Meant to Collide

77. Is it the Final Countdown?

Jules reached out instinctively, her voice trembling, "Silvy, don't.." But it was too late. Silvy had already stormed all she needed to speak, her presence commanding and unrelenting.

A heavy silence fell over the room as Lady Arina looked up, her expression cold and unforgiving. The air felt suffocating, as if the walls themselves held their breath. Finally, Lady Arina broke the silence, her voice sharp and venomous. "You monster," she hissed, her words slicing through the tension. "Get out of my house."

Silvy's lips curled into a bitter smile, her eyes glistening with unshed tears. "I'm not leaving. Not yet," she said, her tone laced with sarcasm that barely masked her fury. "Not until you stop controlling Sky's life."

Lady Arina's eyes narrowed, but Silvy didn't flinch. She stepped closer, her voice growing louder, each word a strike against years of unspoken pain. "Do you even know how he feels? Have you ever once asked him if he wants this life you've forced on him? You only know how to control, to bend others to your will, never caring about what it costs them."

Sky's voice broke through, desperate and trembling. "Silvy, stop! Please, calm down," he pleaded, his red, tear-filled eyes darting between Silvy and Lady Arina. He looked like a man caught in a storm, torn between loyalty to his family and the desire to protect those he loved.

But Silvy wasn't finished. Her voice softened, the anger giving way to raw pain. "Sky, if you keep being soft, if you don't stand up for yourself, you'll never get your life back." She turned to Lady Arina, her voice rising again, trembling with the weight of years of repressed anger. "Granny, do you realize what you've done? You drove me away from this house. You. And Sele.." her voice cracked, but she forced herself to go on..."Sele's death is on you, too. And now you want to destroy Sky? When will it end? How many people will you lose before you finally stop?"

Lady Arina shot to her feet, her face flushed with rage. "Do not raise your voice at me!" she roared, her voice shaking the room. "You are no longer my grandchild. You stopped being that the day you left. Get out of my house, right now!"

But Silvy held her ground. Her defiance was unyielding, though her tears betrayed the depth of her pain. "Me being here is a torture for you, isn't it?" she said, her voice breaking into bitter laughter. "Then I'm more than happy to stay." Her tears fell freely now, the laughter dissolving into sobs she could no longer contain.

Lady Arina stumbled back onto the couch, clutching her chest as if the weight of Silvy's words had struck her like a blow. "Grandma!" Sky exclaimed, rushing to her side, his hands trembling as he tried to steady her.

"Sky, stop being so weak!" Silvy's voice snapped like a whip, pulling his attention back to her. "Didn't you say you came here to break free from her? Look at Jules..look at the woman you love. Have you thought about how she feels, standing here, watching you falter?"

Sky's face crumpled as tears streamed down his cheeks. "But she's unwell... she's collapsing..." he cried, his voice cracking under the strain.

"She's putting on an act!" Silvy shouted, her voice a mixture of fury and despair. "She did the same thing back then, and was she dying? Not even remotely! Don't you see, Sky? This isn't love, this is manipulation. The rule of this life is simple: love yourself enough to break free. Stop letting her dictate your life. It's time, little one. It's time to leave."

Silvy's words hung in the air like a challenge, but Sky remained frozen, his body trembling as the weight of the moment pressed down on him. Silvy's patience snapped. She grabbed Jules's hand and pulled her toward the door. "You're too weak," she said, her voice filled with both disappointment and sorrow. "I thought you were stronger than this."

Jules looked back at Sky, her own tears falling as she tried to reach out to him, but Silvy pulled her forward.

"Don't go!" Lady Arina's voice broke the silence, but this time, it wasn't filled with anger. It was soft, broken, desperate. "If you leave now, I'll... I'll cut all ties with you," she whispered, her voice trembling.

Sky stopped, his breath hitching as her words echoed in his mind. He didn't turn around. He couldn't. He closed his eyes, the tears streaming down his face as he fought the urge to look back.

Then, with a deep, shuddering breath, he made his choice. For the first time in his life, he defied her.

A small, trembling smile broke through the tears as he turned toward the door. He ran—not away, but toward Jules, toward freedom, toward the life he had longed for but never allowed himself to imagine. He grabbed Jules's hand, his grip firm and sure, and together, they left.

Lady Arina's voice faded behind them, and for the first time, Sky didn't look back. Starting the Black Knight, he felt a surge of hope and courage he hadn't known he was capable of. With Jules by his side, he moved forward, leaving behind the chains that had bound him for so long.

As they drove into the night, the weight lifted from his heart, and he felt alive. Truly alive.