Chapter 3

“This court apologizes to Mr. Enrique Arthur for the inconvenience which was caused and fines Miss Stella Ross for her demeaning actions.” Humiliated, she was labeled as the slut who broke all restraints to have the one she wanted, even if it meant insulting both him and her.  Her name was ravaged, she was ravaged.  She lost everything in that court.  “The case is dismissed.” Her eyes lost radiance, she lost hopes, she fell from the peak into the deepest tunnel of misery.  Impotent to react, she walked out of the court. She couldn’t meet anyone’s eyes anymore, she couldn’t bear further questions on her character anymore, she lost it all.  “Stella…”  Lifting her heavy gaze, she saw her Father before her with tears in his eyes.  Her Father was her life, he was her reason to live and seeing his disappointment, shattered the leftover pieces of her heart as well.  “Papa…”  Before, she could take a step closer and he slapped her hard, astonishing her at the unforeseen action but no one objected- According to them, she deserved it.  “You have broken my pride.”  At his enunciation, her dreams, the grip she kept on herself to remain strong, broke terribly. Releasing silent tears, streaming wet, destructive tears down her cheeks. Her steps stumble, falling on a nearby chair, clutching her shirt, not opening her eyes as her heart ripped apart after disgracing everyone. She had no one by her side. And in this loneliness, she continued to shed muted tears.  Later,  After gathering her broken pieces, she went where she was supposed to complete her demand with a hollow heart and intoxicated mind. Enrique was glaring at her, unable to hide the resentment and fury burning in his gaze as he signed their marriage papers, growling continuously.  “There you go. This is what you wanted, right? Congratulations to this baseless marriage.”  She kept her empty features maintained and signed the papers as well, defeat fell over her head. Leading her to despair to find her life being bound to the man who hated her.  “Fucking shackles.”  Scoffing, he snatched the papers away and gave them to the lawyer, walking away the instant his life was bound to her, leaving her all alone. But, left with nowhere to go, she went after him with disquiet features which he noticed and stopped. “Where do you think you are coming?” He asked with an arched brow, displeased. Worried she opened her mouth to give the obvious response but he became enraged at her audacity to consider her his life partner. “Enrique, I-”  Exhaling his frustration, he took a step closer, glaring down at her petite form, warning her in a low but dangerous tone. “Listen up, woman, I have no intention of keeping you with me. You wanted me to marry you, there you go, I did it. Do not expect further from me.” “Where will I go, Enrique?” She asked in disbelief, mouth gaped to have nowhere to leave apart from him anymore.  “That is not my concern. Did you think twice before putting an allegation on me? You can go to hell for all I care.”  Shrugging his shoulder, he discarded her perturbation, rolling his eyes off, turning to leave. “Enrique, Please.”   But, his steps stopped midway, glancing from his shoulder at her heartlessly, “And one more thing, Stella.”  She froze when he leaned down to whisper in her ears. “I am kind to the people I love and you could ‘never’ be one of them.”  Submerging her into misery when all the wrath blended with resentment flashed in his dark blue gaze, pushing her away.  “So, fuck off.”  An arrow pierced through her chest, when he began to walk away after pushing her away from his life. “Enrique-”  Calling him desperately, holding her hand out to him but he ignored her, wearing his shades and walked away, leaving her all alone and rejected.   After being thrown out of his life even after having eternal shackles, Stella had nowhere to go and left with nothing, she returned home. When she saw her Father, she rushed to him to have his support at least but after ruining her name and image, nobody was willing to accept her. “Papa-” “Don’t come here again, I don’t have any connections with you! Get lost, you disgrace!” He growled, closing her door at her face. She lost everything in one day. Her life was ripped apart. She didn’t only lose the case, she lost her life.   After being thrown out of her home, she leaned against the wall, falling on her knees, hiding her face out of shame until mocking resonance called her. “Tsk, tsk, Look where life has left you, Stella.”  Raising her head slowly, her eyes met the hazel eyed man, enhancing her ache to find him looking down at her as if she was inferior. “I told you, beauty is a curse.” He whispered, taking a strand of her hair in his finger, hitching her breath. “I have nowhere to go… please, Noah.”  Whispering hopelessly, she hid her face in her knees again, pressing her teeth together to not break into a sob.  He simply smirked ruthlessly at her condition and walked away, leaving her all alone in her misery.  Stella had nowhere to go, she didn’t know what to do so she slept on a park’s bench. She fell from the peak, from light into the abyss.  The next day, she had money so she bought something to eat and tried calling her Father. Knowing Enrique would never accept her ever again.  Melted before love, her Father attended her call as she began to tell him on the verge of sobbing, suppressing her tears. “Papa, do you truly think I would do this? Please don’t punish me for something that is not my fault. I beg you, take me back, you are all I have. Please, have faith in your daughter.”  “Where are you?” He asked softly after a long silence, trying not to cry. Heartbroken, she told him and her Father came to take her back. “Papa…”  She couldn’t keep the anguish inside her anymore and hugged him instantly and ended up crying in his embrace.  “My love, why are you doing this? What happened?” He asked sadly, hugging her back, tensed about her condition at this point. “Please, save me…”   Murmuring hopelessly, she couldn’t forge a proper sentence, lips quivering, heart dejected. “At least tell me, I will help you. Did Enrique truly… did this to you?”  Asking desperately, he cupped her cheeks, extremely worried to fathom what truly happened and what she was not telling him. “I can’t tell you,”  Defeated, she released a powerless tear, unable to meet his gaze.  “Please, let me help you.” He insisted, wanting to know what happened which led them to this state.  Sniffling, she wiped her tears and was about to plead with him to take her back to her home, away from people’s gaze but a voice came furiously. “Look, everyone! There is that shameless woman who didn’t think twice before ruining one’s respect. We all know you did this to marry him!” Someone yelled, gathering attention in a mere second, smearing the leftover dignity she had left into nothingness, coming closer and insulting her openly. “Are you doing this for the show too? That your husband threw you out? Do you think people will believe in you?!”  They yelled, cracking her soul into nothingness. Growling, her Father hugged her when she no longer held the ability to react properly anymore. “Stay away from my daughter!” He shouted, trying to shelter her daughter but failed miserably. She was disgraced before the world but ignoring the world’s talk, he protected his daughter, taking her back to her home. “Let’s go, Stella.”