A heavy silence fell over the dinner table as everyone's attention turned to Cathleen and the old man. The question hung in the air like a thick fog, weighing down on the two of them. Cathleen fought the urge to steal a glance at Xavier, knowing that their eyes meeting would reveal her true feelings about the arranged marriage. Instead, she mustered up a smile and reached out to gently cup the old man's face in her hands. The wrinkles and crevices of his weathered skin told a story of a long life lived, but at this moment, all Cathleen could see was the burden she was about to bear...