WAVE OF BETRAYAL
AYLA'S POV
Days pass in a blur of pain and grief, each one stretching endlessly as I lie confined to my bed.
My body aches constantly, a cruel reminder of the horror I endured. I am too weak to move, too exhausted to think clearly. Yet, even in this haze, I can feel someone tending to me. Gentle hands feed me, bathe me, and keep me from wasting away completely.
It has to be Sage.
I cling to the thought of my husband, the only person I believe would be allowed to care for me. Caspian and Nadira wouldn’t permit anyone else. Even in my fragile state, their betrayal lingers in the back of my mind like a toxin.
Yet, something doesn’t feel right.
Sage is silent when he’s near, his conversations clipped and hushed. The moments I’ve caught whispers between him and Nadira in the hallway haunt me. They’re always speaking in tones just low enough to exclude me, yet loud enough to keep me on edge.
And then there’s the loss I can’t escape—the baby I didn’t even know I had.
The grief is unbearable, a black hole threatening to swallow me whole. It consumes my thoughts, intertwining with the unanswered questions I can’t push away.
Why did Caspian lie? Why did he tell me I could never have children?
Was it all a plan?
The darkness in my mind deepens with every passing hour.
---
I’m not sure how long it takes, but eventually, my body begins to heal, even if my spirit does not. My strength returns in small increments—I can sit up without feeling faint and take a few steps without collapsing. Yet, my unease only grows stronger.
The silence around me is oppressive. Sage barely speaks when he enters the room, and when he does, his words lack the warmth I once found in them. There’s no reassurance, no comfort. It feels like he’s going through the motions.
The same questions circle endlessly in my mind: What was their plan? Why was I lied to? Was my child stolen from me?
Late one evening, as I lie in bed, staring at the ceiling, a sharp, searing pain tears through my abdomen.
I gasp, clutching my stomach.
“No, no, no,” I whisper, panic gripping me as I throw the blankets off.
The sight sends a fresh wave of terror through me—blood, dark and heavy, staining the sheets.
“Oh, Goddess,” I cry, trembling as I try to get out of bed. My legs feel weak, barely able to support me as I stagger upright.
“Sage!” I call out, but my voice is weak and hoarse, barely carrying beyond the room.
I try again, louder this time. “Sage!”
But there’s no response.
The blood is soaking through my clothes now, and I feel dizzy, my head spinning as I cling to the bedpost for balance. Desperation drives me forward. If Sage won’t come to me, I have to find him.
---
The house is eerily quiet as I stumble through the halls, clutching at the walls for support. My vision swims, but I force myself onward, my bare feet dragging across the cold floor.
“Sage…” My voice cracks as I call out again.
There’s no answer.
I check the living room, the kitchen, the study. Each room is empty. My frustration and fear grow with every passing second.
Then, I hear it—low murmurs, coming from the direction of the cellar.
My heart pounds as I follow the sound. The door to the cellar is slightly ajar, and faint light spills out into the hallway.
I approach cautiously, my hand trembling as I push the door open wider.
---
The sight before me stops me cold.
Sage is there, standing close to Nadira, his hand resting on her waist. They’re speaking in hushed tones, their heads close together.
And then, to my utter horror, Sage leans down and presses his lips to hers.
My stomach churns, a fresh wave of betrayal crashing over me.
How?
How could he do this?
My body is trembling, but not just from weakness. I feel like I’m going to be sick, the sight of my husband—my supposed protector—entwined with the woman who has caused me so much pain too much to bear.
I take a step back, but my foot catches on the edge of a loose floorboard, creating a soft thud.
Nadira’s head snaps up, her sharp eyes locking onto mine through the crack in the door.
“Well, well,” she says, her voice carrying a mocking lilt. “Look who decided to join us.”
Sage turns, his expression unreadable as he meets my gaze.
I expect guilt or panic, but instead, his lips curve into a cold, calculating smile.
“Ayla,” he says smoothly, his tone dripping with false concern. “You should be resting.”
I open my mouth to speak, but no words come out. My throat feels tight, my heart too heavy to push past the pain.
Nadira steps forward, her lips curling into a cruel smirk. “Poor little Ayla,” she sneers. “Always so naive. Did you really think he loved you? That you mattered to him?”
Her words slice through me, but it’s Sage’s reaction that sends the sharpest pain. He chuckles softly, the sound devoid of warmth.
“You were convenient,” he says. “Nothing more. A pawn in a game you never understood.”
I shake my head, stumbling back. “You’re lying,” I whisper, though I can’t even convince myself.
Nadira steps closer, her eyes blazing with triumph. “You were a means to an end,” she hisses. “And now you’re nothing. Less than nothing.”
I’m too stunned to respond, my mind racing as the truth crashes down around me.
Sage takes a step forward, his smile turning into something darker. “You should’ve stayed in bed, Ayla. Kept your head down. But you just had to push, didn’t you?”
Before I can react, his hand lashes out, striking me across the face.
The force sends me crashing to the floor, pain blooming across my cheek.
---
I’m dimly aware of being lifted, rough hands gripping my arms as I’m dragged through the house.
“Take her to the pit,” Nadira’s voice says, sharp and cold.
I try to fight back, to struggle, but my body refuses to cooperate. I’m too weak, too drained.
The air grows colder as I’m carried down a set of stairs. I feel the rough texture of stone beneath me as I’m unceremoniously dropped onto the ground.
Pain shoots through me, but I can’t even cry out.
The sound of a heavy door slamming shut echoes around me, and then t
here’s only silence.
I’m alone.
Broken.
And as the darkness closes in, one thought remains clear:
No one is coming to save me.