2
~Elara's POV
Ronan stood up slowly, running a hand through his hair like he was tired of me already.
"Don't start drama now, Elara," he said flatly.
I stared at him, my voice trembling. "Don't start…? You're kissing her!"
Lira laughed, tilting her head proudly. "Don't get it twisted, Elara. You mean nothing to my man."
"My man.." I took a shaky step forward, tears burning my eyes.
"Why do you always take everything from me, Lira? Why?"
Her smile faded. Her eyes turned cold, sharp as glass.
"Take everything?" She gave a cruel laugh. "Oh, Elara… you have nothing for me to take."
My fists tightened at my sides. "You took all my projects! And now you…" I pointed at Ronan, my voice breaking. "You took him too!"
Ronan scoffed and leaned back against his desk like he was watching something funny.
"You're embarrassing yourself. Look at you, shouting like a child. This is an office, Elara, and not a market."
"Answer me!" I screamed, my voice echoing through the small office.
Lira sighed and stepped off the table, her heels clicking on the floor as she walked closer.
"You really don't know your place, do you?" she said softly, her tone dripping with mockery.
"My place?" I laughed bitterly, wiping my tears with the back of my hand. "My place is always behind you, right? Always the joke because I'm a maid."
She rolled her eyes. "Oh, please. Stop acting like you didn't see this coming. Do you really think a guy like Ronan would ever want you?"
Ronan chuckled, a low, cruel sound that made my stomach twist.
"W-what?" My voice cracked as I looked at him, begging silently for him to say she was lying.
But he only smirked.
"Elara, look at yourself," he said, his voice calm, almost amused. "You really thought I loved you? You're just… a chubby, boring girl who doesn't even fit into her own skin. I can't cope with that."
The words hit me like a punch to the chest. I felt small, smaller than I had ever felt in my life.
Lira crossed her arms, smiling like she was enjoying every bit of it.
"Exactly. You should be grateful he even looked your way."
Tears filled my eyes until the room blurred. My voice came out broken.
"I loved you," I whispered. "I believed in you, Danon."
He shrugged, cold and careless. "That's your mistake, not mine."
I turned to leave, my heart shattering with every step…
But before I could take another breath, Lira's voice sliced through the air.
"Oh, and one more thing," she said coldly.
I barely had time to turn around before her hand connected hard against my cheek.
My head snapped to the side, my skin burning where her palm had landed. For a moment, I couldn't even breathe.
She leaned closer, her perfume sweet but her words venomous.
"Don't you ever challenge me again," she hissed. "You don't belong in my world, Elara. You're nothing but a maid who forgot her place."
Ronan chuckled under his breath, like he found it all amusing.
I stood there, shaking, tears blurring my vision. Lira straightened up and smirked. "Now, get out before I really make you regret standing in front of me."
For a second, I didn't move.
Then I turned and walked out, one hand pressed to my burning cheek.
I didn't know where else to go.
The streets blurred around me as I walked, faces, cars, lights, all mixing like colors in a storm. My feet moved on their own, but my mind was far away.
I thought about running. Just disappearing. Maybe taking the next bus out of town and never looking back. But where would I go? I had no one. So I went home.
I went back to the palace. My body moved, but my heart felt empty.
It was too quiet, too perfect, like always. I wanted to hide in my room, but the moment I stepped in, I saw them, the Alpha and his beloved Luna, sitting in the living room, waiting like judges in a courtroom.
I wasn't even given the chance to greet them.
"Sit," The Alpha said coldly.
I froze, clutching my folder tightly against my chest like it could protect me. My throat felt dry.
"Can I… talk later, Sire?" I whispered. "I'm not feeling…"
The Luna's voice cut through mine like a whip. "Now, Elara."
Their eyes were hard, cold. They didn't notice my red eyes or the way my hands were shaking. The Alpha adjusted his cufflinks calmly and spoke in that same flat, controlled tone.
"You're getting married."
For a moment, I just stared at him, thinking I had misheard.
"W-what?" I stammered.
He leaned back in his chair, his expression unreadable. "You heard me."
A weak laugh escaped my lips before I could stop it. "Wait…Lira… wasn't the proposal meant for Lira?"
The Luna's face changed instantly. Her eyes flared with anger as she slammed her hand on the table.
"Watch your tongue!" she snapped. "Lira is the pride of this family. Do you think we would give her away to a man like that? He's far too old, far too… old."
Her voice dripped with disgust, but then her gaze landed on me, sharp, cold, and cruel.
"You, on the other hand," she continued, "owe us everything. You eat under our roof, wear our clothes, and live because of our mercy. This is the best way to pay us back."
My mouth opened, but no words came out. My heart pounded so loud it drowned my thoughts.
I wanted to say no, to scream, to tell them I couldn't marry a stranger… but my voice died in my throat.
Sire's tone hardened. "The arrangement is already made. You'll meet him soon."
I swallowed hard, shaking my head slowly. "Sire, please… I…"
The Luna stood up suddenly, her chair screeching across the floor. Her hand came flying before I could even blink.
The slap was sharp and loud, and the sting spread through my cheek like fire.
"Enough of your disrespect!" she shouted. "You will obey, Elara! After everything we've done for you, this is how you repay us? You should be grateful we're even giving you such a chance!"
I pressed a hand to my face, the pain blurring my vision. Tears welled up, but I dared not let them fall.
Sire didn't say a word. He just looked at me like I was nothing.
The Luna straightened her dress and hissed, "Now get out of my sight before I forget before I pounce on you!"
Finally, I ran upstairs before they could see me cry.
Inside my room, I locked the door and slid down to the floor, my body shaking.
"Why…" I whispered. "Why is it always me?"
The mirror across the room caught my reflection. My eyes were red and swollen, my hair messy, face stinging from her slap. I hated what I saw. Maybe this was why no one ever chose me. Maybe if I looked more like Lira, prettier, brighter, they'd like me and treat me better.
I don't remember how long I cried.
Maybe an hour. Maybe more. My head throbbed, my eyes burned, and my chest felt too tight to breathe.
Everything kept replaying in my mind, You owe us everything. You'll obey. You should be grateful.
Grateful. For what?
For being treated like a burden? For being sold off to a man I didn't even know?
I walked to the mirror. My reflection looked like a stranger, pale face, swollen eyes, red handprint still burning on my cheek. I looked broken. And maybe I was.
I sat on the floor, staring at the wall, and whispered to myself, "Maybe it's better if I just end it all. Maybe that's the only way to make the pain stop."
My hands shook as I dragged a stool to the middle of the room. I tied a piece of cloth to the ceiling beam, my heart pounding louder with each breath.
Tears blurred my vision, but I forced a small, shaky smile.
I climbed onto the stool and slipped the cloth around my neck. My knees trembled. I closed my eyes and kicked the stool away.
For a second, there was nothing, just silence and the sound of my heartbeat fading.
Then the door burst open with a loud bang!
"Elara!" my aunt's voice screamed, sharp and furious.