Ahicia sat on the edge of her bed, her hands clutching the sheets as tears streamed down her face. Her body trembled with emotion, each sob tearing through her like a tempest. She cursed herself for her weakness, for the tears that wouldn't stop falling, and most of all, for the parents who had brought her into a world where she was never truly wanted.
"Why?" she whispered hoarsely, staring at the floor as if it held the answer to the questions that plagued her. "Why did you create me, only to abandon me? To treat me like I was nothing?"
Her voice rose with each word, a mix of anguish and fury. "Was I so unworthy of love? Was I such a disappointment?" Her fists clenched, and she slammed them against the mattress, the pain in her heart far outweighing any physical discomfort.
After what felt like hours, the tears finally subsided, leaving her drained and hollow. She stared at her reflection in the mirror across the room. Her eyes were red and puffy, her hair a disheveled mess. She looked as broken as she felt.
"Never again," she muttered, her voice trembling but resolute. "I'll never let them see me like this again."
The next morning, Ahicia avoided Damian with a single-minded determination. Every footstep, every creak of the floorboards seemed to announce his presence, and each time, she would find an excuse to slip away. She wasn't ready to face him. Not after the storm of emotions his words had unleashed within her.
But while she successfully evaded Damian, she couldn't escape the watchful eyes of his mother.
Ahicia turned a corner in the expansive estate, her heart sinking as she nearly collided with the formidable woman. Damian's mother stood tall, her sharp eyes narrowing as they locked onto Ahicia's face.
"Ahicia," she said, her tone clipped and authoritative. "A word."
Ahicia straightened her posture, masking her nerves with a facade of defiance. "Of course," she replied coolly, meeting the older woman's gaze without flinching.
Damian's mother tilted her head slightly, a faint smirk tugging at her lips as if impressed by Ahicia's boldness. "Walk with me."
They moved through the ornate halls in silence, the tension between them palpable. Finally, they entered a private sitting room, and Damian's mother gestured for Ahicia to sit. She remained standing, her imposing figure casting a shadow over the room.
"You've caused quite a stir," she began, her voice even but laden with implication. "Damian has always been headstrong, but his declaration last night? That was unexpected, even for him."
Ahicia crossed her legs, leaning back in the chair with an air of nonchalance she didn't feel. "And what exactly do you want from me?" she asked, her tone carefully measured.
The older woman's eyes gleamed with something between amusement and calculation. "I want to know your intentions. You may have Damian fooled, but I see through the act. You're hiding something."
Ahicia's heart skipped a beat, but she maintained her composure. "Believe what you want," she said smoothly. "It doesn't change the fact that your son made his choice. Maybe you should take it up with him."
A flicker of annoyance crossed the older woman's face, but she quickly masked it. "You're clever, I'll give you that. But cleverness only gets you so far in this world."
With that, she turned on her heel and left the room, leaving Ahicia to grapple with a fresh wave of uncertainty. The encounter had left her shaken, but also more determined than ever. If she was to survive in this world of power and deception, she would have to be as unyielding as the people who sought to break her.