Lidiya never thought her life would lead her here-to a marriage with a man she barely knew in the remote village of Roxana. But as a poor farmer's daughter, her fate was never truly hers to choose. She hadn't imagined her wedding night would be one...
Lidiya felt like a ghost in her own home, trapped in a suffocating nightmare. The walls echoed with her mother-in-law’s venomous accusations, a cacophony of insults that twisted like daggers in her heart. “You whore! Oswen left because you cheated on him!”
Every day became a prison. Villagers whispered as she passed, their eyes filled with suspicion and contempt. Men who once greeted her with warmth now looked at her as if she were stained with some unseen blemish. The weight of their judgment made stepping outside an unbearable challenge.
Desperate and furious, Lidiya confronted Zindane, her voice trembling with rage. “You have to stop this! You can’t let her destroy me! I have done nothing wrong!”
Zindane leaned casually against the wall, arms crossed, a cruel smirk curling his lips. “Why should I, Lidiya? Your mother-in-law’s madness is not my doing. Perhaps she’s just revealing the truth about you. You’ve brought this upon yourself.”
Her heart dropped at his words, the betrayal cutting deeper than any physical wound. “You think this is funny? You think I deserve this? You’re reveling in my misery!”
Zindane stepped closer, eyes darkening. “What’s a little chaos when you’re at the center of it? Maybe it’s just karma. You were never loyal to Oswen, were you? You’re a coward hiding behind your innocence.”
In a blind rage, Lidiya swung her hand, intent on slapping him. “You’re a monster!” she shouted, but before her palm could connect, her mother-in-law burst into the room, her eyes wild with fury.
“Don’t you dare lay a finger on him!” she screamed, grabbing Lidiya’s wrist with surprising strength. “You think you can shame our family? You’re nothing but a disgrace!”
“Let go of me!” Lidiya cried, panic clawing at her throat.
But her mother-in-law tightened her grip, fury radiating from her. “You deserve this, you wretched girl! I should have killed you myself when I had the chance!”
With a sudden, furious motion, her mother-in-law grabbed a knife from the nearby table, the glint of the blade reflecting the madness in her eyes. “I’ll rid our family of your shame once and for all!”
“No!” Lidiya screamed, fear surging through her. Just as her mother-in-law lunged, Zindane intervened, catching the knife mid-air. The blade sliced through his palm, blood spilling forth as he held it tightly.
A drop of his blood fell onto Lidiya’s face, mingling with her tears. “What have you done?” she screamed, feeling the weight of his sacrifice as the crimson stain marked her.
“Stop acting like a martyr!” she yelled, fury igniting within her. “You should have let her kill me! You’re just playing a game!”
Zindane stood frozen, the knife clutched tightly in his bleeding hand, allowing her to vent her rage. But his expression remained unreadable, an unsettling calm amidst the storm.
Exhausted from the shouting and the tears, Lidiya finally collapsed, fainting in Zindane’s arms. He caught her effortlessly, his expression softening for just a heartbeat as he carried her to their bedroom.
As he laid her on the bed, he couldn’t shake the feeling of guilt. Not for his actions, but for the hurt that surrounded her. The bed was cold and empty, a reminder of the distance that had grown between them since their marriage. He looked at her, blood-stained and lifeless, and felt an unfamiliar ache in his chest.
In a fit of rage, he punched the nearby mirror, shattering it into a thousand pieces. The shards reflected his turmoil—anger, regret, and something deeper that he couldn't quite grasp.
The tension in the room crackled as Lidiya stepped forward, her heart pounding in her chest.
“Zindane,” she called, her voice steady but filled with an undercurrent of fury. “We need to talk.”
He looked up, a smirk playing on his lips. “What do you want, little bird? Come to beg for forgiveness?”
“Far from it,” Lidiya retorted, her anger simmering just beneath the surface. “We’re here to reclaim our lives. Your power over us ends tonight.”
Zindane leaned forward, a predatory glint in his eyes. “You think you can strip me of my power? You’re nothing but a fleeting shadow in my world. Your threats are meaningless.”
“No, Zindane,” Lidiya shot back, her voice rising with intensity. “You may think you’re invincible, but you’re just a coward hiding behind your lies. You’ve manipulated us long enough, and we’re done playing your games.”
He laughed, a cold, mirthless sound that echoed in the dim room. “You think you can defy me? You’re mistaken. I hold all the cards here, and I’m not afraid to use them.”
“Your so-called power is built on the misery of others,” Lidiya spat, fists clenched at her sides. “We won’t let you use us as pawns in your twisted game any longer. You’re nothing but a puppet master with strings made of deceit!”
The air grew thick with tension as Zindane’s expression shifted, a flicker of uncertainty passing through his eyes. “You’re a fool to challenge me, Lidiya. You have no idea what I’m capable of.”
“I know exactly what you are,” Lidiya replied, stepping closer, defiance blazing in her eyes. “You’re a man haunted by his past, trying to drown it in vengeance. But I won’t allow you to destroy what’s left of my life!”
In that moment, the power dynamic began to shift. Lidiya could feel the strength of her words, the force of her resolve against his darkness.
“Is that what you think? That you can save Oswen’s spirit by confronting me?” Zindane’s voice dripped with mockery. “You’re naive. He’s already trapped in the shadows, and I will ensure he suffers for eternity!”
“Your anger is misplaced,” Lidiya countered, refusing to back down. “Oswen loved me, and I will not let you.
Zidane's eyes grew darker and he just walked away.
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