The girl he shouldn't have hurt

"Alya Blake, do you agree to marry Justin James?" The priest's voice echoed across the hall. "Yes," she whispered. Tears streamed down her cheeks, hidden beneath the veil. She pressed her lips together, trying to suppress the sob rising in her throat. The guests, along with both families, erupted into cheerful applause—blissfully unaware of the storm raging inside her. --- Alya Blake, the eldest daughter of the Blake family, was a determined woman—but an emotional one, too. She had dreams, big ones, dreams that could carry her far from here. But the Blakes? They would do anything to gain power and reputation. She sat quietly in her room when a knock interrupted her thoughts. "Ma'am, your presence is needed downstairs," the maid said, worry evident in her eyes. "I’ll be right there," Alya replied, her voice laced with unease. Her footsteps echoed through the long hallway as questions swirled in her mind. Why now? Why a family meeting? It’s been years... She reached the dining table and bowed slightly before taking the only empty seat. Tension hung in the air like a storm about to break. Her eyes scanned the faces around the table—grim, silent, unsettling. Finally, her mother spoke, without lifting her gaze from the table. "I know this sudden meeting must confuse you, Alya. And I understand the questions running through your mind." Mrs. Lilian Blake was a cold woman; her gaze alone could scare anyone. Even her own children feared her. But not Alya—she had learned long ago not to flinch under her mother's sharp eyes. All Mrs. Lilian cared about was perfection, power, and reputation. "Yeah, but Mom... What’s going on? Why do you all look so worried?" Alya leaned forward, concern flashing in her eyes. Her father’s voice, colder than ice, cut through the air. "I won’t beat around the bush. I received an offer for you—an offer from the James family. They want you to marry Justin." Her father, Mr. Blake, was no different from Mrs. Lilian. A man obsessed with control, reputation, and getting his way. The word marriage echoed in Alya's mind. Her heart sank. Her mouth opened in disbelief. "But Dad… I’m not—" "I know you're not ready," he interrupted harshly. "But look at our situation. Can’t you think about that before refusing?" "Dad, I told you—I’ll find a way to fix things. Please, give me time," she pleaded, her voice trembling. "How?" her mother snapped, irritation creeping into her tone. "How exactly are you going to fix it? Every day, our situation worsens!" Alya turned toward her mother, eyes brimming with tears. "Mom… you too?" Her younger sister, Luna, spoke up with a smug smile. "Can’t you just do this for the family?" Luna... She wasn’t the innocent girl most people thought she was. Selfish and spoiled, Luna only cared about herself. If things didn’t go her way, she would tear everything apart. Alya noticed the smirk but chose not to react. Instead, she wiped her tears and straightened her back. "What if I say no?" she asked, her voice steady despite the ache in her chest. Her father’s response was firm, almost cruel. "Then we lose everything." Everything, he whispered under his breath. He stood up and left the table, leaving behind a thick, awkward silence. Mrs. Lilian broke it moments later. "No is not an answer, Alya," her mother said coldly. "Whether you like it or not, you will marry into the James family." She too walked away, leaving Alya and Luna alone. Luna’s voice was gleeful, though she tried to hide it. "You should get ready for your so-called marriage, sister," she said, smirking before she strutted away. Alya was left alone, drowning in her thoughts. She couldn’t think straight. She couldn't believe how everything had changed overnight. They have already chosen my future without asking what I want, she whispered, heartbroken. --- The following days were a blur. The mansion bustled with preparations for Alya’s wedding. But to her, everything felt distant, hollow—like she was living someone else's life. Though she tried to smile, her heart refused to accept the reality being forced upon her. Finally, the day arrived. Alya stood in front of the mirror, dressed in a sparkling white gown. Her makeup was flawless, but her face was empty of joy. No matter how hard she tried, she couldn’t stop the tears from streaming down her cheeks. "Ma'am, it’s time," the maid’s voice called softly from behind the door. Alya quickly wiped her tears and gathered the hem of her dress. As she walked toward the aisle, her heels echoed with each painful step. Tears blurred her vision, but she kept moving. Under the veil, she could feel the heavy stares of the guests. The groom stood waiting, firm and composed. Is this how everything ends? she thought. Will I really become Mrs. Justin James, the eldest daughter-in-law of the James family? She sighed shakily, struggling to process it all. Standing before the priest, she refused to meet Justin’s eyes, her gaze fixed firmly on the ground. "Alya Blake, do you agree to marry Justin James?" the priest's voice thundered through the hall. "Yes," she whispered again. The hall erupted into applause, but inside, Alya’s heart was drowning. Both families looked elated. But for her, it was like a rainfall of sorrow inside her chest. She had been forced into a marriage she didn’t want, trapped in a life she hadn’t chosen. The priest’s voice brought her back to the moment. "Now, you may exchange the rings." Luna approached with a decorated tray carrying the rings, her sly smirk barely hidden. Alya watched as Justin carefully picked up a ring and stretched out his hand. She placed her trembling palm onto his, feeling the cold metal slide onto her finger. Then, it was her turn. She lifted the ring and slid it onto Justin’s finger, her hands trembling. From the corner of her eye, she caught Luna’s triumphant smirk. "You are now husband and wife," the priest declared. Applause echoed again. But in Alya's heart, it felt like a silent scream."Alya Blake, do you agree to marry Justin James?" The priest's voice echoed across the hall. "Yes," she whispered. Tears streamed down her cheeks, hidden beneath the veil. She pressed her lips together, trying to suppress the sob rising in her throat. The guests, along with both families, erupted into cheerful applause—blissfully unaware of the storm raging inside her. --- Alya Blake, the eldest daughter of the Blake family, was a determined woman—but an emotional one, too. She had dreams, big ones, dreams that could carry her far from here. But the Blakes? They would do anything to gain power and reputation. She sat quietly in her room when a knock interrupted her thoughts. "Ma'am, your presence is needed downstairs," the maid said, worry evident in her eyes. "I’ll be right there," Alya replied, her voice laced with unease. Her footsteps echoed through the long hallway as questions swirled in her mind. Why now? Why a family meeting? It’s been years... She reached the dining table and bowed slightly before taking the only empty seat. Tension hung in the air like a storm about to break. Her eyes scanned the faces around the table—grim, silent, unsettling. Finally, her mother spoke, without lifting her gaze from the table. "I know this sudden meeting must confuse you, Alya. And I understand the questions running through your mind." Mrs. Lilian Blake was a cold woman; her gaze alone could scare anyone. Even her own children feared her. But not Alya—she had learned long ago not to flinch under her mother's sharp eyes. All Mrs. Lilian cared about was perfection, power, and reputation. "Yeah, but Mom... What’s going on? Why do you all look so worried?" Alya leaned forward, concern flashing in her eyes. Her father’s voice, colder than ice, cut through the air. "I won’t beat around the bush. I received an offer for you—an offer from the James family. They want you to marry Justin." Her father, Mr. Blake, was no different from Mrs. Lilian. A man obsessed with control, reputation, and getting his way. The word marriage echoed in Alya's mind. Her heart sank. Her mouth opened in disbelief. "But Dad… I’m not—" "I know you're not ready," he interrupted harshly. "But look at our situation. Can’t you think about that before refusing?" "Dad, I told you—I’ll find a way to fix things. Please, give me time," she pleaded, her voice trembling. "How?" her mother snapped, irritation creeping into her tone. "How exactly are you going to fix it? Every day, our situation worsens!" Alya turned toward her mother, eyes brimming with tears. "Mom… you too?" Her younger sister, Luna, spoke up with a smug smile. "Can’t you just do this for the family?" Luna... She wasn’t the innocent girl most people thought she was. Selfish and spoiled, Luna only cared about herself. If things didn’t go her way, she would tear everything apart. Alya noticed the smirk but chose not to react. Instead, she wiped her tears and straightened her back. "What if I say no?" she asked, her voice steady despite the ache in her chest. Her father’s response was firm, almost cruel. "Then we lose everything." Everything, he whispered under his breath. He stood up and left the table, leaving behind a thick, awkward silence. Mrs. Lilian broke it moments later. "No is not an answer, Alya," her mother said coldly. "Whether you like it or not, you will marry into the James family." She too walked away, leaving Alya and Luna alone. Luna’s voice was gleeful, though she tried to hide it. "You should get ready for your so-called marriage, sister," she said, smirking before she strutted away. Alya was left alone, drowning in her thoughts. She couldn’t think straight. She couldn't believe how everything had changed overnight. They have already chosen my future without asking what I want, she whispered, heartbroken. --- The following days were a blur. The mansion bustled with preparations for Alya’s wedding. But to her, everything felt distant, hollow—like she was living someone else's life. Though she tried to smile, her heart refused to accept the reality being forced upon her. Finally, the day arrived. Alya stood in front of the mirror, dressed in a sparkling white gown. Her makeup was flawless, but her face was empty of joy. No matter how hard she tried, she couldn’t stop the tears from streaming down her cheeks. "Ma'am, it’s time," the maid’s voice called softly from behind the door. Alya quickly wiped her tears and gathered the hem of her dress. As she walked toward the aisle, her heels echoed with each painful step. Tears blurred her vision, but she kept moving. Under the veil, she could feel the heavy stares of the guests. The groom stood waiting, firm and composed. Is this how everything ends? she thought. Will I really become Mrs. Justin James, the eldest daughter-in-law of the James family? She sighed shakily, struggling to process it all. Standing before the priest, she refused to meet Justin’s eyes, her gaze fixed firmly on the ground. "Alya Blake, do you agree to marry Justin James?" the priest's voice thundered through the hall. "Yes," she whispered again. The hall erupted into applause, but inside, Alya’s heart was drowning. Both families looked elated. But for her, it was like a rainfall of sorrow inside her chest. She had been forced into a marriage she didn’t want, trapped in a life she hadn’t chosen. The priest’s voice brought her back to the moment. "Now, you may exchange the rings." Luna approached with a decorated tray carrying the rings, her sly smirk barely hidden. Alya watched as Justin carefully picked up a ring and stretched out his hand. She placed her trembling palm onto his, feeling the cold metal slide onto her finger. Then, it was her turn. She lifted the ring and slid it onto Justin’s finger, her hands trembling. From the corner of her eye, she caught Luna’s triumphant smirk. "You are now husband and wife," the priest declared. Applause echoed again. But in Alya's heart, it felt like a silent rainfall