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Emmett seized her hand, grasping the ring with a fierce, unyielding grip.

"This ring doesn't belong to you!" he hissed, believing that by reclaiming it, he was taking back his promise and the future that was meant for Athena alone. From this point on, his devotion would be solely for Athena.

But Aliana refused to yield. With desperation shining in her eyes, she clung to the ring as if it were her last hope.

"It's mine! You have no right to take my possessions!"

In that instant, Aliana's true colors were revealed, unabashed and unyielding. She had already lost everything else: her aspirations for wealth crushed, her reputation in tatters, her sponsorships revoked. She wasn't even certain if she would survive this ordeal. But the ring was her final possession, her only glimmer of hope. She fought with all her might to keep it.