Aria’s POV.
The clinic was cold and sterile, the kind of place that made you feel small and insignificant.
The stark white walls felt like they were closing in on me, and the harsh fluorescent lights above buzzed faintly, making my skin crawl.
I sat stiffly on the exam table, my arms crossed tightly over my chest as if they were the only barrier protecting me from the humiliation that Zander had dragged me into.
The smell of disinfectant was sharp in the air, and it made me nauseous. I refused to look at him. I wouldn’t give him the satisfaction of seeing how much this was affecting me, of seeing the anger and humiliation written all over my face.
Zander stood by the door, his arms crossed, his posture stiff. He hadn’t said a word since we entered the room, but his presence was suffocating.
He loomed like a shadow, dark and overbearing, and I could feel his eyes on me even though I refused to meet his gaze. My heart was pounding in my chest, and my hands clenched into fists in my lap. The silence was unbearable, but I refused to be the one to break it.
The door opened, and the doctor walked in. She was a middle-aged woman with soft brown hair tucked into a bun and kind, intelligent eyes that immediately landed on me. Her smile faltered when she felt the tension hanging in the room like a thick fog. She hesitated, her gaze darting between me and Zander as if she was trying to figure out what she had just walked into. “Is… everything all right here?” she asked cautiously, her voice polite but filled with concern.
“No,” I snapped, my tone sharp and cold as I glared at Zander from the corner of my eye. “Everything is *not* all right. But let’s just get this over with.” My voice shook slightly, but I quickly steadied it, not wanting him to hear the cracks of weakness.
The doctor raised an eyebrow, her kind eyes narrowing slightly as she glanced at Zander. She clearly didn’t like the situation, but she didn’t argue. Instead, she turned back to me, her expression softening. “All right, dear,” she said gently, her tone full of understanding. “Let’s just focus on you for now, okay?”
I nodded stiffly, swallowing the lump in my throat as I lay back on the exam table. The paper beneath me crinkled loudly, the sound grating against my already frayed nerves. My heart hammered in my chest as I stared up at the ceiling, willing myself to stay calm. I refused to look at Zander. I couldn’t. Just knowing he was standing there, watching, was enough to make my skin crawl.
“Are you comfortable?” the doctor asked, her voice soft.
“Not really,” I muttered, my voice barely above a whisper.
She sighed quietly, clearly sensing just how tense I was. “I’ll make this quick,” she promised, her tone kind. “We’ll be done in no time.”
The examination was quick, just as she had promised, but it was the most humiliating experience of my life. I kept my eyes locked on the ceiling, focusing on the fluorescent lights buzzing above me. I tried to block everything out-the sterile smell of the room, the cold instruments, the weight of Zander’s presence pressing down on me like a physical force. My nails dug into my palms as I held back the urge to scream.
When it was finally over, I sat up quickly, pulling my coat around me like it was armor. I didn’t say a word, didn’t even glance in Zander’s direction. I just wanted to get out of that room, away from him and the unbearable shame he had dragged me into.
The doctor turned to Zander, her expression serious and filled with disapproval. Her lips pressed into a thin line as she spoke, her tone blunt and sharp. “She’s a virgin,” she said, her words cutting through the air like a knife. Her gaze lingered on him for a moment, and I could see the judgment in her eyes. She didn’t approve of whatever this was, and she wasn’t hiding it.
Zander froze. I could feel the shift in the air, the way his body stiffened at her words. I didn’t bother looking at him. I didn’t care what his reaction was. Whatever he was feeling-shock, regret, guilt-it wasn’t enough. Nothing could undo the humiliation he had just put me through.
The doctor cleared her throat, her tone icy now. “I don’t know what’s going on between the two of you,” she said, her gaze flicking between us, “but this was unnecessary. Completely unnecessary.” She turned back to me, her expression softening again. “Are you all right, dear?”
“I’m fine,” I lied, my voice flat and emotionless as I grabbed my coat and stood. I wanted to scream that I wasn’t fine, that I was broken and humiliated and furious, but I didn’t. I wouldn’t give Zander the satisfaction of seeing me crumble.
“Aria,” Zander said, his voice low and hesitant.
I stopped in my tracks, my hand on the doorframe. I didn’t turn to look at him. “Don’t,” I said coldly, cutting him off before he could say anything else. My voice was like ice, sharp and unyielding.
“Aria, I-” he started again, but I spun around to face him, my eyes blazing with fury.
“Don’t you dare,” I hissed, my voice trembling with the force of my anger. “Don’t you *dare* try to apologize now. You don’t get to act like you care, Zander. You don’t get to act like you’re sorry after everything you’ve done.”
He opened his mouth to speak, but I didn’t let him. I took a step closer, my hands clenched into fists at my sides. “You’ve lost me forever, Zander,” I said, my voice steady despite the tears burning in my eyes. “You’ll never have me again. Not as your wife. Not as your mate. Not as *anything*.”
His face twisted, a flash of something-pain, regret, maybe even desperation-crossing his features. But I didn’t care. It was too late for him to feel anything.
The doctor cleared her throat awkwardly, clearly uncomfortable with the tension in the room. “I think we’re done here,” she said quietly, stepping aside to let me pass.
Without another word, I turned and walked out of the room, my head held high even though my heart felt like it was shattering into a million pieces. I didn’t look back. I wouldn’t give him the satisfaction of seeing me cry.
As I stepped out into the cold air outside, I took a deep breath, trying to calm the storm raging inside me. But no amount of fresh air could erase what had just happened. No amount of distance could undo the damage Zander had caused.
And as I walked away from the clinic, I silently vowed to myself that I would never let him hurt me again.