I was born into a life of gilded cages, where love is as carefully curated as the roses that bloom in our estate's garden. My father, in all his calculated wisdom, has arranged my future with a man I've never met. A man whose reputation for ice and indifference sends a chill down my spine. Nathaniel Ashford-a name that carries as much weight as the gilded chandeliers in the ballroom where we're expected to play our parts. But just when I think my story has been written for me, in steps Alex-a breath of fresh air in this suffocating world, a reminder that sometimes, the best paths are the ones we carve ourselves. Torn between duty and desire, I must decide: will I be the obedient daughter, or will I risk it all to find a love that's real, in a world where nothing ever is? With Nathaniel's cold gaze following my every move and Alex's carefree charm tempting me to run, the walls of this life are closing in fast. But I've learned something my family never prepared me for: flowers thrive in the messiest soil, and so will I.