Chapter 4

ARIA'S POV

Hah! Happy? Dante was happy? While my world was crumbling around me, he was happy.

I pressed myself against the wall, trying to make myself invisible. My heart was pounding so loud I was sure they could hear it.

"Linda," Dante's voice was gentle. "I promise you, I will do everything in my power to care for this child. I'll make sure that the little one grows up safe and loved. I will not let you both down.”

He will not let them down? He was supposed to be making those promises to me, and not to Linda. What the hell was wrong with him?

The room started to spin, and I felt like I might be sick right there in the hallway.

I couldn't hold back the sob that escaped my lips. Quickly, I clapped a hand over my mouth, but it was too late.

"Did you hear something?" Linda asked.

I heard footsteps approaching the door and panic surged through me. I couldn't let them see me like this - broken, pathetic, with tears streaming down my face. I was Aria, the princess of the Blood Moon Kingdom. I would not give that low-life mistress the satisfaction of seeing me brought low.

Without thinking, I ran. My feet carried me quickly down the hallways, my eyes filled with tears. I didn't stop until I reached my room, slamming the door behind me and sinking to the floor against it.

“I can't believe this," I whispered to the empty room, my voice breaking. "This can not be true."

My heart felt like it was being tightly squeezed, with each beat sending waves of pain through my body.

I stumbled to the bed and my legs gave out as I reached it. Collapsing onto the starched sheets, I curled into a ball, trying to hold myself together because I felt like I was falling apart.

Part of me wanted to march back to that room, grab Linda by her perfect hair, and drag her out of Dante's arms. But I knew I was better than that. Violence wouldn't solve anything, and besides, I didn't have the energy to fight. The hurt had drained me of all my energy.

With tears in my eyes, I stood up and started packing my things. I couldn't stay here, not in this hospital where every corner held the possibility of running into them again. I needed to get out, to breathe and think.

I left the hospital in a daze, wandering the streets aimlessly as night fell. The city lights appeared blurry through my tears, and I barely noticed the chill in the air or the curious glances from people passing by.

Hours passed, and I found myself in a park I didn't recognize.

My phone suddenly buzzed in my pocket, startling me. Dante's name flashed on the screen. Against my better judgement, I answered.

"Where the hell are you?" His voice was sharp. "Do you have any idea what time it is?"

I opened my mouth to speak, but no words came out.

"Are you even listening to me?" Dante continued, his voice rising. "My mother is sick, and you're out gallivanting who knows where! How could you be so selfish?"

I blinked in confusion. What the hell was he talking about?

"I can't believe you're neglecting your responsibilities like this," he ranted. "Come home immediately, Aria. I mean it."

The call ended suddenly, leaving me staring at my phone in shock. Then, to my surprise, I started laughing. It was a hollow and bitter sound that echoed in the empty park.

"Unbelievable," I muttered to myself. "He actually has the guts to scold me?"

Did Dante not notice that I had run away from home? Was he so wrapped up in Linda that he hadn't even noticed my absence? The thought sent a fresh wave of pain through me, quickly followed by anger.

"Am I that insignificant to you, Dante?" I asked the night sky. "Damn you. Damn you to hell."

I stood up and brushed off my clothes.

Fine. If Dante wanted me home, I would go home. Not because I was afraid of his threats, but because I had some things to say to him.

I wiped the tears from my eyes and ran my fingers through my tangled hair. Taking a deep breath, I straightened my shoulders. I was done crying. I was done being the victim. It was time Dante saw exactly who he was messing with.

The walk home felt both endless and too short. With each step, I rehearsed what I would say, the accusations and truths I would reveal. By the time I reached our front door, my sadness had hardened into a cold, steely anger.

I paused, my hand resting on the doorknob.

“I can do this," I whispered to myself. "I am strong. I am worthy. And I deserve better than this.”

With one final deep breath, I pushed open the door and stepped inside. The house was quiet, but a warm glow from the living room caught my eye. Curious, I made my way there, the sound of my footsteps echoing in the quiet hallway.

As I walked into the living room, my heart dropped. There, sitting on the edge of the sofa like she belonged there, was Linda. The last person I expected or wanted to see. She was leaning over Luna Agatha, Dante's mother, gently adjusting her pillows with a tender care that made me feel uneasy.

Before I could say a word, Dante walked in from the kitchen. He was holding a tray with a glass of water and some pills. Immediately our eyes met, his lips thinned into a hard line.

"Well, you've finally decided to grace us with your presence," he said, his voice dripping with sarcasm.

His words caught the attention of his mother and Linda. They both turned to look at me, and suddenly I felt like I was under a spotlight. All the words I had rehearsed on my way home, all the anger and hurt I had planned to unleash, evaporated instantly.

Dante shook his head and brushed past me, his shoulder knocking against mine. The contact sent a jolt through me, a painful reminder of the intimacy we once used to have. He went straight to his mother, handing her the water and pills with a gentleness that contrasted sharply with how he had just treated me.

I stood frozen, not knowing what to do or say. The scene before me felt so unreal. Agatha taking her pills, Linda standing by her side like the perfect daughter-in-law, and me... I felt like an intruder in my own home.

A sudden thought flashed through my mind - I imagined myself walking up to Linda and slapping that concerned look right off her face. The fantasy was so real that I could almost feel the sting on my palm.

"Aria."

Agatha’s voice snapped me back to reality. I blinked, realizing she had called my name. Swallowing hard, I walked closer to where she sat.

"Good evening, Luna," I managed to say, my voice sounding small and foreign to my own ears.

Her eyes, usually warm and kind, were now hard as flint. "Where have you been?"

Before I could answer, Dante cut in. "That's what I've been trying to figure out as well, Mother."

I opened my mouth, then closed it again. How could I explain? That I had run away from home, ended up in the hospital, and overheard their betrayal? The words stuck in my throat like glue.

"I... I'm sorry for not being here," I finally stammered out.

Agatha raised her hand, silencing me. "Don't bother with excuses, Aria. I'm deeply disappointed in your behaviour."

Her words hit me like a physical blow. I had always sought her approval, and now...

"A proper daughter-in-law wouldn't disappear without a word," Dante added, his voice cold. "Especially not when the family needs her."

I felt my cheeks burn with shame and anger. How dare he? How dare he lecture me when he was the one…

"I have been nothing but patient with you, Aria," Agatha continued, her voice growing stronger with each word. "I overlooked your flaws, thinking you would learn our ways. But this... this is unacceptable."

I looked at Linda and saw the smug smile on her face, which only fueled my anger.

"You don't understand," I started, my voice shaking. "I-"

"No, you don't understand," Dante interrupted. "While you were off doing who knows what, Linda has been here, helping take care of Mother. That's what family is supposed to do, Aria."

The irony of his words was like a knife twisting in my stomach.

Family. As if he knew anything about loyalty to family.

"I'm sorry you're not feeling well, Luna," I said, fighting to keep my voice calm. "But you don't know the whole story."

"Then tell us," Dante challenged, crossing his arms. "Where were you? What was so important that you abandoned your responsibilities?"