Aria's POV
The maids had this deadpan expression as they strapped me into layer upon layer of satin lace and jewels I had never wanted before. Their whispers were rough gales meant to frighten me, and while I knew this, it felt rather cold to me when their words fell like ice on my skin.
"You will be with Adam this evening." One of the hissing maids leaned forward with the warning note, just adding "Has he not warned you about him?" for spice.
I kept a blank face and mouthed an assent, without letting them detect that they had intimidated me. No show of weakness was allowed; I needed strength without fear. But under those words, their crawlings commenced.
"He won't stop until you're sorry," they preached, "once he begins" The empty room reverberated with those after they had left. I clenched my fists and told myself that I had seen far worse because *it was just another trial from our Aria: get through it, earn his trust, and pocket what you came for*.
As the guard came to clear roads to me, I kept my head high and my back straight, determined to confront Adam on my terms.
Sheen about the poles in Adam's bedroom was drawn; he stood shirtless by the window, casting conceiving shadows upon his muscular body. At that moment, a shiver ran through me, but I stifled it down.
His eyes were studying me with a hard, judgmental stare. "What a mess you made, Jasmine," he said sharply. "Do you even realize what you've done?"
I swallowed and forced myself to hold his gaze. "I... didn't mean to cause trouble."
He smirked, his expression cold. "Then why did you run? On our wedding day?
Part of me wanted to apologize, but I wasn't Jasmine. I wasn't here for her reasons. I was here to survive, so I replied with the little truth I could offer, "I was... afraid."
Adam's smile faded as he let out a harsh laugh. "Fear won't change anything now."
He stepped closer, his presence commanding, but I kept my head up, refusing to back down.
"Undress," he ordered.
Instead, I nervously flushed, and while I hesitated for a few moments under his penetrating gaze, he made no attempts to reiterate the order. The warning echoed in my thoughts. I forced myself to obey as I tore my clothes down. His eyes measured me coldly void of feeling.
As he came almost next to me, he held my given chin. "Do you think you are special, Jasmine? That you deserve some sympathy?"
Those hurt, but I kept quiet about it; "No," I said softly looking away from him to play the part I barely understood.
"Look at me," he ordered me sharply, and I forced myself to meet his cold, calculating eyes which held no mercy.
His hands slid down my arms, possessive, and I held back the urge to flinch. Defiance would ruin my plan. I was here to comply, to make him believe he held all the power, biding my time for a moment of weakness.
His touch grew rougher, his grip tightening until I spoke, "Adam, please..."
He silenced me with a growl. "Think I'll let you talk your way out of this?" he sneered. "You made your bed, Jasmine. Now lie in it."
Pulled, gasped me close, immovable. Pain lanced through me much sharper than I had expected. And again, I was hit with the realization that this was the way Jasmine, despite everything, had never been touched. She had taken this life away to let me suffer through all her pain and her secrets, and here I was, paying. It burned with a rage that was smoldering and mixed with grief.
"Please...stop," I managed to whisper, but he only chuckled coldly, void of empathy.
"Stop? Did you think it would be that easy?"
Every instinct told me to fight and scream, yet the maids' warning rang out in my mind and wouldn't stop. The only way I could deal with it was to endure his treacherous cruelty. Moment by moment, my resolve was getting stronger, and hatred kept swelling within me.
*Change your perspective, Aria; it ain't over yet. You'll get through this. Someday, you'll make him pay.*
When it was done with me, he walked out smug and satisfied, as if he had just broken something in me. I lay there, bruised and battered, but a fierce determination burned intensely beneath the hurt, shame, and anger that I felt now.
If it took working him over to stay close enough to learn his weaknesses, then this was only the beginning. I'd make him suffer one day, just as he'd made me suffer tonight.
His voice intruded into my thoughts. "Get used to this," he said coolly, smirking. "Now you're mine, Jasmine. Or whatever you are."
I met him straight in the eye, smothering my fury and speaking it ever so steadily, "I understand."
He walked out, leaving me alone in his cold, empty quarters. Gathering my strength, I swallowed hard, letting the hatred simmer, promising that this was just the beginning of a plan for my revenge.
Sparks of RebellionJasmine's POVI awoke to a chilly, silent room. I was battered all over from head to toe and could not remember anything that occurred in my mind last night. I lay on a simple bed with thin blankets and kept muttering to myself, "I am not broken.". I will not be outdone by this." I slowly sat up, shaking off the pain and the humiliation that wrapped around me like a wet cold shroud. My head was a jumble of other people's and my thoughts. I was Jasmine again, alive, but at the core of me was Aria—seething with anger for revenge.I hurled my legs off the bed and upright, hearing every creaking step on the bare hallway. I whispered to myself, "I must be strong. Tomorrow, I'll know." I passed a wall mirror. I looked at myself, and I growled, "Jasmine, or Aria, does not matter. I will fight back."I walked along the hallway and noticed two maids quietly talking outside two shut doors. I stopped and overheard."Did you hear the book in the study?""Yes, I did. And why, t
Historical BaggageJasmine's POVI woke up with a queasiness in my stomach. I sat on the edge of my bed and growling under my breath, I softly whispered, "I need to know who I am." Flashbacks swirled in my mind—half hers, half mine. I crept my way down the hallway and splinters of the past faced me as shards of glass.I recalled one afternoon when Jasmine dreamed of being superior. I could hear her voice, a gentle authoritative voice, say, "I shall be above all, no matter what it takes." Her desire haunted me in my mind. But instances of betrayal followed. I recalled a heated argument between Jasmine and someone whose voice was laced with pretentious love. "I trusted you, Jasmine," the voice had said, "and you broke my heart." I chilled as the vision dissolved.I stood by a small table in an isolated corner of the mansion. I placed an old, creased journal into my hand. I stopped and then opened the book. "What are you reading?" I exclaimed. Tidy writing covered the pages with talk of
Recruiting Allies in the DarkJasmine's POVI woke up early and balanced my mission's responsibility. I had to find allies today. I couldn't do this alone. I had to locate individuals who detested this oppressive mafia regime just as I did. I moved stealthily around the house, head down, and eyes open.I met a maid named Rosa in the dining room. She was polishing silver. I walked slowly towards her and said, "Good morning, Rosa. How are you today?"She looked up at me with tired eyes. "Morning, Jasmine. I am fine, thank you."I whispered and asked, "I have a question. Do you know of anyone here who doesn't like the way things are done?Rosa stumbled. "I… I have seen hints among a few of us. Some have had enough of the cruelty. But you have to be extremely careful talking this way."I nodded. "I see. I just want to know whether there is a system of people who might wish change."Rosa glanced about, then crept closer. "There is a small clique. Some of the kitchen help and a few family m
Unraveling WebJasmine's POVI started my day with a furious need to know more. I snuck through the corridors and looked for servants that I could trust. I ran into Marco again in the pantry. "Marco," I whispered, "I need to ask you something about the ledger. What do you know of the symbols that you saw?"Marco seemed uncomfortable. "I've only heard rumors, whispers, Jasmine. They say the symbols are omens for a curse. They say dark magic on Alex's side."I nodded slowly. "Words matter, Marco. Let me know if you hear anything else."He leaned in closer and whispered, "I heard the head chef talk of an old ritual. Some sacrifices way, way back when, long before we've been around."I jotted it down in my little notebook. "Thank you. I don't want to miss a clue."I later found Rosa in the hallway adjacent to the servants' quarters. I inquired of her, "Rosa, did you ever see any strange markings or hear anybody mention secret ceremonies?Rosa glared and cursed under her breath, "I've seen
Collision CourseAdam's POVI stood in the large hall of my estate, scanning the room as the rumors spread like flames. I had known it for days, now…a rumor of rebellion, a rumor of something evil that sent shivers down my spine. All of my servants, all of my lesser relatives, seemed to have a secret that they were keeping from me, and I was losing my grip. I could hear them muttering as they passed by."Something is not right," one of the guards grumbled as I overheard him from the corners of my study. I concurred in silence, knowing that if I did not comply, resentment would ferment.Later that evening, I was strolling down a corridor, my steps even, when I met Viktor, one of my most loyal enforcers. He was having a heated argument with someone, his words tangled and heavy with rage. I went up to him. Viktor noticed me."Sir, Jasmine's asked too many questions again," he said in a low but insistent tone.I scowled. "What questions, Viktor?" I asked my tone firm but even."Things tha
First StrikeAdam's POVI was in my study, the weight of the day settling around me. It'd been this morning, early, when the word had come to me…the strike had been initiated. One of the smaller factions, one who'd gotten completely caught up in Alex's shadow ceremonies, had been eliminated. The reek of blood remained in the air, despite the act itself having passed hours earlier. The attack was open and straightforward, openly threatening us while we stood present. I did not who committed it, yet my thoughts automatically went to the same name: Aria. She no longer roamed with us as a legend, and her actions were tending a mortal fire.I called my most trusted servant, Tomas, into my chambers. "Tomas, I want you to tell me everything that you've heard regarding the attack," I commanded, my voice firm but with a touch of urgency.Tomas seemed agitated. "Sir, the victim was one of Alex's low-grade agents. He attended the black rituals. They found him in the storage room of the ancient w
Double-Edged AllianceAdam's POVI lay awake with my eyes open in my study, the quiet weighing heavily with questions. "Jasmine," I whispered, even though the voice inside me was wise. I had caught onto small things that did not sit right. Her behavior was not what I was accustomed to. She would speak softly to me at times, and it would awaken my heart with questions, and then sometimes she was icy and distant. I couldn't help but question if it was a weakness or a strength. I looked over at David, who was standing outside in the light of the setting sun by the window. "David, do you see that too?" I whispered.David altered his opinion and replied, "I see something else in her words and eyes, Sir. She is too guarded at times. I believe there is more to her than she reveals."I frowned. "I doubt. I think her inconsistent. One moment obedient, the next she tests my patience with a wit."David addressed himself in a softer tone. "She's mysterious, Sir. They say, her loyalty is not as f
Dark EncounterAria's POVI snuck quietly past the off-limits wing of the house, my chest pounding with anticipation inside. I had to find out what they were conspiring behind doors. "I must spy on their conspiracy," I muttered to myself as I snuck past the dark passageway. I crawled silently but hastened and breathed quietly. I came to a halt at one that was a bit ajar and pushed down on the gap.I could hear them arguing from inside. "We can't give in to the curse anymore," one of them said quietly. "Our love for Alex has blinded us. Something needs to be done.""Shh, don't say anything. If anyone can hear us, it will heal us," retorted another speaker back in annoyance.I released a brief pause, and my chest pounded. I thought, *They talk of dark rituals and rebellion. I need to get more.*I moved back and tried to position myself better to hear. Footsteps were then heard. I hid behind a huge cabinet and held my breath. A tall, dark-clad man walked into the room. His voice was cold
Dark EncounterAria's POVI snuck quietly past the off-limits wing of the house, my chest pounding with anticipation inside. I had to find out what they were conspiring behind doors. "I must spy on their conspiracy," I muttered to myself as I snuck past the dark passageway. I crawled silently but hastened and breathed quietly. I came to a halt at one that was a bit ajar and pushed down on the gap.I could hear them arguing from inside. "We can't give in to the curse anymore," one of them said quietly. "Our love for Alex has blinded us. Something needs to be done.""Shh, don't say anything. If anyone can hear us, it will heal us," retorted another speaker back in annoyance.I released a brief pause, and my chest pounded. I thought, *They talk of dark rituals and rebellion. I need to get more.*I moved back and tried to position myself better to hear. Footsteps were then heard. I hid behind a huge cabinet and held my breath. A tall, dark-clad man walked into the room. His voice was cold
Double-Edged AllianceAdam's POVI lay awake with my eyes open in my study, the quiet weighing heavily with questions. "Jasmine," I whispered, even though the voice inside me was wise. I had caught onto small things that did not sit right. Her behavior was not what I was accustomed to. She would speak softly to me at times, and it would awaken my heart with questions, and then sometimes she was icy and distant. I couldn't help but question if it was a weakness or a strength. I looked over at David, who was standing outside in the light of the setting sun by the window. "David, do you see that too?" I whispered.David altered his opinion and replied, "I see something else in her words and eyes, Sir. She is too guarded at times. I believe there is more to her than she reveals."I frowned. "I doubt. I think her inconsistent. One moment obedient, the next she tests my patience with a wit."David addressed himself in a softer tone. "She's mysterious, Sir. They say, her loyalty is not as f
First StrikeAdam's POVI was in my study, the weight of the day settling around me. It'd been this morning, early, when the word had come to me…the strike had been initiated. One of the smaller factions, one who'd gotten completely caught up in Alex's shadow ceremonies, had been eliminated. The reek of blood remained in the air, despite the act itself having passed hours earlier. The attack was open and straightforward, openly threatening us while we stood present. I did not who committed it, yet my thoughts automatically went to the same name: Aria. She no longer roamed with us as a legend, and her actions were tending a mortal fire.I called my most trusted servant, Tomas, into my chambers. "Tomas, I want you to tell me everything that you've heard regarding the attack," I commanded, my voice firm but with a touch of urgency.Tomas seemed agitated. "Sir, the victim was one of Alex's low-grade agents. He attended the black rituals. They found him in the storage room of the ancient w
Collision CourseAdam's POVI stood in the large hall of my estate, scanning the room as the rumors spread like flames. I had known it for days, now…a rumor of rebellion, a rumor of something evil that sent shivers down my spine. All of my servants, all of my lesser relatives, seemed to have a secret that they were keeping from me, and I was losing my grip. I could hear them muttering as they passed by."Something is not right," one of the guards grumbled as I overheard him from the corners of my study. I concurred in silence, knowing that if I did not comply, resentment would ferment.Later that evening, I was strolling down a corridor, my steps even, when I met Viktor, one of my most loyal enforcers. He was having a heated argument with someone, his words tangled and heavy with rage. I went up to him. Viktor noticed me."Sir, Jasmine's asked too many questions again," he said in a low but insistent tone.I scowled. "What questions, Viktor?" I asked my tone firm but even."Things tha
Unraveling WebJasmine's POVI started my day with a furious need to know more. I snuck through the corridors and looked for servants that I could trust. I ran into Marco again in the pantry. "Marco," I whispered, "I need to ask you something about the ledger. What do you know of the symbols that you saw?"Marco seemed uncomfortable. "I've only heard rumors, whispers, Jasmine. They say the symbols are omens for a curse. They say dark magic on Alex's side."I nodded slowly. "Words matter, Marco. Let me know if you hear anything else."He leaned in closer and whispered, "I heard the head chef talk of an old ritual. Some sacrifices way, way back when, long before we've been around."I jotted it down in my little notebook. "Thank you. I don't want to miss a clue."I later found Rosa in the hallway adjacent to the servants' quarters. I inquired of her, "Rosa, did you ever see any strange markings or hear anybody mention secret ceremonies?Rosa glared and cursed under her breath, "I've seen
Recruiting Allies in the DarkJasmine's POVI woke up early and balanced my mission's responsibility. I had to find allies today. I couldn't do this alone. I had to locate individuals who detested this oppressive mafia regime just as I did. I moved stealthily around the house, head down, and eyes open.I met a maid named Rosa in the dining room. She was polishing silver. I walked slowly towards her and said, "Good morning, Rosa. How are you today?"She looked up at me with tired eyes. "Morning, Jasmine. I am fine, thank you."I whispered and asked, "I have a question. Do you know of anyone here who doesn't like the way things are done?Rosa stumbled. "I… I have seen hints among a few of us. Some have had enough of the cruelty. But you have to be extremely careful talking this way."I nodded. "I see. I just want to know whether there is a system of people who might wish change."Rosa glanced about, then crept closer. "There is a small clique. Some of the kitchen help and a few family m
Historical BaggageJasmine's POVI woke up with a queasiness in my stomach. I sat on the edge of my bed and growling under my breath, I softly whispered, "I need to know who I am." Flashbacks swirled in my mind—half hers, half mine. I crept my way down the hallway and splinters of the past faced me as shards of glass.I recalled one afternoon when Jasmine dreamed of being superior. I could hear her voice, a gentle authoritative voice, say, "I shall be above all, no matter what it takes." Her desire haunted me in my mind. But instances of betrayal followed. I recalled a heated argument between Jasmine and someone whose voice was laced with pretentious love. "I trusted you, Jasmine," the voice had said, "and you broke my heart." I chilled as the vision dissolved.I stood by a small table in an isolated corner of the mansion. I placed an old, creased journal into my hand. I stopped and then opened the book. "What are you reading?" I exclaimed. Tidy writing covered the pages with talk of
Sparks of RebellionJasmine's POVI awoke to a chilly, silent room. I was battered all over from head to toe and could not remember anything that occurred in my mind last night. I lay on a simple bed with thin blankets and kept muttering to myself, "I am not broken.". I will not be outdone by this." I slowly sat up, shaking off the pain and the humiliation that wrapped around me like a wet cold shroud. My head was a jumble of other people's and my thoughts. I was Jasmine again, alive, but at the core of me was Aria—seething with anger for revenge.I hurled my legs off the bed and upright, hearing every creaking step on the bare hallway. I whispered to myself, "I must be strong. Tomorrow, I'll know." I passed a wall mirror. I looked at myself, and I growled, "Jasmine, or Aria, does not matter. I will fight back."I walked along the hallway and noticed two maids quietly talking outside two shut doors. I stopped and overheard."Did you hear the book in the study?""Yes, I did. And why, t
Aria's POVThe maids had this deadpan expression as they strapped me into layer upon layer of satin lace and jewels I had never wanted before. Their whispers were rough gales meant to frighten me, and while I knew this, it felt rather cold to me when their words fell like ice on my skin."You will be with Adam this evening." One of the hissing maids leaned forward with the warning note, just adding "Has he not warned you about him?" for spice.I kept a blank face and mouthed an assent, without letting them detect that they had intimidated me. No show of weakness was allowed; I needed strength without fear. But under those words, their crawlings commenced."He won't stop until you're sorry," they preached, "once he begins" The empty room reverberated with those after they had left. I clenched my fists and told myself that I had seen far worse because *it was just another trial from our Aria: get through it, earn his trust, and pocket what you came for*.As the guard came to clear roads