Aria’s POV.
I stormed down the hallway, my vision blurred by the tears burning in my eyes. My chest heaved with the effort of holding back the sobs threatening to break free. The humiliation, the anger, the frustration-it was all too much. I could still feel the warm soup clinging to my skin, the sticky fabric of my ruined dress pressing against me, a reminder of the power Zander thought he had over me.
When I reached my room, I slammed the door shut with enough force to make the walls tremble. My breathing was ragged as I leaned against the door, my hands clenched into fists so tight my nails dug into my palms. The silence of the room was deafening, and it only fueled the storm raging inside me.
I let out a scream, raw and filled with all the rage I’d been holding back. My hands shot out, grabbing the nearest vase on the table and hurling it across the room. It shattered against the wall, the sound echoing in the stillness like a gunshot. The shards scattered across the floor, glittering in the faint light. But it wasn’t enough. I needed more.
I moved to the vanity, grabbing the brush and perfume bottles and throwing them one by one. The mirror cracked under the force of one of the blows, jagged lines spreading across its surface like a web. My jewelry box went next, spilling its contents across the room. My chest heaved as I stood in the middle of the chaos, my tears falling freely now.
“How dare he?” I hissed, my voice trembling. “How dare he humiliate me like that? How dare he think he owns me?”
I paced the room, my anger still bubbling beneath the surface. My reflection in the cracked mirror caught my eye, and I froze. The dress clung to me, the fabric stained and ruined, but even now, I could see the fire in my eyes. Zander wanted me to bend. He wanted me to submit. But I wouldn’t. I wouldn’t let him win.
A defiant smirk tugged at my lips as an idea began to form. If he thought he could control me, he was wrong. I would show him that I wasn’t some puppet he could manipulate. I moved to my wardrobe, yanking the doors open and searching through the dresses until I found the perfect one.
The red dress I pulled out was even more daring than the one I’d worn earlier. The neckline plunged dangerously low, and the fabric hugged every curve. It was bold, provocative, and entirely inappropriate-exactly what I wanted. I slipped it on, the silky material sliding over my skin like a second layer of rebellion.
As I stood in front of the mirror, fixing my hair and wiping away the remnants of my tears, I heard a knock at the door. Before I could respond, the door creaked open, and two of the maids stepped inside hesitantly.
“Miss Aria…” one of them started, her voice trembling. “Lord Zander has asked us to check on you.”
I turned to face them, my chin raised defiantly. “Go tell him I’m fine,” I said sharply. “And tell him he can’t control me, no matter how hard he tries.”
The maids exchanged a nervous glance before scurrying out of the room. I smirked to myself, satisfied that I’d made my point. But the satisfaction was short-lived. A few minutes later, the door flew open, and Zander stormed in, his expression dark and furious.
“Aria,” he growled, his voice low and filled with warning. “What the hell do you think you’re doing?”
I crossed my arms over my chest, glaring at him. “I’m wearing what I want,” I said defiantly. “You don’t get to tell me how to dress, Zander. I’m not your toy.”
His eyes darkened as he stepped closer, his movements slow and deliberate, like a predator stalking its prey. “You just don’t learn, do you?” he said, his voice cold.
Before I could respond, he grabbed the fabric of my dress and, with one swift motion, tore it down the middle. I gasped, stumbling back as the ruined dress fell from my shoulders, leaving me standing there in nothing but my undergarments.
“You have no right-” I started, my voice rising with anger, but he cut me off.
“You’ll wear what I choose for you,” he said, his voice hard and unyielding. He turned to the wardrobe, pulling out the dress he’d originally chosen and throwing it at me. “Put this on. Now.”
I stood frozen, my chest heaving with a mix of rage and humiliation. “You’re a monster,” I spat, my voice trembling. “You think you can control me, but you can’t. I’ll never be yours.”
His hand shot out, grabbing my arm and pulling me close. His other hand came up, and before I could react, the sharp sting of his slap sent my head snapping to the side. My cheek burned, tears springing to my eyes as the shock of what he’d done washed over me.
“Enough,” he said, his voice low and dangerous. “You will obey me, Aria. Whether you want to or not.”
I pulled away from him, my hands trembling as I clutched the torn remains of my dress. My heart was pounding, my mind racing with emotions I couldn’t control. The tears blurred my vision as I stumbled toward the window, the cool night air brushing against my skin.
“I can’t do this anymore,” I whispered, my voice broken.
Before Zander could react, I climbed onto the windowsill, my bare feet gripping the cold stone as I looked down at the ground far below. The wind whipped through my hair, and for a moment, the thought of escaping-truly escaping-was almost comforting.
“Aria, don’t,” Zander said, his voice softer now, tinged with something that almost sounded like fear.
I closed my eyes, my body trembling as I leaned forward slightly. But before I could take the final step, darkness consumed me. My body went limp as the world faded away, and the last thing I felt was Zander’s arms wrapping around me, catching me before I fell.
When I woke, I was back in my room, the faint scent of Zander lingering in the air. My body ached, my cheek still stinging from his slap. But the fire inside me hadn’t been extinguished.
This wasn’t over. Not yet.