I stayed silent, unsure of how to respond, my heart heavy with a mix of emotions.

Darius grew anxious as silence stretched between us.

"Rina, what’s wrong? Are you upset?" he pressed, concern edging his voice.

"Where are you? I’ll come get you right now!"

He was still attentive, sensing my emotions even from a distance.

"I’m at home. I don’t want to go to the meadow today."

There was a brief pause before he spoke again, still trying to comfort me.

"Alright, I’ll come home right away to be with you."

He didn’t question why I had canceled. It wasn’t that his love was so deep that he could overlook my feelings. It was because he had successfully proposed to Alina in the perfect setting, leaving me in the shadows, as if I were nothing more than a passing thought.

When Darius entered, I had just stepped out of the bathroom, water still dripping from my hair. My heart sank as I saw Alina behind him, a smile plastered across her face.

"Why did you bring her here?" I asked, my voice filled with warning, frustration bubbling beneath the surface.

Was he really so eager to rub salt in my wound?

Darius looked a bit guilty, rubbing the back of his neck as he often did when he was nervous.

"Rina, I ran into Alina downstairs. She insisted on coming up to apologize for the past…"

I watched him coldly, unimpressed by his excuses.

"Rina, I was young and didn’t understand. I’m really sorry for the way I treated you."

I turned to Darius, my voice trembling as memories of the past flooded my mind.

"So, you expect me to forgive them—both mother and daughter?"

The pain of memories—the bruises from the past, the loss of my family, and the torment I had endured—swelled within me, threatening to overflow.

I didn’t ask why he had fallen for Alina; it would show weakness. It was of no consequence.

I waited, stubbornly silent, as Darius's guilt seemed to evaporate, replaced by an irritating sense of annoyance.

"Rina, Alina didn’t know better back then. She’s sorry and has been for years. Why not let go of the past?"

The torment I had suffered, both physical and emotional—that's what I considered the past.

Refusing to forgive Alina wasn’t about holding a grudge. Darius was the one who helped me when I was hurt, so he understood how much I loathed her and her mother.

Yet, he chose to love Alina and stand against me.

When Darius reached for my hand, attempting to broker peace, I pulled away sharply.

"Darius, what gives you the right to ask me to forgive them?" I asked.

Behind my father’s back, they had mistreated me, tricking him into believing I was the villain. After his death, they didn’t even care enough to mourn him.

Darius stared at my hand, now red from where I had pulled away, confusion clouding his eyes.

"Rina, I’m trying to help you. You have no parents now, and Alina and her mother are the only family you have left. Why not let go of the past?"

"You need to move forward, right?"

His words were meant to comfort me, but impatience seeped into his calm tone.

He could not hide it even if he wanted to.

But the warmth and care I once felt from him were now gone. Not that it mattered now.

I could feel my heart, already fractured. I did not think it could break any further.

The pain was so intense I could barely speak. The bond,making it more painful.

Alina's eyes were filled with fake sorrow, but I could see the smugness hidden beneath.

"Rina, it’s okay if you can’t forgive me. I’ll keep repenting until you accept me as your family."

"I have had enough of you. Leave now!"

I pressed my back against the wall , desperate to keep myself steady. My body trembled, and I could feel the heat of anger surging through me.

I was keeping myself from shifting right now.

The moon goddess sure loved to play with me.

Darius stood a few steps away, his frustration palpable.

One could cut it with a Knife.

His voice rose slightly, echoing off the walls. “Rina, why are you being so unreasonable? Nobody is perfect. Can you just try to be a little more understanding?”

Unreasonable, understanding, I thought

even my wolf that loved him immensely scoffed at that word.

I couldn’t shake the memories of the pain Alina and her Mother had caused me.

Darius had once been my shield, always defending me against their hurtful words. But now he stood against me, a stranger in my life.

My voice came out sharper than I intended, the bitterness spilling from my heart. “Unless she suffers the same way I have. Until she feels the same way I feel right now,and unless the sun rises in the west and sets in the east, I will never forgive her!”

Darius ’s expression tightened, his forehead creased with the weight of his thoughts. The same look he used to give when he fought for me now twisted with anger aimed at me. His mate or Ex mate

“Rina! How have you changed so much in these years? If you can’t find it in your heart to forgive her, at least apologize! I can’t bear the thought of my fiancée being seen as spiteful and resentful!”

I felt the surge of anger rise within me.

“Don’t blame all your troubles on Alina and her Mother! They made mistakes, but they didn’t deserve this! If you’re going to drown in sorrow like your father, it’s no wonder you’re haunted by your dreams!”

The word “haunted” came out harsh, and I saw Darius flinch, as if I had struck him. It was hard to believe that this was the same man who once promised to protect me.

The whiplash from his behavior was beginning to upset me greatly.

“Rina, I’ll always be here. I won’t let anyone harm you.” Those words had once wrapped around me like a warm blanket. Now, they felt empty, a distant memory fading into the shadows of our broken trust.

I felt my wolf inside me, her pain mirroring my own. She growled softly, echoing my frustration, begging me to lash out, to make him see. But I could only tremble, retreating from the confrontation.

As I staggered back, Darius stepped forward, reaching out to steady me. I could see his concern for me, but it only fueled my anger.

“How did you hurt yourself?” he asked, trying to examine me.

“Don’t worry about it. If you can’t apologize for your mistakes, I’ll do it myself, but you need to stop being so rude.” His words were sharp, filled with the weight of his foolishness

I yanked my arm away from him , pointing to the exit with fury. Leave before I drag you out! , just leave!”

Darius ’s eyes widened, and he hesitated, but I could see his instincts kicking in. He wanted to comfort me, but the warmth of his touch made my skin crawl.

My wolf now growling with impatience to see him bleed.

Alina stepped forward, tears streaking down her cheeks. “Rina, I’m going now. Please don’t torture yourself over this.”

She turned abruptly, her movements too fast. I watched helplessly as she collided with the doorframe, crumpling to the ground.

“Hypocrite, Liar” My wolf scoffed.

Darius sprang into action, letting go of me to rush to her side.

“Are you alright? I’m taking you to the doctor!” He began to panic as he knelt beside her.

The hallway fell silent, the chaos dissipating, leaving a heavy stillness. My heart sank, the void of loss swallowing me whole.

After all those years of friendship and love, we had now reached this point of brokenness.

Since he wants to run away at the wedding, I will let him have no bride at the wedding!

If there was one thing the cheating asshole was right about , it was that I needed to look forward. And that is exactly what I planned to do.

The weight of my decision settled in, a mix of relief and sorrow washing over me as I took a deep breath, determined to move forward.

The house was suffocating, like it was shrinking in on me with every passing second. I didn’t belong here anymore, and I could feel it in the air. Every corner of this place had once been filled with memories, but now it just felt empty. I sat on the floor, surrounded by the wedding invitations I had painstakingly written. Each one felt heavier than the last as I shredded them into pieces. The fragments fell like confetti, but this wasn’t a celebration—it was the end.

I had loved Darius with everything I had. But love doesn’t survive on hope alone.

When the last invitation was torn, I stood up, feeling lighter but not any less broken. The kitchen was silent, no smell of breakfast like there used to be when Darius tried to cheer me up with pancakes on bad days. The house had lost its warmth, and I had too.

Later that morning, I heard the door click open. Darius walked in casually, like it was any other day. He carried a bouquet, roses, bright and red, as if that would fix anything.

"Rina , I got these for you," he said, holding them out with a sheepish smile. "I know I haven’t been... around much."

I stared at the flowers for a moment before turning away. "You don’t need to pretend anymore. I know why you’ve been gone."

His face faltered. "What do you mean?"

"Alina . I saw you both yesterday," I said, feeling the knot in my chest tighten. "At the café. You didn’t see me, but I saw everything."

The color drained from his face. He didn’t try to deny it. He just stood there, holding those roses like they were a burden now. "Rina , it’s not what you think," he began, but I cut him off.

"Don’t," I said, shaking my head. "I don’t need any more lies."

Darius sighed, setting the roses on the counter. He ran a hand through his hair, looking frustrated but defeated. "We’ve been through so much together," he said softly. "Can’t we just... talk about this? Work it out?"

I scoffed, unable to contain the bitterness bubbling up inside me. "Work it out? You mean like how you worked things out with her?"

Silence. He had nothing to say, and that hurt more than anything.

I walked past him, my chest tight. "I’m leaving," I said, grabbing my coat from the rack. "I can’t stay here and pretend anymore."

Darius followed me to the door, his voice pleading now. "Rina , wait. Don’t go. You don’t understand."

I stopped, my hand on the doorknob, but I didn’t turn around. "I understand perfectly," I whispered, then walked out the door without looking back.

---

I drove for hours, the road stretching out in front of me like an endless escape. I didn’t have a destination in mind, just the need to get away from everything. I pulled over by the coast, where the waves crashed violently against the rocks, mirroring the storm inside me.

I stayed there until the sky turned dark, the cold wind biting at my skin. But even the chill couldn’t numb the ache in my heart. I wasn’t sure how long I stood there, staring at the ocean, but when I finally turned back to the car, my phone buzzed.

A message from Darius .

"Rina , please come back. We need to talk. I don’t want to lose you."

I stared at the screen, the words blurring as tears welled up in my eyes. He still didn’t get it. He thought this was something we could fix, like a crack in a vase. But some things couldn’t be mended, no matter how hard you tried.

I didn’t reply. Instead, I drove to the nearest hotel, checking in under a false name. I needed time to think, to figure out what to do next.

The next morning, I woke to a string of missed calls from Darius . I ignored them, staring at the ceiling, my mind blank. I had no energy left to feel angry or sad. I was just... tired.

Later, I drove back to the house, unsure why I was even returning. Maybe to collect my things, maybe for closure—I wasn’t sure. But when I pulled into the driveway, I saw something that made my heart stop.

Darius was standing outside, leaning against the car. And next to him was Alina .

She was laughing, her hand resting on his arm like it was the most natural thing in the world. They didn’t notice me as I sat frozen in the car, watching the two of them. I didn’t even realize I was crying until a tear slipped down my cheek.

I took a deep breath, wiping my face quickly. I couldn’t do this. Not again.

Without thinking, I started the car and reversed out of the driveway. But the sudden movement caught their attention, and Darius turned to see me speeding off.

"Rina !" I heard him shout, but I didn’t stop.

I drove back to the coast, the only place that felt like it could swallow my pain. This time, I left my phone behind, turning it off so I wouldn’t have to see his name flashing on the screen again.

I walked down to the shore, the cold wind whipping through my hair. The waves crashed violently against the rocks, a perfect mirror of the chaos inside me.

For the first time in years, I realized I had been living a lie. A lie that I had created, believing that if I loved Darius enough, he would love me back in the same way. But love wasn’t supposed to feel like this—like drowning.

I stood there for what felt like hours, watching the ocean, letting the wind carry away my pain. And then, finally, I felt it—the release. The weight lifting off my heart.

When I returned to the hotel that night, I booked a one-way ticket out of town. I packed my bags, leaving everything that tied me to this place behind.

As I left the hotel, my phone buzzed one last time. I glanced at the screen and saw message from Darius.

He begged me to go back and told me to tell him my address so that he could pick me up in person.

I wasn’t going back!

This is goodbye！