Nitish Vayne sat in the cold, damp cell, his body battered and his spirit on the brink of collapse. His life, once defined by quiet determination and the pursuit of kindness, had been torn apart in a single day. The accusations, the betrayal by the people he had tirelessly served, and the shocking condemnation by the court had left him reeling. Yet, amidst the despair, a sliver of hope clung to his heart. That hope had a name: Elizabeth.
He replayed the moment in the courtroom when she accused him, her trembling hand pointing at him, her tear-streaked face a portrait of sorrow. It didn't make sense. She had always been kind to him, supportive even. She had stood by him when others dismissed him, made him believe he had a future worth fighting for. She had loved him—or so he thought. Now, the memory of her words twisted in his mind, each replay cutting deeper than the last.
The sound of footsteps interrupted his thoughts, faint but growing louder. His heart quickened as the echo of heels against the stone floor reached his ears. A metallic jingle followed—the sound of keys. He straightened, wincing as pain shot through his ribs. The heavy door creaked open, and there she was.
Elizabeth Solari.
She stepped inside, her radiant beauty untouched by the darkness of the cell. Her fiery red hair flowed over her shoulders, catching the faint glow of the torches outside. Her face was calm, her expression almost serene, but her eyes held a gleam that Nitish didn't recognize—a mixture of satisfaction and something darker.
For a moment, hope flickered in Nitish's chest. She was here. Maybe she had come to explain, to set things right. Maybe this was all a mistake, a misunderstanding that she could clear up. But as Elizabeth stepped closer, her lips curling into a cold, mocking smile, that hope crumbled.
Nitish: "Elizabeth… why are you here? Have you come to tell them the truth? To clear my name?"
Elizabeth let out a soft laugh, the sound echoing cruelly in the small space.
Elizabeth: "Oh, Nitish. Always so naïve. Always so… hopeful. No, I'm not here to clear your name. I'm here to make sure you understand exactly why this is happening."
Nitish's brows furrowed, confusion and hurt flashing across his face.
Nitish: "What are you talking about? You know I didn't do any of this. The elixirs, the assault… I would never—"
She cut him off with a wave of her hand, her smile widening as she stepped closer.
Elizabeth: "Of course, you wouldn't. But that doesn't matter, does it? What matters is what people believe. And right now, they believe that you're a murderer, a traitor, and a monster."
Her words struck him like a blow, but he refused to accept them.
Nitish: "Why? Why would they believe that? They know me! They know I would never hurt them. I've given everything for them!"
Elizabeth tilted her head, feigning sympathy, though her tone was sharp and mocking.
Elizabeth: "Oh, Nitish. People are easy to manipulate when they're scared. A little poison in the right places, a few whispers about betrayal, and suddenly, the man who was their savior becomes their enemy. It's almost too easy."
Nitish's heart sank as her words began to sink in. His voice trembled as he spoke.
Nitish: "You… you did this? You poisoned the elixirs? You made them think I…?"
Elizabeth gave a slight shrug, her expression utterly unapologetic.
Elizabeth: "Of course I did. Did you really think I cared about your little potions? Your pathetic attempts to help people who would turn on you the moment someone gave them a reason? It was all part of the plan, Nitish."
Nitish staggered back, his mind racing as her words unraveled everything he thought he knew.
Nitish: "The plan? What plan? Elizabeth, what are you talking about?"
She stepped closer, her voice low and filled with venom.
Elizabeth: "The plan to destroy you. To destroy your family. You see, Nitish, you and your parents were always a problem. Too strong. Too loved. Too… inconvenient. My father and the king couldn't allow the Vaynes to overshadow the Solari name. So, they came up with a solution."
Nitish stared at her, his chest tight, his breath shallow.
Nitish: "My parents… their expedition…?"
Elizabeth's smile turned cold, cruel.
Elizabeth: "A death sentence, from the very beginning. Do you think the Abyss was ever meant to be explored? No one comes back from that place. Your parents were sent there to die, and they played their part beautifully. With them gone, we were free to take everything they had built—their wealth, their status, their influence."
Nitish shook his head, his voice trembling.
Nitish: "No… no, you're lying. My parents… they trusted you. They trusted your family!"
Elizabeth laughed, a sharp, bitter sound.
Elizabeth: "And that was their mistake. Trust, Nitish, is a weapon. They trusted us, and we destroyed them. The riches of the Vayne estate? Now ours. The documents of their achievements? Burned. Even those statues I so graciously commissioned? Smashed to pieces. The Vayne name is nothing but ash now, just as it should be."
Nitish's legs gave out, and he collapsed to his knees, his hands trembling as he clutched his head. His voice was barely a whisper.
Nitish: "Why? Why would you do this? I loved you. I trusted you…"
Elizabeth crouched in front of him, her eyes locking onto his. Her voice was soft, almost pitying, but laced with malice.
Elizabeth: "Oh, Nitish. That's what made it so easy. You were so desperate for love, so desperate for approval, that you never saw the truth. I never loved you. I never cared about you. You were a means to an end. A way to control your parents, and when they were gone, a convenient scapegoat. Did you really think someone like me would marry someone like you? A chakra-less failure? You're pathetic."
Nitish clenched his fists, his body trembling with rage and heartbreak.
Nitish: "You… you're a monster."
Elizabeth stood, brushing a speck of dust from her dress as she turned away.
Elizabeth: "Perhaps. But I'm a monster who wins, Nitish. And you? You've already lost. The court will exile you to the Abyss, just like your parents. And when you're gone, the Vayne name will be nothing more than a forgotten whisper."
She walked to the door, pausing as if remembering something.
Elizabeth: "Oh, and one last thing. Even your parents' deaths… they weren't just bad luck. My father and the king made sure they wouldn't come back. It was all part of the plan."
Nitish's eyes widened, his mind unable to process her words.
Nitish: "What? What are you saying?"
Elizabeth glanced over her shoulder, her eyes glinting with triumph.
Elizabeth: "The monsters in the Abyss didn't just find your parents by chance. My father made sure they were lured there. He even gave the Abyss a little… encouragement. Your parents were doomed from the start, Nitish. Just like you."
The words hit Nitish like a thunderclap, his mind fracturing under the weight of the truth. His vision blurred, his head pounded, and his chest burned with rage and despair. He tried to speak, to scream, but no sound came. The room spun around him, the walls closing in as Elizabeth's laughter echoed in his ears.
And then, the darkness took him.
Nitish collapsed to the cold stone floor, unconscious, as the weight of betrayal consumed him.