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    137: A MOMENT THAT LED TO DARKNESS


    ARIEL’S POV


    And I was still here, watching the unconscious Luke. I was gazing at his peaceful face at the moment,


    and the only thing I prayed for right now was that he should open his eyes.


    1 harked my mind back to when I saw him wounded, as he fell down in pain. It was really painful. I


    couldn’t act like I still hated him at that moment; I was only human after all. This hatred for Luke had


    faded. If there was something I hade to learn, it was that. And I didn’t know why I had to give in.


    Give in? Wait, why should I be telling myself this right now? Was I falling in love? Oh my gosh, this was


    quite messed up, Ariel.


    Luke’s hand shook, and I had to set my eyes back on him. His eyes were still closed, but his hand


    jounced for the second time. With this, I had a feeling that he was about to open his eyes; that would


    happen any moment for now. The hope in me had risen again, like the sun, shining, and why the hell


    did I feel a smileing on?”


    Content (C) N?v/elDra/ma.Org.


    ANDRE’S POV


    Mason made his way downstairs, staring at my mom as she took care of my wounds. His mocking


    smirk lingered on his face. He stepped closer, hands dipped in his pockets.


    “Wow, brother. You got into a fight?” He taunted. I sighed, not even wanting to give him attention.


    “He didn’t, alright?” My mother replied before turning back to me.


    “Well, I did get into a fight.” I took my mind back to the baldheaded man Luke and I had faced.


    “I can see that,” Mason sneered, eyeing the bruises on my face. “Who was it now, huh? Some good for


    nothing, punk? Why would he waste his time fighting a chicken like you? But he did wound you.”


    “Mason!” My father vocalized harshly.


    “Calm down, father. I haven’te here for nonsense. I’m just concerned about my elder brother. So


    tell me, André. Who did it?”


    I clenched my jaw, trying to calm myself down. I would keep on saying this, and the thought would


    linger–Mason always had a way of getting under my skin, and I hated it. “It doesn’t matter,” I muttered,


    avoiding his gaze.


    “Oh, but it does,” he countered. “I’m trying to help a delinquent like you, and you’re here telling me


    sh*t?”


    “Enough with the nonsense, alright?” I scoffed. “You only care about your reputation, not me.”


    Mason’s smirk faltered, and then anger took its ce. “You don’t know anything about me, André. You


    never have.”


    “Then enlighten me,” I challenged, standing up to face him. “Tell me something about yourself that I


    don’t already know.”


    His jaw clenched, and he took a step closer to me. “Fine. I care about my reputation because it’s the


    only thing I have left. The only thing that makes me feel like I’m worth something.”


    “What are you even saying now? What do you mean by that?”


    “You know what I mean,” he snapped. “You’ve always been the perfect son, the one everyone loves.


    Meanwhile, I’ve always been the troublemaker, the one who can never live up to your expectations.”


    “That’s not true,” I argued. “I’ve never expected this terrible side from you, Mason. I’ve always wanted


    us to get along, but you kept on ruining things.”


    Mason let out a bitterugh. “Get along? You’ve never even tried to understand me. You’ve always


    been too busy with your own life. And you make a lot of announcements, telling people fake things


    about us.”


    “Fake things?”


    “Oh yes, brother. A lot of people feel like we’re close to each other. But they’re far away from the truth.”


    “That’s because you refused to be a great person. I’ve loved you, brother, and I’ll always love you.


    You just got to change this disgusting attitude.”


    I walked away after tapping him on the shoulder.


    EIGHT YEARS AGO


    ARIEL’S POV


    I stood at the entrance of the grand wedding hall, the soft strains of music floating through the air like a


    mncholic melody. The hall was adorned with cascading white flowers, their delicate petals creating a


    dreamlike atmosphere. The aisle stretched out before me, lined with flickering candles that cast a warm


    glow over the room. The moment I took a deep breath, I felt the weight of the borate gown‘ I wore,


    the satin andce hugging my frame in a way that felt


    137 A MOMENT THAT LED TO DARENAL


    suffocating rather thanforting.


    My heart clenched as I nced down at the dress -a gown fit for a fairytale princess but a prison for my


    soul. The ivory fabric shimmered in the soft light, adorned with intricate beading that sparkled like stars


    in the night sky. The veil moved down my back like a waterfall, obscuring my face from the world but


    failing to hide the turmoil in my eyes.


    My gaze drifted to the end of the aisle, where Luke stood beside the priest, his eyes fixed on me with a


    mixture of anticipation and uncertainty. His tuxedo was impably tailored, the ck fabric


    emphasizing his broad shoulders and chiseled features. But despite his handsome appearance, there


    was a distance in his eyes that mirrored the emptiness in my own heart.


    I began to walk down the aisle, the soft rustle of my gown echoing in the hushed hall, I felt as though I


    was marching towards my own demise. Each step was heavy with the weight of expectation and


    obligation, and the eyes of the guests followed my every move with a mix of awe and reverence. But


    beneath the facade of a picture–perfect bride, my heart was in turmoil, a storm of conflicting emotions


    raging within me.


    The priest’s voice blended with the soft murmur of the guests, the words of the ceremony washing over


    me like a distant tide. I could feel Luke’s gaze on me–a silent question in his eyes that I couldn’t bear to


    answer. And as we exchanged vows, the words felt hollow on my lips, a mockery of the sacred union


    we were supposed to represent.


    The priest finally pronounced us husband and wife, and I felt a sense of profound loss wash over me, a


    finality that settled in my chest like a stone. Luke’s hand reached for mine, his touch cold against her


    skin, and I forced a smile that felt more like a grimace. And so did he.


    The guests erupted into apuse as we, the newlyweds, turned to face them, their cheers a


    cacophony of celebration that rang hollow in my ears. When I looked out at the sea of smiling faces, I


    felt a pang of guilt at the deception she was perpetuating–a charade of love that I couldn’t bring myself


    to believe in.


    END OF FLASHBACK.


    That was the day I had to enter darkness, being inflicted with the pain. Word filled with thore, which


    stung me invariably, piercing my heart. Yes, I had to take my mind back to that moment because I was


    lost in a sea of sorrow, something I had to do for my parents, even though I knew what it would cause


    me.


    But here I was today, worried about this man and praying for him to regain consciousness. I should


    have just wished him dead, but that wasn’t it. This part of me had already materialized, and I knew it


    was going to be hard to rip it off.


    137 A MOMENT THAT LED TO DARKNESS


    I was feeling drowsy, and just when I was about to go to sleep, Luke’s eyes slowly


    opened.