Clara stood in front of the makeup mirror and adjusted the lace collar of her dress. Each  piece was like a reminder of the life that was expected  of her. The engagement ring on her finger sparkled in the light, but it  looked like a chain.

"Clara, honey, are you  ready?" Her mother called from the hall, her voice hoarse from the rush.

"Just a  moment, Clara answered.

When her mother  arrived, Clara was upset.

You know  what time it is. The Kensington family hopes to see our unity.

Clara nodded, even though her  thoughts were conflicting.

Tonight's event was no ordinary event. It was a  battlefield where  the family's expectations  collided with  her  own desires.  

Clara became more and more worried as they  made their way to the  Great Hall. The chatter of  the well-dressed guests  fills the air.

Nathan was supposed to be here, but  her heart  skipped a beat when she saw Ryan Kensington,  Nathan's older brother. He leaned against the wall, his  confidence  inspiring and  terrifying.

"Clara!" Nathan's voice cracked as she approached her thoughts, her smile widened but her eyes clouded with worry.

"You are beautiful." "Thank you," she replied enthusiastically.

"Where did you go?" "Just taking care of a few  things," he said,  looking over his shoulder.

Clara followed his  gaze and met Ryan's eyes.  

Before she could speak, Nathan pulled her closer.

"You need to stay away from him tonight." "What? "This is a party," Clara said. "Trust me." His voice was firm, but she  could feel his stress.

As the night wore on, Clara found herself  with Nathan's mother, whose presence drew her attention.

“Clara,  my love,” she said, “we need to  talk about the wedding  plans. Clara's stomach churned.

"Of course,  Miss Kensington.  But-". "No, but," she interrupted. Families should be  encouraged. Your father and I have  talked about everything.  "We have to  protect our  image.

" Clara's sadness bubbled under the surface.  

At that moment Clara  saw Ryan again, standing  by the  drink and checking his eyes. A wave of emotion  surged through him - a mixture of  curiosity and  fear. She had to escape the  overwhelming pressure of her mother's expectations.

At eight Clara  went to see Ryan. But before she could reach him, her mother's voice  echoed through the crowd.

"Clara! Where are you  going?"

Clara  hugged him without thinking. Ryan looked  up and  they locked eyes.

For a moment, the  roar of  celebration faded away, replaced by  an electric tension between them.

"Hello," he  said with a hint of a smile  on his lips.

"Hey," she returned. "Can we  talk?" "Sure," he said, his expression turning worried.

"Is everything  alright?" "Not at all," she said, looking back to  make sure her mother  wasn't watching.

"I'm frustrated by their expectations." Ryan's eyes narrowed. I knew you were all  interested in fashion."

Clara  sighed. "I need to know what I want, not what they  want." "Then let's think together," he  said in a low voice  as he moved closer. The  moment's intimacy  sent a thrill  up his spine, but also a  shiver of fear.

"Ryan, I..."

Before  she could finish,  Nathan's voice  rose again.  

"Clara!" He  walked towards  them looking pale and  wide eyed.

"What happened?" Clara asked, her pulse quickening.  

"Come with  me," Nathan  pleaded, trying hard to ignore her voice.

Clara exchanged a  concerned look with  Ryan, whose heart was pounding, before following Nathan  into the  crowd.

"What's going  on?" She asked as they  made their way deeper into the  crowd of  visitors.

Nathan  paused and looked around as if  looking for a threat.  

"For your  father." "My father?" Clara's stomach twisted.  

"What about  him?"

"I won't talk here."

"It's… really big," Nathan said,  stopping in a  quiet corner of the hall.

Clara's mind raced  and fear  gripped her.  

"Tell me." With a folded paper in his hand,  he manipulated the dark image. I got it tonight,  right before the  event started.

"What is that?"

She reached for the  newspaper, but Nathan  took it back.

"Let me explain  first." Taking a deep breath, his voice  shook.

"Speaking of a  job…something your father  was involved  in."

"What kind of  job?" Clara  insisted, her anxiety  bubbling. Nathan's eyes  were rolling, as if he  was afraid of being  heard.

“It's a story... financial  crisis. The family  may be in  trouble. If  something comes up—” Clara's heart sank.  

"Are you strong? Everything will collapse."

"I know," Nathan said, his voice barely above a whisper.  

"And it's not  just that. It  affects the  marriage… the engagement.  - We  can't let anyone find  out.

"So why did you bring it to me?" Clara asked,  feeling sad.

"What do you want me to  do?"

“I want you to stay close. We  have to protect the  face of our  family. We  can't let them see us  weak.”

Clara  is torn between her loyalty to Nathan and  her growing tension with Ryan.  

“Clara, this is bigger than you or me. We have to  consider the family heritage,”

Nathan replied, but his words  were choked.

At that moment, Clara  saw Ryan, standing a few  meters away, his expression unreadable as he  watched. The air between the three was filled with  unspeakable tension.

"What do you want me to  say?" The emotions  were overwhelming.

Before Nathan could  answer, Ryan stepped  forward and crossed his arms.  

"What's going on  here?"

Clara felt a  wave of panic.  

"Nothing. Just a family  conversation," he lied, but  then her eyes darted between the two  men and saw the  building's fortress.

"It looks like it's more than that, Ryan replied sharply.

"You're hiding something."

"Shut up, Ryan," Nathan  said in a low, mean voice.

Clara felt  the slowness of  persecution.

“No, I  won’t. I deserve to know the  truth." Ryan's gaze softened as he looked at her.  

Clara, if  something  bad happens, you  have to ask   me  for help.

"Help? By sticking your nose where it  doesn't belong?" Nathan shot back,  arms crossed.

Clara's heart  skipped a beat as the  wind blew with  anger.

“It's not just about you two.  I'm taking a chance."

Nathan approached, sadness evident in his eyes.  

"I'm trying to protect  you." "Protect me from what? The  truth?" Clara felt a  wave of  sadness. It's like both  of you are  pawns in your  game.

The air  was thick with unspoken words, and Clara  felt the weight of  everyone's expectations  about her.  As he opened  his mouth to  answer, the lights  flickered and eerie shadows  appeared across the room.

"Clara, let's go," Nathan  said, grabbing her  hand.

"What?" She asked, her heart sinking.

"Because when people find out about your  father's wrongdoings, everything will fall  apart," he replied, his voice  full of fear.

At this point, a commotion  broke out in the  hall and attention was drawn. Clara turned to see a group of guests  staring, pale-eyed, whispers  turning into  uproar.

"What's going on?" Ryan asked, stepping  forward with concern  creeping over his features.  

"I don't know," Clara  replied as worry washed over her.

As they moved  into the crowd, Clara  sensed impending doom. She never  got caught  up in  the web of  tragedy, and  with  the family name hanging  in the balance, the night  turned.

"Clara!" A shout from the crowd caught her attention. Her mother was  drunk and pale.

"You have to see this!" Clara's heart  sank. "What is  that?"

But before  the mother could answer,  there was a loud crash  in the  hall that silenced the  audience.

"Stay close," Nathan said, pulling Clara  closer to  Ryan  who was sitting nearby.

Clara's stomach twisted with  fear as they approached the commotion. What happened would change  everything - she was unprepared for what lay ahead.