Dowry Denied, Destiny Rewritten

s hotel choked with sta

poker table, surrounded by his s

iled before them. Ma

nced the amount: "One hundred

a fund for our fu

e sharp. "You need to fix this, Sarah. It' s

anted my dowry to cover

ok at me, a pathetic m

that' s everything we

band is in debt to his own family?" she coun

my eyes to defend us. He just shook

. My hand trembled as I reached for my purse

shimmered in the air,

riumphant glances. They are predat

g my head, but it

ed on your purse, gleaming with antici

t tragic loss. This was a performance. A

nstant. The man I was to marry was a c

hysical, but a cold, h

was a fool. T

eady. I took a deep breath,

single word cutting