Onyx's Pov:
*My lips part, and the name escapes on a breath I didn't know I was holding.* "Ash..." *It's a whisper, barely audible, but it feels like a scream in my own mind. My body tenses, every instinct screaming at me to go after him, to explain, to fix this catastrophe before it's too late. I try to push through the crowd, my gaze locked on his retreating form.*
*But it's useless. Before I can take a single step, a tide of well-wishers crashes over us. They swarm around Liam, their voices a deafening chorus of congratulations. A man with a booming clap on Liam's back, a woman in a sequined dress grabs my hand, her words a jumble of happiness and excitement. They form a solid, smiling wall, completely blocking my view of the doorway where Ash disappeared. I'm trapped, a performer in a play I never wanted to be a part of, forced to smile and nod while my heart is shattering into a million pieces.*
*After what feels like an eternity of smiling and nodding while my soul screamed, I finally see a break in the line of well-wishers. The children, bless their innocent hearts, give me shy, hopeful smiles, their congratulations a stark contrast to the turmoil churning inside me. I can't take it anymore. I turn to Liam, placing a hand gently on my forehead.* "I'm so sorry, Liam, but I think the excitement has given me a dreadful headache. I just need to lie down for a moment." *I force a weak, apologetic smile.*
*He looks momentarily concerned but then his expression softens with indulgent affection.* "Of course, my love. Don't worry about a thing. I'll finish up here." *He gives my arm a reassuring squeeze before turning back to the next guest, already accepting their congratulations with that practiced, charming smile.*
*The moment his attention is diverted, I slip away, my movements quick and silent.*
*I press my back against the cool, smooth wall of the corridor, the stone a stark contrast to the heat in my cheeks. The noise of the celebration fades to a dull roar, replaced by the frantic beating of my own heart. I draw in ragged breaths, each one feeling like I'm inhaling shards of glass. The question echoes in the hollow space of my mind, a litany of self-loathing.* What have I done? Oh, God... Glizz, too.
*The thought of her makes my heart clench in a fresh wave of pain. We are like sisters, in a way that transcended blood. We shared secrets, dreams, and a bond that felt unbreakable. But since especially the past week... everything has been so complicated. The stolen glances, the shared confidences, the way a simple touch could send electricity through my veins. The guilt is a physical weight, pressing down on my chest.*
*I force myself to take a deep, steadying breath. One problem at a time. The most pressing one is Ash. I need to find him, to explain, to beg for his forgiveness. I give myself a determined nod, a small gesture of resolve in the overwhelming chaos. I turn and begin my search, my footsteps echoing softly in the deserted corridor. I check the library, the gardens, even the stables, but he's nowhere to be found. A cold dread begins to settle in my stomach.*
*My only remaining hope is his room. With a sense of foreboding, I make my way toward the east wing. As I approach his door, I hear a sound that makes me freeze. It's a wild, guttural noise, a furious growl that is so unlike him it sends a chill down my spine. It's followed by the sharp, violent shattering of glass.*
*I take an involuntary step closer, drawn by the sound of that other voice—the claret-dressed girl's. Then, the moans begin, and they're not sounds of pain or anger, but of pleasure. My blood runs cold. By the time I reach the door, I can see everything. Ash is tangled with the girl, his body moving with a frantic, desperate rhythm that turns my stomach. The girl sees me from the corner of her eye and tightens her grip on him, her moans becoming louder, more theatrical, a deliberate performance meant to wound me.*
*I stumble back, a choked sound escaping my throat that isn't quite a scream. It's a sound of pure, unadulterated horror. Ash's head snaps up, his eyes locking onto mine. In an instant, he pulls away from the girl, his movements sharp and furious. He snatches a towel from the nearby chair, wrapping it around his waist as he stalks toward me.*
*The girl's voice cuts through the haze of my shock, dripping with saccharine sweetness.* "Who's that, darling?" *She asks, her hands fully pulling off her clothes. Her performance is cruel, designed to twist the knife that's already buried deep in my chest.*
*Ash doesn't even look at her. His eyes are locked on me, his expression a carefully constructed mask of cold indifference. But I see it—the flicker of hurt beneath the surface, the way his jaw tightens for a fraction of a second before he schools his features into something hard and unforgiving.* "No one," *he says, his voice flat and devoid of emotion. The words hit me like a physical blow.*
"No one." *The words hang in the air between us, sharp and final. Before I can even process the blow, before my shattered heart can form a response, he slams the door in my face. The sound is deafening in the quiet corridor, a brutal, absolute end to whatever was left between us.*
*I stand frozen for a moment, my hand still raised to knock, now hovering uselessly in front of the solid wood. The image of him and that girl is seared behind my eyelids, a grotesque tableau of betrayal. The muffled sounds from within—the girl's triumphant laughter, Ash's frustrated growl—pierce through the door, each one a fresh wave of humiliation. I crumple against the wall, my legs giving out, and slide to the floor, the cold seeping through my thin dress. The corridor stretches before me, endless and empty, just like the hollow space where my heart used to be.*
*For a moment, I just sit there, frozen against the cold wood of the door. Then, as if sensing my presence, the sounds from within intensify. The rhythmic slapping of skin against skin grows louder, more deliberate. The girl's moans rise to a fever pitch, each one more exaggerated than the last, punctuated by breathless, meaningless endearments that feel like daggers in my ears.*
"Oh, Ash...", "Yes, right there..." "You feel so good..." And what hot me most was that he repeated same words to her calling her name, Diana as he moans loud
*My vision blurs with tears of pure humiliation. The fragile walls of my composure shatter completely. I can't take it. I can't stay here and listen to them destroy the last remnants of what I thought was real. Summoning a strength I didn't know I possessed, I push myself up ,off the wall and turn, my legs moving in a desperate, clumsy sprint. I don't know where I'm going, I don't care.*
*In my blind flight, I collide with a solid form. The impact sends me stumbling backward, but before I can fall, strong arms steady me. I don't look up, my face still buried in my hands, hot tears streaming through my fingers.* "Sorry," *I manage to choke out, my voice thick with tears. I try to pull away, to run from this new humiliation, but the person's grip is firm, gentle but unyielding.*
*Slowly, deliberately, they pry my hands from my face. I feel the cool air on my wet cheeks, the exposure terrifying. Through a haze of tears, I look up and see him standing there. . His expression is a mixture of deep concern and confusion as he takes in my disheveled state—the tear-streaked face, the rumpled dress, the utter devastation in my eyes. He says nothing, but his presence is a silent question hanging in the air.*
"Papa?" *The word escapes my lips in a broken whisper, as if I'm dreaming. Through the blurriness of my tears, I see him standing there—my father, Inari. He's dressed impeccably, a stark contrast to my own disarray, his presence a sudden, shocking anchor in the storm. His face, usually so composed and serene, is etched with concern as he takes in my state.*
"Onyx? Onyx?" *His voice is soft, laced with worry. He quickly spins me around, his hands gently checking me over, his touch both a comfort and a reminder of how badly I'm falling apart. Then, he pulls me into a tight, protective embrace, his arms wrapping around me like a shield. The familiar scent of sandalwood and old paper fills my senses, and I can't hold back any longer. I bury my face against his shoulder, and the tears come harder, a dam breaking after months of silent stress.* "Oh, Onyx, my baby,"
*I cling to him, my fingers digging into the fabric of his immaculate kimono, my body trembling with relief and the aftershocks of my tears.* "I thought I'd never see you again," *I sob into his shoulder, the words muffled against the cool silk.* "I thought I was all alone." *He holds me tighter, one hand cradling the back of my head while the other gently wipes the tears from my cheeks with his thumb.*
"Shhh, shhh, it's okay," *he murmurs, his voice a low, steady rumble that calms my frantic heart. He tilts my chin up, his grey-blue eyes searching mine, and I see a fierce determination there that I haven't seen in years.* "I'm never going to let go again," *he promises, his voice firm. He laces his fingers with mine, his grip strong and reassuring.* "We're getting you out of here."
*My heart leaps with hope, but then doubt creeps in.* "How?"
*He smiles, a soft, reassuring gesture that reaches his eyes and eases the last of my panic.* "Everyone, including the guards, are gathered in the grand hall for the final toasts and speeches," *he explains, his voice a low whisper.* "Now is the best time to leave."
*A wave of disbelief washes over me. It's too simple. Too easy. This feels like a dream, and I'm terrified I'll wake up to find myself still outside Ash's door, listening to them.* "But... it can't be this easy," *I whisper, my gaze darting back toward the main hall as if expecting someone to appear at any moment.*
*He sees the doubt in my eyes, the fear that this is a trick. He leans in, his lips brushing against my forehead in a soft, chaste kiss that feels both like a benediction and a promise.* "I'm here, okay?" *he murmurs against my skin. When he pulls back, his smile is small but genuine, a flicker of the old warmth I remember from my childhood.* "Trust me."
*With that, he takes my hand and leads me away from the corridor, his steps silent and purposeful. We slip through a servants' entrance I never knew existed, the cool night air a welcome shock to my face. The world outside the estate walls is quiet, the chaos of the party a distant memory. As we melt into the shadows, I look back at the imposing manor, its windows glowing with a warm, deceptive light. It was shockingly easy, just as he said. And in that moment, I know I'm safe. I'm finally with my papa.*
*We walk for what feels like hours, the city streets slowly giving way to narrower, darker alleyways. Papa keeps a firm grip on my hand, his other hand resting protectively on my back. The coat he gave me is large and smells of him—sandalwood and something clean and crisp. It envelops me completely, a warm shield against the chill night air.*
*My legs, already weak from emotional turmoil, begin to ache from the pace. I stumble, and without a word, he stops. He scoops me into his arms as if I weigh nothing, his movements practiced and effortless. He adjusts me so my head rests against his shoulder, his steady heartbeat a soothing rhythm beneath my ear. The world blurs into a soft, dark haze, the sound of his footsteps the only constant. The exhaustion of the past weeks, the heartbreak, the fear—it all catches up with me at once, and I surrender to the heavy pull of sleep, feeling safer than I have in a very long time.*
*The first thing I register is the cold. It's not the chill of the night air, but a deep, internal cold that seeps into my bones, a phantom echo of the horror I left behind. I jolt awake with a gasp, my body slick with a cold sweat, tears streaming down my face before I'm even fully conscious. The nightmare is still vivid—Ash's cold stare, the girl's triumphant moans, the sound of the slamming door.*
*I'm disoriented, my heart hammering against my ribs. Then I see him. My father. He's just come into the small, sparsely furnished room, his arms full of firewood. The moment his eyes land on me, his expression shifts from calm to alarm. He drops the wood with a clatter on the stone floor and rushes to my side, pulling me into a tight embrace.*
*His arms are warm and strong, a solid wall against the fear still gripping me. He cradles my head, his hand gently stroking my hair.*
*I cling to him, my fingers fisting the soft fabric of his kimono, as if he might disappear if I let go. The quiet sobs that have been trapped in my chest all night finally escape, muffled against his shoulder. He doesn't push me away or tell me to stop. He just holds me, one hand rubbing slow, soothing circles on my back while the other rests on the back of my head, his fingers tangling gently in my hair.*
"Papa," *I whisper, the word thick with unshed tears and a desperate need for reassurance.* "You're here. You're really here." *I pull back just enough to look at his face, my eyes searching his for any sign that this is still a dream, that he'll vanish the moment I blink. But his gaze is steady, filled with a warmth and concern that is achingly real.*