All Chapters of Shattered Silence: Chapter 21 - Chapter 30

9th October 1999Aanya's POVIt’s 12:30 PM—well, almost—and the wedding is about to kick off, but here I am, standing in front of the mirror, still half-dressed. My makeup isn’t done, my hair needs some last-minute magic, and I have exactly 15 minutes to transform into a presentable human being.The past two days? Absolute chaos. Scratch that—hell. And honestly, calling it hell feels like I’m sugarcoating it. At least my dress and all were saved.~Flashback~ (TW: Mention of disturbing scene)“Why did you have to follow me to India? And then stalk me around the mall? It’s embarrassing!” I snapped, my voice rising.“Maybe you should’ve thought about that before leaving,” Evan replied, his tone maddeningly calm.“I did think about it—I sent you a message and an email!” I shouted, feeling my frustration boil over.“Oh really? Then explain the £250,000,” he said, his frustration now bubbling to the surface.“There’s nothing to explain! You called me a gold digger and handed me your black ca

Evan’s POV I was in the middle of discussing the threats from a gang targeting Aanya when my phone buzzed. It was my secretary.“Speak,” I answered sharply.“Sir, Mrs. Rodriguez’s naked pictures are going viral on the internet.”“What!?” My voice rose as the weight of her words hit me. A door slammed somewhere nearby, jolting me into motion.“I want it wiped,” I growled, storming towards the living room. “Off every corner of the internet. And I mean everywhere. I don’t want to hear a whisper about it within the next hour. Do you understand me?”“Yes, sir. It’ll be done,” she replied firmly.I ended the call and reached the gathering downstairs, Ryker and my father trailing behind. The atmosphere was heavy, with the television blaring a news report dissecting the “scandal.” Faces around the room displayed a mix of anger, shock, and sadness, but it was Chester’s expression that caught my attention. Poorly disguised smugness.“CHESTER!”The shout came from the top of the staircase. Aa

Aanya’s POV: Azernia, located in the west of Earkria and known for their special slang. It’s not the best place in the world but for me, it is where all of it started so it was special towards me. I like the city centre, Chinatown, the buses, the different food, the different shops in Tribulation Square, the Monolith Plaza, Cyprus road and finally my home in Masto. My humble abode. A small village on the outskirts of AzerniaThe first and last and only house I lived in Azernia. The house where I have my friends to have a sleepover. The house where my “family” lived, the house where I and my siblings mostly fought over silly things and also the house which I brought without my father knowing it. It was calm. No one knew about me – at least that’s what I hope. After I got here, I went for a walk around the area but on the way back I got a job as a waitress at a local restaurant nearby. Its good timing and It keeps my head of the things that happened to me. I have come to terms with wha

Aanya’s POV: I slowly tried to open my eyes, but it felt like it was stuck together with super glue. You know that feeling you get when you are so tired that you want time to just stop and all life to end? That is exactly what I felt when what happened before I fell unconscious hit me like a tsunami, and my thoughts are like a washer right now. All those words I said to them were what I wanted to say for years and years, but I couldn’t bring myself to tell them that then, and I did now. I don’t know what to feel. Sad and guilty that they know what I felt like, or angry that my dad did not feel even a bit of remorse or that my brother thought it was my own fault. Without even opening my eyes, my thoughts are going crazy and my surroundings sound so quiet like I am in a box with iron walls. Maybe this is the end of my life, and I can finally have peace… or not. I heard a door open and close, but I don’t know if someone went out or came in, so I am in a room that much, I am sure. With m

Aanya’s POV It is the day of the ball, and it has also been a week since I saw my dear husband. But I am not going to let that spoil my mood, I was hoping I would be able to get drunk without getting into trouble. The past week seemed to be the same as always. Patricia, Ann, and the kids stayed the entire week, I went and visited Ryan a couple of times, and Charlotte was there sometimes. The kids got a little cranky the entire week because their father was not here, but other than that, everything went well. Even the twins – Amara and Amyra - joined us, but Chloe seemed to be with her best friend. Right now, all of us were getting ready. Yesterday we all went and got our hair and nails done, it was a relaxing day. The twins already got their dresses. Amara had a white dress with a slit that reached her mid-thigh. She also had a black ribbon that acted as a belt around her waist, and its loose ends touched the ground slightly. Amyra had a forest green dress with spaghetti straps and