Chapter 20: Confronting Roham
Ayra woke up with a steely determination, ready to confront Roham in the Shadow Realm. Despite the pain and humiliation he had inflicted upon her, she still held onto the hope that he might have loved her. Perhaps, she thought, he was angry and had punished her by wiping her memory and whipping her.
Without informing anyone, Ayra slipped out of the hospital, determined to surprise Roham. She made her way to a dark alley, where she sang an eerie melody, using her siren voice to open the portal to the Shadow Realm.
As the portal swirled open, Ayra stepped through it, finding herself at the gates of the castle. She sneaked in, making her way to the Black Rose Garden, where she stumbled upon Roham kissing a woman. Ayra's heart froze as she recognized the woman as Nelly, but she knew nothing about her.
Tears streamed down Ayra's face like a torrent, soaking her hospital gown. "Roham!" she screamed, her voice laced with hatred, anger, and sadness.
Roham turned, his expression unreadable. "Ayra?"
"Why?" Ayra's voice trembled. "Why? Who is she? Why?"
Roham's gaze flickered to Nelly, who blushed at the mention of her name. The air was thick with tension, but Ayra's anguish cut through it like a knife.
Nelly, it seemed, had convinced Roham to wipe Ayra's memory, and since then, she had become the de facto goddess of the Shadow Realm. Her aunt Laura had climbed the social ladder, and Nelly had begun to fall for Roham, unaware of his true intentions. Roham had pretended to reciprocate her feelings, needing Nelly and her aunt's help to take down Eden.
Meanwhile, Roham had faked Ayra's suicide, sending a clone body to Ryder and Lady Adriana. Ryder was consumed by grief and guilt, believing that Ayra had taken her own life due to the trauma he had inflicted upon her. Lady Adriana was furious with Ryder, feeling that he had sacrificed Ayra's well-being for his own gain.
Back in the present, Ayra's eyes blazed with hatred. "Roham, I thought you loved me?"
Roham's expression twisted into a cruel smile. "I love your body."
Nelly's patience wore thin. "Go away, you're not needed."
Ayra's world shattered into a million pieces as she realized the truth: Roham had never loved her.
Ayra's tears dried as a fierce determination burned within her. She vowed to make Roham pay for his cruelty, for the pain he had inflicted upon her. With a newfound sense of purpose, Ayra returned to the human world, ready to face whatever challenges lay ahead.
As she stepped back into her life, Ayra felt a sense of detachment, as if she was observing herself from afar. She knew that she couldn't turn back the clock, but she was determined to reclaim her life, to forge a new path that didn't involve Roham's manipulation and control.
With each step, Ayra felt her strength and resolve growing. She was no longer the timid, submissive woman Roham had tried to break. She was a survivor, a warrior, and she would fight tooth and nail to protect herself and those she loved.
The city lights blurred around her as Ayra walked, her mind racing with plans and strategies. She knew that confronting Roham wouldn't be easy, but she was ready. For the first time in years, Ayra felt a sense of hope, of liberation. She was taking back control of her life, and nothing would ever hold her back again.