Leaving

Aria’s POV.
The morning sun peeked through the thick, heavy velvet curtains, its soft rays casting faint golden streaks across the cold, gray stone walls of the room.
The light felt weak, like it didn’t dare to brighten the space fully, as if even nature understood the suffocating tension that lingered here. I sat perched on the edge of my bed, my body stiff and unmoving, staring down at the half-packed suitcase sitting open in front of me. It felt like a symbol of my life-half-finished, incomplete, and waiting for a decision. My hands trembled as I folded the last piece of clothing-a plain white blouse that once held memories of happier, simpler times.
Slowly, I placed it on top of the others, careful not to disturb the neatness of the arrangement. My fingers lingered for a moment, brushing against the fabric, my mind far away. Everything around me felt unreal, like I was standing outside of my own body, watching someone else’s life unravel piece by piece. But no. This wasn’t a stranger’s life falling apart. This mess belonged entirely to me.
This was my reality, not some distant story happening to someone else. It was *my* heart that had been shattered, *my* trust that had been betrayed in the cruelest and most painful way imaginable. I swallowed hard and forced myself to stand, the movement feeling heavier than it should have, as though every joint in my body resisted me.
My fingers gripped the zipper of the suitcase, and I pulled it closed with shaking hands, the soft metallic *zrrr* sound cutting through the quiet like a knife. No matter how much I tried to push them away, the memories of the night before slammed into me like a tidal wave, dragging me under again. Over and over, I saw Sarah in *my* bed, wrapped in the sheets that should have been mine. I saw her smug, satisfied expression, and I saw *him*-Zander. Silent. Guilty. His head lowered, his silence screaming louder than words ever could. The betrayal burned through me like wildfire, scorching everything in its path.
It wasn’t just his betrayal, though. It was hers. *Sarah*. My best friend. The one person I had trusted above all others. The person I had laughed with, cried with, shared my secrets with. She had destroyed me in a way I never thought possible.
Last night, I had kicked her out of the castle. I had watched her scramble to gather her things, her confidence shrinking as I stood over her, unrelenting. Her smug facade had crumbled, leaving only humiliation behind as she stumbled out the door. I had thought that seeing her go might bring me some relief, some sense of closure. But it hadn’t. Her absence didn’t erase what she had done. It didn’t erase the gaping wound she had left in my chest, a wound that throbbed with every beat of my heart. And Zander? He was no better. He had betrayed me just as deeply, and the irony of it wasn’t lost on me. He had done to me exactly what Lyra and Asher had done to him. He had turned me into a reflection of the broken, bitter person he had once been. I could never forgive him for that. He had taken everything from me-my trust, my hope, my sense of safety-and shattered it all without a second thought.
I reached for the handle of the suitcase, my fingers curling around the cool metal as I forced myself to straighten my shoulders. I wouldn’t let myself crumble. Not here. Not now. I had made my decision, and I would see it through. I wasn’t going to stay in this castle a moment longer. I wasn’t going to let Zander or anyone else humiliate me, belittle me, or treat me like a piece on their chessboard. I deserved more than this-more than him. I was leaving. Leaving this castle, leaving this life, leaving this pain behind me. I took a deep breath, the air catching in my throat as I stepped into the hallway.
The silence in the castle was almost deafening. The grand corridors, once alive with tension and power, now felt hollow and lifeless, as if the walls themselves had absorbed all the pain and anger that had been unleashed within them. My footsteps echoed softly against the stone floors as I walked, each step feeling heavier than the last. By the time I reached the grand staircase, my legs felt like lead, but I forced myself to keep moving. I descended slowly, gripping the banister tightly, my heart pounding with every step. When I reached the massive front doors, I hesitated for only a moment before pushing them open. The icy morning air hit me like a slap, sharp and bracing, but it was exactly what I needed.
But before I could take another step forward, a voice broke through the quiet, stopping me in my tracks.
“Aria.”
I froze, my chest tightening as my heart began to race. I didn’t need to turn around to know who it was. I would recognize that voice anywhere. Slowly, I turned, my eyes locking onto Zander as he stood at the top of the staircase. His black hair was messy, as though he hadn’t slept, and his eyes were dark, filled with something I couldn’t quite place-desperation, anger, or maybe regret. He descended the stairs quickly, his long strides eating up the distance between us until he was standing just a few feet away.
“You’re leaving,” he said, his voice low and steady, though I could hear the tension beneath it.
“Yes,” I replied, lifting my chin defiantly. My voice was calm, but inside, my emotions churned like a storm. “I’m leaving. There’s nothing left for me here.”
His jaw tightened, and his eyes flicked toward the suitcase in my hand. For a moment, he said nothing, as if he were trying to find the right words. Finally, he spoke, his voice laced with anger. “You can’t just leave.”
I laughed bitterly, the sound sharp and cutting. “Watch me,” I said, shaking my head.
“You’re my wife, Aria,” he said, stepping closer, his presence overwhelming. “You belong here.”
His words lit a fire in me, and I clenched my fists, my anger bubbling to the surface. “Your wife?” I spat, my voice dripping with venom. “Don’t make me laugh, Zander. You’ve never treated me like your wife. You’ve treated me like a burden, a convenience, or worse-a target for your anger. Well, I’m done. I want a divorce.”
His eyes darkened, and for a moment, I thought I saw a flicker of pain flash across his face. But it was gone just as quickly, replaced by a cold, unyielding stare.
“No,” he said simply, his voice firm and almost cruel.
I blinked, caught off guard by how final his tone was. “No?”
“You’re not getting a divorce,” he said, his voice low and dangerous. “You’re my mate, Aria. You’re bound to me by the Moon Goddess herself. You don’t get to walk away from that.”
I scoffed, crossing my arms over my chest as I glared at him. “You don’t get to use the bond as an excuse, Zander. You broke it the moment you betrayed me. You don’t get to claim me now.”
His gaze was sharp, his voice steady but filled with a dangerous edge. “You think you can just walk away from this? From me? You’re not leaving, Aria. Not now. Not ever.”
I shook my head, my anger flaring as his words pushed me further. “This is exactly why I’m leaving,” I snapped. “You think you can control me, like I’m some possession you own. But I’m not. I’m done being a pawn in your games, Zander. I’m done being humiliated. I deserve better than this, and I’m going to find it-with or without your permission.”
His hand shot out, grabbing my wrist before I could turn away. His grip was firm, but not painful. His eyes locked onto mine, and for a moment, I thought I saw something flicker there-regret, pain, maybe even love. But I couldn’t trust it. Not anymore.
“You’re not leaving,” he said, his voice low and dangerous. “If you go to your father’s castle, I’ll come after you. I’ll drag you back here if I have to. You’re mine, Aria. You’ll always be mine.”
I yanked my wrist out of his grip, glaring at him with all the fury I could muster. “You can force me to stay, Zander, but you’ll never have my heart. You’ll never have me.”
His lips curled into a cruel smile, but there was something hollow about it, as if he were trying to hide the cracks in his armor. “We’ll see about that,” he said softly, his voice like a dark promise.
I turned away from him, my heart pounding as I walked out the door and toward the car waiting at the edge of the driveway. The driver opened the door for me, and I climbed in, refusing to look back.
As the car pulled away, I clenched my hands into fists, my nails digging into my palms. My chest felt heavy, but I refused to let the tears fall.
I was leaving the castle, but I knew this wasn’t the end. Zander wouldn’t let me go so easily.
But no matter what he did, I wasn’t going to let him break me. Not now. Not ever.