Chapter 12

ARIA'S POV

The pain in my hand was nothing compared to the ache in my heart as Sabrina's voice cut through the chaos.

I was stunned by the hatred in her words. The tears I had been fighting so hard to hold back finally spilled over, hot and shameful on my cheeks. I quickly turned away, not wanting to give her the satisfaction of seeing me cry.

But the hits just kept coming. Elder Grayson, his face creased with disappointment, stepped out of the crowd.

"Young lady," he said, his voice heavy with disapproval, "what you did to Linda was unforgivable. She's with child, for heaven's sake!"

The injustice of it all made me want to scream. I looked up at him, my vision blurry with tears. "But I didn't do anything to her," I choked out. "She's lying. Please, you have to believe me."