Devil's Prison

Chapter # 17

“I am sorry but I did, Elliot.” Elliot couldn’t believe what his ears were hearing.

Frozen, he asked, praying he heard her wrong, “What?”

“I couldn’t resist. He had everything a girl desires; looks, money, powers, affection.. For me at least.” She chuckled, lowering her head and then looking up at Alphonse with a smile.

Alphonse was taken aback at her acting skills, knowing this instant to never believe Aurelia again because she could manipulate him easily by these flairs.

“How do you expect me to deny when I was at the peak of his gaze?” She whispered, hugging Alphonse’s arm, staring intensely into his eyes.

“You.. can’t be serious…” Elliot breathed out, taking a step back.

“I am…” She replied weakly, turning her face slowly to his. Feeling compassion to break his heart but she had no choice.

“Aurelia, this has to be a lie. You loved him. Your feelings for him died years ago.” His croaked voice came, torment shining in his eyes by the betrayal gained by her.

“That’s what I thought too but after living with him I realized… I loved him all along.” She sniffed, wiping her tears springing in her eyes again.

The painful smile not leaving her lips but she couldn’t show the pain behind him, lying smoothly. Breaking his heart.

“Don’t lie! I know he forced you. Tell me the truth, I will take you away.” He argued, losing his breath, trying to convince her but she was already captured by this man.

“That’s the problem. He didn’t!” She raised her voice, inhaling and converting her pity into wrath.

“If he did I wouldn’t be here… In his clothes..” She said seriously, showing no emotions, standing firmly.

“Come on, Aurelia, we love each other.” He begged, taking a step towards her as a tear rolled down his cheek.

“We loved but it eradicated the day Alphonse came into my life.” She whispered assertively, shattering his heart and feeling by her statement.

“Don’t do this to me, love. You can’t do this…” He whispered back, tears blurring his vision of losing his dream right at his wedding.

“But, I did. I am so sorry that you had an unfaithful partner like me, but I have vowed to be his.” She announced, shame brimming in her eyes, locking it with the ground.

“I… married Alphonse.” She told him coldly, resting her head on his arm, closing her eyes, allowing a tear to roll down.

“You- what!? You truly married this damned criminal!?” He yelled, losing his breath and mind, startling her by his loud voice.

With a hitch breath, she tightened her grip on Alphonse, trying to suppress her tears, biting her cheek.

“Lower your voice, Elliot. I don’t fancy noises in my place.” Alphonse said dominantly, placing his hand over hers, knowing it will only enhance her pain.

His hand could no longer provide her any comfort.

“Aurelia?” Elliot called her again but was impotent to open her eyes.

“Yes. I did and don’t you dare to call my husband a criminal.” She breathed out, voice stumbling at his point to break down and sob.

“We were investigating him, you had proof. How come this all ended? What blinded you?” He asked, pushing the hair falling on his face behind.

His mind cannot comprehend why she agreed when she resented him, when she agreed to serve justice.

Forcing out a grin, she chuckled and replied, “His everything…”

Alphonse was taken aback, his heart constricted to see her suffering but he couldn't do anything for her.

“Drop this act, Aurelia.” Elliot pleaded, curling his hands in a fist, tears rolled down his cheek.

“It’s not an act, Elliot. I have married Alphonse on my own free will.” She whispered, hardly forcing herself to act and not confess the true reason.

Taking a deep breath, she wiped the tears on her cheek and said weakly, “And it would be better if you leave and don’t return again.”

“Please…” He whispered, taking a step closer but she moved back.

“Leave, Elliot. Our love ended the day I met Alphonse again.” She said coldly, digging her nails in her palm to suppress the pain.

“It died.”

She smiled, widely, with a tear rolling down her cheek and begging for forgiveness she cannot ask.

“Aurelia-” He tried to speak but Alphonse came in between knowing she cannot take it anymore.

“You heard her. Do you still need further justification?” Alphonse asked authoritatively as Aurelia hid behind his upforth posture.

“I think you should leave. My life is with Alphonse now.” She breathed out, holding his shirt.

“I can’t believe it’s you. I should have known when you praised him.” Elliot laughed painfully, wiping his tears, moving back.

“You’re such a gold-digger, Aurelia.” He growled, pointing his index finger at her in contempt.

“Don’t forget where you are standing, Elliot. Don’t you dare to speak a word against her.” Alphonse warned, grabbing his wrist and pushing it back.

“I will never forgive you.” Elliot growled at both of them, steps retreating.

But, he wouldn’t leave this easily after getting betrayed on his wedding day.

“I pray your heart breaks terribly, Aurelia Blue.” He cursed, halting her breaths.

Her heart broke badly by his words and turning his blazing gaze to Alphonse he snarled before leaving them all alone.

“Go to hell with your so-called f*****g husband.”

And with this, he walked away with a devastating event and a smeared heart.

After he left. They were all alone in the hall and the voice Aurelia buried inside her broke.

She acted strong for a long time but this shattered her heart, to lose the love of her life broke her, she cannot bear it.

Alphonse turned to her and left his hand which she held as support; she fell on her knees and broke into a sob.

“Aurelia?” Alphonse called, narrowing his eyes in compassion to espy this state he never wanted to witness before him.

She was strong but he managed to break her soul successfully. She lost it all by the person she considered her first friend.

Bringing his hand closer to touch her or soothe her but they stopped in the air, remembering his cold embrace will only increase her misery.

“Are you happy now?” She sobbed, not lifting her head with tears rolling down her cheek.

Pressing his teeth together, he had no words for her consolation, his desires burned him and he ended up making an irredeemable mistake.

“You wanted to make me miserable, right?” She sniffed, trying to stop the tears, but they rolled down, reflecting her deterioration he induced by his selfishness.

Closing his eyes, he pulled his hands back and rested them in his pockets, making a tight fist to the point it made his veins clearly visible.

“Is it to your satisfaction?!” She yelled, looking up at him with her watery eyes, falling into the deepest depth of the abyss by his depraved deeds.

His jaw clenched, extremely hard to control himself before her. She was his deepest yearning after all.

He never wanted to see a single tear in her eyes.

He never wanted her to break.

But he did it.

“Are you happy now, huh!?” She yelled, slamming her hand down on the ground.

Sobbing her anguish out in the form of tears, emitting shallow breath to regain her posture but failed miserably.

Inhaling sharply, he was unable to hear her cries, to witness her despair. His heart constricted.

He didn’t know how to react accordingly to the pain in his chest and took a step back, turning his back on her.

“You can see your parents.” He said softly, like a gentle murmuration, and walked away, impotent to listen to the voice escape by her lips.

“I hate you, Alphonse!” She shouted at him.

Shutting his eyes, his breath stuck in his throat, tightening his fist, he took a deep breath and continued to walk,

“You hear it!?”

Hearing her words engraved an eerie clench as she continued to scream her resentment for the man who became the label of her destruction.

“I f*****g hate you!”