LOVE BEYOND REALMS

A PRISON OF EXPECTATIONS

Chapter 16

Alexa woke at dawn after she finally managed to find some sleep. For most of the night, she had tossed and turned, her body damp with sweat, her thoughts haunted by the figure of the supernatural being she had encountered. His silver hair, his voice like thunder wrapped in silk, the piercing command of his eyes — none of it had left her even after she jolted awake.

When her lids finally grew heavy and she drifted into restless slumber, it was only for a short while. Now the pale light of morning crept through the silk curtains, making the corners of her room glow faintly. She pushed herself up slowly, feeling both exhausted and restless, as though she hadn’t slept at all.

Her heart still carried the echo of the supernatural being's voice, the memory of the mountain beneath her bare feet. She shivered and hugged herself. Was it real? Or was she truly going mad? No dream had ever felt like that, and yet she had no one to confide in. Who would believe her anyway?

Pulling herself from bed, she moved to the window. From her vantage point she could see the vast grounds of the Anderson estate stretching out in every direction. The garden was manicured to perfection, the fountains gleamed in the morning sun, and the staff were already busy with their duties.

It was then, through the open window, that she caught the sound of hushed voices. The maids. They moved along the courtyard below, polishing silver railings and carrying fresh linens, but their chatter carried easily through the still morning air.

“Two weeks,” one said in a whisper that wasn’t nearly as soft as it should have been. “Can you believe it? The young miss will be married in less than a fortnight.”

Another snickered. “Married off so quickly, and at such a young age too. What a life, hm? The richest families always do as they please. Imagine being forced into that.”

Their laughter tinkled, and Alexa’s chest tightened. She stepped back from the window, pressing her palms against her ears. It was nothing new — the staff often gossiped — but hearing them discuss her as though she were an object being bartered away was a wound that never seemed to close.

She sat on the edge of her bed, staring blankly at the floor, the maids’ words clawing at her. Two weeks. Less than two weeks until she lost what little freedom she had. Less than two weeks until she was trapped forever.

---

While Alexa sat in silence, Mirabel was already preparing for the day, her reflection smirking back at her in the vanity mirror of her extravagant room. She brushed her golden-brown hair with meticulous care, humming a tune under her breath. Unlike Alexa, she had the freedom to come and go, to attend classes, to live in the outside world. And today, she had a plan.

Her lips curled in delight as she slipped on her fashionable coat and gathered her books. Alexa’s absence from college the next few days would be a gift — a blank canvas for her to paint however she wished.

And paint she would.

At the university, Mirabel wasted no time. She leaned casually against a bench near the entrance, where groups of students gathered before classes began. Her smile was bright, her voice cheerful, as though she were merely sharing casual news.

“Oh, haven’t you heard?” she said, her eyes glittering with mischief. “My stepsister Alexa wouldn't be coming to class because she’s busy at home planning her engagement. Yes, that’s right. Can you believe it? She won’t even make it to graduation — she’ll be married off before the time comes.

Gasps and laughter spread quickly among the students.

“Engagement? Already?” one girl scoffed. “That explains why she never cared about her grades. She knew she’d just end up in a husband’s house.”

Another snorted. “Honestly, that’s probably the only future she could manage. She’s never been bright. Always fumbling, always failing tests. Poor thing — her brain just isn’t cut out for study.”

The crowd chuckled, some shaking their heads with mock pity, others smirking with open amusement. Mirabel basked in it all, the satisfaction sweet on her tongue. She added fuel to the fire with a delicate shrug.

“Well, it’s not her fault. Not everyone is meant for academics. Some girls are simply… destined for other paths.”

Her words dripped with false sympathy, but everyone knew the intent. By the time she entered her lecture hall, the rumor had already spread like wildfire. Students whispered behind cupped hands, their eyes gleaming with cruel curiosity.

And Alexa — though absent — became the day’s prime source of entertainment.

---

Back in the mansion, Alexa descended the staircase quietly, her hands clutching the banister as though to steady herself. She had hoped to avoid confrontation, but fate rarely favored her.

Emily Anderson stood waiting at the foot of the stairs. Perfectly dressed, her jewels catching the light, she looked every inch the wealthy matron of one of the richest families in Country Y. But her beauty was as cold as ice, and her smile was the kind that cut.

“Finally awake, are we?” Emily’s tone was sharp, mocking. “You sleep as though you have no responsibilities. Perhaps you’ve forgotten, Alexa — you are to be married in less than two weeks. I should think a bride-to-be would show more… dignity.”

Alexa’s lips parted, but no words came. Her stepmother’s gaze pinned her in place.

Emily’s smile widened, cruel. “Though, what dignity do you have to begin with? You’ve always been a burden, a shadow trailing after this family. And now, your only usefulness will be to leave it — traded off to secure our standing. Do not think for a moment this is about you. It never was.”

The words struck Alexa like lashes. She lowered her head, clutching the railing until her knuckles ached.

“Look at you,” Emily continued, her voice dripping with disdain. “No ambition. No accomplishments. Always pitiful, always silent. At least Mirabel makes me proud. You?” She let out a cold laugh. “You are simply something to be… given away.”

Alexa swallowed hard, fighting back the sting of tears. She dared not answer, knowing any reply would only draw harsher cruelty. She turned to leave, but Emily’s voice followed, sharp as a blade.

“Do not think the world pities you, Alexa. They laugh. Even now, they laugh. And you will do nothing but bow your head, as you always have.”

---

That evening, the laughter came home.

Mirabel swept into the mansion, her mood radiant, her steps light. She tossed her bag onto a chair and flopped onto the couch, a sly grin stretching across her face.

“You wouldn’t believe the day I had,” she announced loudly, knowing Alexa lingered within earshot. “Everyone was so curious about you, Alexa. I told them the truth, of course — that you’re absent because you’re planning your grand engagement. Oh, how they laughed. They said you were too stupid for school, but at least you’ll have a husband soon. Isn’t that wonderful?”

Her laughter rang out, high and cruel.

Alexa stiffened in the doorway, her nails digging into her palms. The humiliation burned hotter than fire. They were laughing at her. Mocking her. And Mirabel delighted in pouring salt into the wound.

Emily, seated nearby, chuckled as well, sipping from her glass of wine. “Perhaps it is for the best,” she said smoothly, her eyes glinting. “Better for a girl like you to be spoken of as a bride than as a failure. At least marriage will give you some… relevance.”

The two women laughed together, their voices echoing through the grand halls of the mansion.

Alexa stood frozen, her chest tight, her throat aching. She could not fight them. She had no voice here. All she had were their words, pressing down on her, suffocating her.

She fled to her room, slamming the door shut and collapsing onto her bed. Her tears fell freely at last, silent but endless. The cruel words of Emily and Mirabel replayed in her mind, alongside the whispers of her classmates, the gossip of the maids.

Everywhere she turned, she was mocked. Trapped. Alone.

The walls of her golden prison closed tighter around her. And yet, even in her despair, one thought lingered — the echo of that otherworldly voice, stern and commanding, seared into her soul.

The ancient supernatural being.

She pressed her face into her pillow, trembling. She hated him for invading her mind. She hated them for destroying her dignity. And she hated herself most of all — for being powerless against them all.

The night deepened. Alexa lay awake, her tears dried but her heart still raw, wondering how much more she could endure before she finally broke.