The room was a frigid cocoon, it's walls closing in on Ellaya. The cold floor gnawed at her skin, and her swollen eyes ached from relentless tears. She had cried until her soul felt raw, yet the pain remained an unyielding ache that threatened to consume her. Her mother's entrance was a thunderclap, shattering the fragile peace of her solitude. The woman's grip on Ellaya's arm was iron, yanking her from the floor. "What's wrong with him, Ella? We've known Austine for years" yelled as forced her to stand on her wobbly leg . Struggling to stand, Ellaya's voice trembled as she fought to stand her ground. " I don't love him mumma." The words hung in the air, a desperate plea. But her mother's eyes held no sympathy- only the certainty of duty. She threw her on the bed and went into the walk-in closet. Returning back with a long white gown that looked like a wedding dress. Throwing it onto the bed. "There's no love in this world" her mother spat, as if love were a foolish myth.
As Ellaya descended the stairs, the gown trailing behind her, she vowed to defy fate. Love might be treacherous, but she would fight against cynicism, against her doubts. She would prove that even an “ugly face” could hold a heart ablaze. Ellaya stood beneath the stairs, gazing into the faces of people she had once thought of as family; but now, her family was merely using her as a commodity, without a thought for her. But it was her destiny; they never considered her anything more than a machine to earn money for them; she had no idea what her parents' love was; all she knew was how to earn, and they taught her well in this regard. Her senses snapped out of her reverie as she felt her mother's hand approach, telling her, "You look perfect; let us go; they are waiting." Ellaya nodded and got in the car; her dad was already there, using his phone to type something. Her mother commanded the driver while seated next to her. Ellaya twisted her waist and held her stomach in agony
Ellaya’s heart raced as she stood there, her entire world hanging in the balance. The dimly light corridor seemed to hold its breath. His eyes bore into hers searching for any sign of hesitation or doubt. "Are you sure you want this”, He asked, his voice low and intense. Ellaya mind raced. She had never been one to make impuseive decisions, but this, this was different. This was Iden-the man who had turned her life upside down, the man who had awakened desires she never knew existed. She noded , her resolve firm. "Yes”. She whispered. Her voice barely audible. She had left behind her career, her family, and her old life. She had no doubt about that. Iden face transferred. The hard lines soften, and smile tugged at the corner of his lips. He pulled her close, hugged her in his firm arms. Ellaya doubt melted away, replaced by desire and longing. She leaned into his embrace, feeling the weight of her decision settle over her . She could not imagine her parents' reaction to her sudden
Iden laughed looking at her face filled with anxiety. "Laaya, stop worrying about other people; nobody is going to bother us here." " They don’t live here with us?" Iden drew her in closer, put his head in her neck, and took a deep breath. Her face twisted as his hot breath tickled her bare skin. "Then where do they live?" She repeated her question. "Shh, not a word …" He silenced her whispering in her ear, putting a finger to her lips. He turned her, facing toward the mirror, a beautiful woman with purple eyes and radiant pink skin, hair tied in a bun staring at her. The man behind her was the most attractive man she had ever seen. He was incredibly attractive despite only having a white shirt with the sleeves rolled up and a low-hanging tie, along with black trousers. His words reverberated through the empty room as she nodded her head and grinned at him. "Perfect" after a pause he spoke again looking at his phone "You are the most gorgeous bride I have ever seen, he said
Ellaya rubbed her eyes and slowly opened them; morning light danced in the corners of her new bedroom, and a gentle breeze brushed against her cheeks. She sat up and the slik cover slipped off her body. When the cold air touched her skin, she realised what had happened the night before. Her face flushed red and a shy smile appeared on her lips as she looked around the room, but there was no sign of the man she had married. Her first night as his wife was nothing but romantic and beautiful. The shyness gave way to uncertainty and fear: what if Iden had left her alone in this unfamiliar house, and where would he go? Many questions arose in her mind, and she quickly wrapped the white silk cover around her breast and opened the room to find the answer. "I..iden.. where are you?" Looking around, she exited her room and descended the stairs. The house was very small, with only a few rooms and old furniture. The house was eerily quiet, as though no one was home. She looked around the livi
It was early in the morning, summer, and Ellaya opened her eyes to the searing rays of the sun. “Good morning, love.” After giving her a quick peck on the cheek, Iden set the coffee mugs on the food tray. He was already dressed in a suit and appeared ready to go to work. She glanced at the wall clock after turning away from him. “Oh, no! It’s 8:30 already,” she exclaimed, sitting upright on the bed with her lips pressed together and her hands in front of her face. “What’s the matter?” Iden asked, noticing her confused expression. “Nothing,” she said, looking into his intense eyes and shaking her head. “Why do you always give me this look?” “Like what?” he asked, intrigued. “Like a man who hasn’t eaten in years staring at his food.” “Yes, since I am the man who is really hungry and you appear to be a beautiful and tasty meal.” He bit her lips as he leaned forward. “Furthermore, I believe I asked a question before you did. Didn’t I? What is wrong?” “Nothing… it’s just
She came forward and held a knife. “Let me help you.” “I don’t want you to cut your finger and cry all night,” Iden chuckled. “If you teach me, I won’t hurt myself,” she insisted, adamant. “I don’t want you to stress over nothing, princess. Just relax and enjoy your husband’s cooking.” He gave her a cheeky smile as he cocked his head and looked directly into her eyes. She knew that smile too well, even before she married him. “But I can teach you something else…” he circling her waist with his arms and kissing her neck. "Stop it, Iden, or the police will come to our door once more." She tried to stop him going further. Grinning, he caressed her bare arms and kissed her neck. “I’m serious, Iden. How long will you be doing this by yourself? Her face darkened into a frown. She had always been a kindhearted person who did not want to bother anyone. “You don’t want me to do all this by myself?” He spun her around so she was facing him. She gave a headshake. “I want to help…”
Ellaya and her husband had new and wonderful experiences every day, and the days were filled with joy. They ate meals together, went for walks, ate ice cream, watched movies, and ate random street food. Iden took the food packet from her hand and held it back, "Ellaya, we do not need every item in the store." She had already taken packets of other flavors. She grabbed the packet back and tossed it back in the cart, "No, I want to make rice pie tomorrow and cheese omelettes for breakfast." “It’s not cooking, Ellya. You can’t call burning all the food cooking.” He scowled deeply while keeping both hands on the side of his waist. “Not exactly… It is what I call effort.” She continued tossing packets in her cart. “And I don’t want to eat your hard work anymore,” he laughed. People stopped what they were doing and stared at them with amusement. An old man, over eighty or so, patted his shoulder “Poor husband, I sympathize with you. God bless you, boy.” “Thank you, I needed that
Ellaya crouched behind a crumbling wall, her breath slow, deliberate—the kind you take before a kill. She lit a cigarette with steady hands, the flare briefly illuminating her sharp features. She inhaled the smoke with calm, predatory ease. "Time to say hello to dear daddy," she whispered, flicking the cigarette into the darkness. Her fingers closed around a jagged stone, its rough edges biting into her palm. With a sharp flick, she hurled it deep into the woods. Ahead, a cluster of gangsters lounged around a battered table, their laughter rolling like distant thunder across the night. The heavy air reeked of sweat, gun oil, and cheap beer—thick enough to taste. A heartbeat— Silence. Then— Alarms shrieked, cutting the night like wounded animals. Chairs scraped. Men cursed. The lazy haze of gambling shattered into frantic motion. She moved. A whisper in the dark. The warehouse swallowed her whole. Inside, the smell of gasoline and rust curled around her
Ellaya’s fists clenched, the muscles in her arms coiling with the familiar anticipation of combat. Across from her, the man charged — a wall of fury, his rage radiating like heat off an open flame. She didn’t move. Not yet. Every second stretched into infinity. Her breath was steady, slow. Then — with a snap of motion — she twisted sideways and drove her elbow into his ribs. The sickening thud cracked through the air. He folded instantly, crumpling like a broken doll. Before he even hit the floor, she moved again, hooking his ankle and sending him crashing onto the cold, blood-slicked concrete. The crowd erupted around her — a roar thick and frenzied — but it felt distant, muffled, like noise behind glass. Her world had narrowed to a sharp, merciless focus. Another fighter lunged at her from the side, a blur of desperation. Ellaya caught him mid-strike, pivoting smoothly, her body a blade honed by violence. With a brutal twist, she snapped his arm. The crack echoed louder th
Ellaya lunged, her kick slicing through the air toward her grandfather’s chest. But he was faster. His weathered hands snapped forward, catching her ankle mid-strike. In a single motion, he twisted and flipped her—her back hitting the mat with a bone-rattling thud. Before she could react, a brutal fist drove into her stomach. Pain detonated in her core. Her lungs collapsed inward. Breath scattered like broken glass. She doubled over. But he didn’t wait. He pinned her to the ground, calloused fingers digging into her wrists. Her body thrashed, muscles screaming, wrists raw beneath his unyielding grip. Ellaya cried out—sharp, guttural, alive. “That’s enough for today.” His voice cut cold through the haze. “You’re still weak. Like a toddler grasping at strength that isn’t yours. Push yourself harder.” She scrambled upright, shame searing hotter than any bruise. Her ribs ached. Her knuckles bled. But her mind? Steel. Survival wasn’t a choice. It was her god now.
A gust of wind tore through the room, sweeping papers off the desk like shreds of the past being ripped into the present. Kai stood in the doorway, chest heaving, drenched in sweat. One hand dragged a man by the collar—a mangled heap of flesh and bone. The man's face was grotesque, beaten to a pulp, barely conscious. Blood dripped steadily from his nose, painting a red trail behind them like a signature of vengeance. Arthur followed, silent as thunder before the strike. His fists were clenched so tightly the knuckles bled white. His eyes—cold, ruthless—locked on Iden like a scope lining up its mark. Without a word, Kai kicked the man’s legs out. He collapsed at Iden’s feet in a graceless heap. Silence held its breath. Then a weak, hoarse cry spilled from the man’s throat. He trembled, unable to meet Iden’s eyes. “Having fun, Danny?” Angelo’s voice sliced through the stillness, low and mocking as he crouched beside the man. A cruel smile twisted his lips. “Didn’t expect t
“This is the video we pulled,” Angelo said, turning the laptop toward Iden. He hit play. Young Ellaya hurled a glass of wine at Leo. Her voice sliced through the air like a blade. “You sewer rat! You don’t belong here! You should’ve died in the gutter you crawled out of!” Her finger jabbed toward his face, trembling. “You’re dirt-poor—and that’s exactly what you deserve! You should die like the scum you are!” Then, louder—each syllable laced with venom: “You’re poor—and that’s all you’ll ever be. Die in it.” Iden’s jaw locked. He didn’t blink. Couldn’t. His stomach twisted into a slow, suffocating knot. He’d seen this video so many times, it was seared into his memory. Burned in rage. It was the reason he hated her—or tried to. Failed to. But this clip, this moment... it was the beginning of everything. He had sworn over his friend’s grave to destroy her. And he did—masterfully. “She’s yelling at Leo,” Angelo said. “That’s what the clip shows. And we all believ
She smirked as she shoved a stray book off her lap. “You know… you don’t have to be the Don. You can just be who you are.” Iden tilted his head slightly, lips twitching into a faint smile—small, but real. “You’re the only one who gets to say that.” And in that moment—grief shadowing his eyes, the scent of blood still faint on his shirt—he smiled. He rubbed her hair playfully, gently mussing the strands like he used to when they were kids. “Really?” she grinned, sitting cross-legged on her bed. “Okay… if you say so. But I can tell you mine.” She beamed, reaching for a thick leather diary. “I used to keep memos, you know? I’d write down everything I enjoyed. The places I loved, food I liked, people I met. Kinda old school.” Iden sat down beside her, intrigued despite himself. Her glittering eyes—so full of life—reminded him of someone else. Someone who once laughed shyly and smiled like an idiot. Ellaya. His gaze drifted from his sister to the window, where night pressed it
Days passed like smoke—slipping through fingers, vanishing before they could be held. Time didn’t move forward; it bled. Minutes dragged like hours, and weeks collapsed in on themselves. Iden didn’t sleep. He didn’t eat. He sat in silence, trapped in his own mind, spiraling deeper into a storm of memories and questions. The moon became his only witness. Some nights, he watched the stars, others, the rain. Most nights, he simply stared into the void, heart thundering beneath skin that no longer felt like his own. A storm churned in his chest—loud, endless, and hungry. He saw her face in every shadow. Heard her voice in every silence. Her scent still clung to his lungs like smoke from a fire he could never put out. It had been a week since the blast. A week of searching. A week without answers. She wasn’t listed among the dead. But she wasn’t among the living either. She was missing. And Iden knew—deep in the part of his soul that still burned for her—she was alive. Hidi
The room was breathtaking—paneled in dark mahogany, steeped in the scent of old paper and aged wood. Floor-to-ceiling shelves held leather-bound books, their spines gilded and cracked with time. But it was the massive oil painting that stole Ellaya’s breath. A woman with wild purple hair and luminous skin smiled down at them. Her eyes—familiar, haunting—seemed to follow Ellaya across the room. She froze. The resemblance was undeniable. Same striking bone structure. Same purple irises. But the woman in the painting looked lighter—freer. Her smile held none of the weight Ellaya carried. None of the pain. Photos cluttered every surface. In one, the woman stood beside a tall, devastatingly handsome man—mid-laugh, hand wrapped around her waist. Their wedding photo. They looked hopelessly in love. Another showed them cradling a baby. The man's eyes brimmed with pride. The woman’s arms curled around the infant like a shield. The baby… was her. There was no mistaking it. Ellaya stagge
Ellaya didn’t remember when they moved her. One moment, she was in her cell—cracked walls, the stench of sweat and rusted iron, a tray of untouched food rotting in the corner. The next, she woke in hell. Not the metaphorical kind. The real one. The kind where screaming and silence existed in the same breath. Where punishment wasn’t given for madness—it was fed to it. You weren’t treated. You were drowned. The asylum was never quiet. Men laughed at the ceiling. Women whispered to the walls. Eyes followed her—hungry, hollow. Human only in name. She didn’t scream. Didn’t fight. She just watched. Watched them drag limp bodies behind rusted doors marked “TREATMENT.” Watched them come back quieter. Emptier. Sometimes not at all. They said she was dangerous. Deranged. A monster in a pretty shell. She didn’t correct them. Let them think she was mad. Let them forget she existed. At least then, no one expected her to survive. She’d already buried herself inside. What was left to