Claire’s POV
I had only co to Evander because I needed sothing from him. Yet here I was, standing in front of him, feeling as though the weight of his words had shattered sothing inside . The way he spoke, the pain in his voice— it was like staring into a storm I couldn’t pull him out of.
My heart ached, and every fiber of my being scread at to reach out to him, to hold him and tell him he didn’t have to carry all that darkness alone. But I couldn’t. Not with who he was. Not with who we were to each other for now!
If I did reach him, all the walls that were cracking might crumble right away.
I stood frozen, silent, letting the heavy silence hang between us. Finally, I managed to speak, though my voice ca out shaky, betraying the emotions I tried so hard to hide.
"Di... Did you know... I wasn’t supposed to marry you when the marriage was proposed to our family?" I said, forcing the words out as I tried to control my cracking voice.
Evander’s eyes widened, and for the first ti, I saw genuine shock on his face. "Excuse ?" he asked, his voice sharp with disbelief as he straightened in his seat.
I swallowed hard, gripping the edge of my dress to stop my hands from trembling. "I wasn’t the one they chose for you," I said quietly, my gaze dropping to the floor. "They wanted soone else for you not ! But... things didn’t go as they planned."
"What are you talking about?" His voice was low, but I could feel the tension in it, like a storm brewing just beneath the surface.
I hesitated, unsure if I should continue. But sothing inside urged forward, perhaps because I felt he deserved the truth. "It was supposed to be my elder sister," I finally said, my words barely above a whisper.
The room fell into an unbearable silence. Evander’s eyes burned into , his expression unreadable. I couldn’t tell if he was angry, hurt, or simply stunned by what I ad said.
"Your sister?" He repeated, his voice quiet but laced with sothing dangerous.
I nodded, feeling my chest tighten. "Yes. But she... he wasn’t in a position to accept. You know... There were rumors that you were a cold-blooded... Ahem... there is still rumours about you being a woman abuser and whatnot! So, she ran away!"
A bitter laugh escaped him, and it sent chills down my spine. "Of course," he said, leaning back in his chair as he ran a hand through his hair. "Of course, I almost married to a woman who didn’t even think of as a human. Always the spare. The one they settle for when there’s no better option."
"That’s not how I see it," I said quickly, my voice trembling but firm. "I didn’t know any of this until later. And it didn’t matter to . I..."
I trailed off, unsure of how to finish the sentence. Did I want to tell him what I felt? Could I even put it into words?
"What?" he asked, his eyes locking onto mine with an intensity that made my breath catch. "What didn’t matter to you, Claire? Go on, say it. Didn’t you think of the sa as your sister did?"
I opened my mouth to respond, but the words stuck in my throat. My heart pounded as I stood there. However, I couldn’t stand him seeing in pain.
"I... I was told that you were in love with my sister." I finally spoke, my voice trembling as I tried to steady my emotions.
Evander’s reaction was imdiate and furious. He slamd his hand against the desk, the sharp sound making flinch. His fierce glare bore into . "Why would I love her? I didn’t even know you had a sister!" he snapped, his tone edged with disbelief and anger.
"Wh... What?" My eyes widened, my breath hitched. How could he not know? The weight of his words left frozen in shock.
All this ti, I had believed that I was nothing more than a substitute bride for my sister. It was the story everyone fed , and I had clung to it, convinced that I was just a placeholder in his life. But since I was the one who got to stand by his side, I had forced myself to accept it, convincing myself it was enough.
Then ca Susan and made my life even more hellish. Her venomous words, and those of everyone around , only deepened my insecurities. They whispered things that burrowed into my mind, making believe I was nothing but a second woman in Evander’s life—soone he would never truly accept.
The guilt had consud . I questioned my worth daily. The final blow ca when my sister herself approached . She looked at with pleading eyes and demanded what she called her rightful place by Evander’s side.
It shattered .
"Are you serious?" Evander’s voice broke through my thoughts, cold and biting. "Is that really what you thought? That I would love soone I didn’t even know existed? Who told you such ridiculous lies?"
"I..." My voice faltered, my lips trembling as the truth weighed on . "I didn’t want to believe it at first. But when everyone around , even my sister, said the sa things over and over, how could I not?"
Evander’s jaw tightened, and his hands clenched into fists. "They manipulated you," he growled, his voice laced with anger. His anger was not directed at but at the people who had planted such doubts in my heart. And you let them."
Tears stung my eyes as I whispered, "I didn’t know what to believe anymore. I thought I was doing the right thing by staying quiet and trying to endure everything. I thought... I thought I was protecting you and everyone else."
=====
Please comnt and do let know how is the Chapter! Enjoy!
Reviews
All reviews (0)