life as a bargaining chip for the sake of their family's power.

"Don't," Lira whispered, her voice shaking. "Don't act like you're doing this for me. You're just trying to make this easier for yourself."

Mira stiffened at the accusation, but she didn't pull back. Instead, she kept her hand on Lira's cheek, her eyes softening. "I'm doing this for both of us," she said quietly.

"For our family. For our future. I know you don't see it that way now, but one day, you'll understand. This is what it means to be a Blackthorn."

Lira's hands trembled as she swatted Mira's hand away, stepping back as fresh tears spilled down her cheeks.

"You're not the sister I used to look up to," she said, her voice thick with emotion. "You're not the person I wanted to be like. You're just a manipulative bitch now."

The words hit Mira like a physical blow, but she didn't react. She stood there, watching as Lira turned her back on her, her shoulders shaking with quiet sobs.

For a long moment, neither of them spoke. The silence hung heavy in the air, broken only by Lira's quiet cries. Mira could feel the weight of the moment pressing down on her, but she didn't move.

She had done what needed to be done, even if Lira hated her for it now.

"I know you feel like you don't have a choice," Mira said finally, her voice soft. "But you do. You always have a choice. Just remember—this isn't about love or romance. It's about power. It's about survival."

Lira didn't respond. She just stood there, her back still turned, her tears falling silently to the floor. She knew, deep down, that Mira was right.

Their parents would agree to the match, and even her beloved uncle, who had always doted on her, would see the sense in it. She was trapped—cornered by the very people she loved most.

"I'll do it," Lira whispered, her voice barely audible. "If Adrian agrees, I'll do it. But don't pretend like you care about me, Mira. Not anymore."

The room descended into silence after Lira's soft but resolute words. Mira stood frozen, watching her sister's back as the tension lingered like a heavy fog.

The weight of what had transpired hung in the air, too thick to ignore, too powerful to dismiss.

Mira, the composed one, the planner, had expected resistance from Lira, but not like this.

She never thought she'd see the day when her little sister—once so full of admiration and love for her—would call her a "manipulative bitch."

It stung and hurt her but she dismissed those feelings. She was doing this in order to get hold of power for herself.

If she could get hold of power, even if it meant using her sister as a tool, she would do it. In this situation, using her sister, she might be able to get alliance from a 3rd class awakened family, who others didn't even know about.

Just as the silence seemed to deepen, a soft knock broke through the tension.

Mira's hand moved reflexively, casting away the sound barrier she had placed moments before, shielding the sisters' confrontation from prying ears.

Lira, her face still streaked with the aftermath of her tears, quickly used a cleaning spell to erase any traces of her breakdown.

The tear-stained cheeks and red eyes vanished in a blink, leaving behind a perfectly composed mask, as if nothing had happened.

"Come in," Mira called out, her voice calm and controlled.

The door creaked open, and a maid stepped inside, bowing politely. "Breakfast is ready, my lady. Lord Adrian is waiting for the Countess and Lady Lira."

Mira nodded, waving the maid off with a dismissive gesture. "We’ll be there in a moment. Wait outside."

The maid, obedient and well-trained, bowed once more and stepped back, closing the door behind her. As the latch clicked shut, the tension returned to the room like an unwelcome guest.

Mira turned to Lira, her lips parting as if she wanted to say something—anything—to break the fragile silence that had settled between them like a chasm.

But before she could speak, Lira's shoulders stiffened, and she walked past her without so much as a glance.

"Lira..." Mira's voice was softer now, a faint trace of the sisterly care she once freely gave. She wanted to reach out, to offer some form of reassurance, even if only for appearances.

But Lira's hand was already on the doorknob, and she didn’t stop. She didn’t look back.

With her head held high, Lira stepped out into the hallway, her composure firmly back in place, though Mira knew the storm brewing beneath her calm exterior.

This wasn’t over for Lira, not by a long shot. But for now, she was playing the part. Mira sighed, shaking her head slightly as she followed her sister out of the room.

The weight of their earlier conversation still pressed on her chest, but she forced it down, steeling herself for the breakfast ahead.

There was no room for weakness, no time for personal feelings in the game she was playing. They walked down the corridor in silence, side by side but worlds apart.

The ornate decorations of Everhart Manor—elegant tapestries, polished wooden floors, and the occasional glint of sunlight reflecting off a decorative vase—passed by in a blur.

But Mira’s mind was elsewhere, replaying Lira’s words over and over.

She was no longer the sister Lira had admired. She was something else now. And that, Mira thought, was simply the price she had to pay.