Shopping

Ella wandered through the store, her eyes scanning the racks of the latest collection. The designs were exquisite. Normally, she would have felt a thrill of excitement, the simple joy of discovering something new and beautiful. Yet, as her gaze lingered on a particularly striking dress, her heart clenched.

The shopping trip, which she'd hoped would lift her spirits, had done little to soothe the turmoil swirling inside her. Instead, it only highlighted how off-kilter she felt. No amount of retail therapy could silence the words Aiden had thrown at her, the ones that had left a deep ache in her chest. "You'll only ever be Charles' daughter from now on," he'd said. The sting of those words reverberated in her mind, still sharp and unrelenting.