An Ally

Aurora’s POV

The moment I stepped through the front door, I knew something was off. The air in the house was heavy with tension, and my father was pacing in the living room. His eyes snapped to me the second I entered, burning with anger.

"Where have you been?" His voice was sharp, slicing through the silence like a blade.

I hesitated, not wanting to explain the whole ordeal with Zayn. But before I could open my mouth, my father stormed toward me.

"You went to the palace, didn’t you?" he spat. "Do you realize what you've done? Zayn came here, demanding to know where you were. You’ve embarrassed this family enough!"

I stood my ground, refusing to let him intimidate me. "Zayn rejected me, Father. Why should I be worried about what he wants? He has no say over me anymore."

His face twisted with rage, and for a moment, I thought he might hit me. "You're bringing shame to this house, Aurora. You think you can just go against Zayn like that? Do you think he won’t retaliate?"

I clenched my