Chapter 6

The weight of the truth settled on me like a shroud. My stepmother, the viper in our gilded cage, had orchestrated the entire charade. Ren, the supposed boyfriend, a mere pawn in her game to dismantle my engagement with Alex. It was all a calculated move to keep me under her thumb, an extension of her manipulation that had always been a part of my life.

A surge of defiance rose within me. I wouldn't let her win but how can I win myself? I had to tell my father I wouldn't marry, not now, not ever. It didn't matter how desperately I longed to escape her machinations, I had to fight back even though I don't know how. I turned to where my father had been, ready to explain, to plead my case. But he was gone. He had witnessed the entire thing - my stepmother's subtle manipulations, the way she had played me like a fiddle. He had seen the ugliness bubbling beneath their carefully crafted facade.

I retreated to my room, the silence mocking me. How could I convince him? How could I, after years of presenting a stoic face, suddenly reveal the depths of my unhappiness and the betrayal I had endured? The walls seemed to close in, the familiar sense of helplessness threatening to engulf me.

(My Father's POV)

A crushing weight descended upon my soul. How could I have been so blind? My own wife, the woman I placed my trust in, had been the serpent in my daughter's life. My precious Ella, had she endured so much these years? The thought was like a knife to my heart. Oh, Ella, my sweet girl, I didn't know, I never knew. I had failed her, miserably.

I remembered the day I married that woman, that… that monster. I thought she would be a good mother to Ella, a loving and caring figure. I had wanted Ella to have a mother's love again, a companion in this big, gloomy house. But all I had done was bring in the darkness that I vowed to protect her from. God, what have I done?

Tears streamed down my face, hot and heavy with guilt and regret. I had condemned my daughter to this, had willingly participated in her torment. "Ella…" I choked, the weight of my failure constricting my chest. "I'm so sorry, Ella."

(My POV)

I forced myself out of my room, a determination hardening within me. I needed to talk to him, to explain. I found him in his study, slumped in his chair, his eyes closed as if he is meditating. I took a hesitant step closer, my heart aching at his slumped posture.

"Dad…" I called softly, my voice barely above a whisper. I walked to him, my footsteps light on the carpet, and sat down beside him on the floor, placing a gentle hand on his arm.

"Dad…" I repeated, my voice gaining a little strength. I had to do this, no matter how difficult. "I… I… don't want to get married now, Dad. Please, just understand. I just want to focus on my studies, on achieving my dreams. I wouldn't mind if Belle, if my stepsister, no my sister, is married off first. Just let me have this… please."

"Dad…" I called again, my voice tinged with desperation. Why wasn't he responding? I nudged him gently, my anxiety rising. "Dad…?"

His eyes were closed, his face pale and slack. A cold dread washed over me. I reached out, my fingers trembling as I placed them just below his nostrils. There was no warmth, no gentle rush of breath.

A choked sob escaped my lips as I pressed my ear against his chest. Silence. A deafening, terrifying silence. My father wasn't breathing. My heart hammered against my ribs, a frantic drumbeat against the cold reality that had just descended upon me. He was gone. The truth, the revelation, the desperate plea… all of it had come too late. The silence in the room weighed heavy, thick with the unspoken words, the unacknowledged pain, and the devastating, heartbreaking loss.