Chapter 4 Shattered illusions

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Chloe's POV

I woke up to the sound of the door flinging open, the noise startling me awake. My heart jumped into my throat, and my half-lidded eyes struggled to focus on the figure standing in the doorway. Slowly, the image sharpened, and there he was-the monster who had destroyed my life just hours ago.

Caden.

He stood there, his disheveled hair falling over his bloodshot eyes. The tension in his shoulders and the unsteady sway of his body revealed he was still drunk. My breath hitched. Was he here to apologize? For a brief, fleeting moment, I wanted to believe that. Perhaps he'd sobered up enough to realize the damage he had done.

But then I saw the way he moved toward me-deliberate, menacing, and cold.

I instinctively pulled back on the bed, my body tensing in fear. My legs ached, a harsh reminder of what had happened the night before. My heart raced as I tried to figure out what he wanted from me this time.

Before I could fully process, his hands shot out and grabbed my legs, yanking me toward him. I let out a sharp cry, wincing as pain radiated through my body.

"Why?" His voice was low but venomous, the words cutting through the silence of the room. "Why did I get married to you?"

I froze, the question hanging in the air like a storm cloud. My throat felt dry, and I couldn't bring myself to answer. What was I supposed to say? That I didn't want this either? That I had been forced into this nightmare just like him?

He wasn't done. His grip on my legs tightened, and his voice rose, anger dripping from every syllable.

"Why did I get married to you instead of Clara?" he shouted, his words slicing through me like a blade.

I flinched, tears welling up in my eyes. I still didn't answer. What was the point? He didn't want to hear the truth. Even if I tried to explain, he wouldn't believe me. To him, I was the enemy-the obstacle that stood in the way of his happiness.

"Say something!" he bellowed, shaking my legs roughly.

"I-I don't know," I stammered, my voice barely above a whisper.

My answer only seemed to infuriate him further. He let go of my legs with a forceful shove, and I curled up, pulling the blanket over me as if it could shield me from his rage.

"You ruined everything!" he growled, pacing back and forth. "Everything!"

I wanted to scream that it wasn't my fault, that I never asked for this. But I bit my tongue, too afraid of provoking him further.

"You're nothing like her," he spat, glaring at me. "You'll never be her."

His words stung, cutting deeper than I thought possible. I already knew I wasn't Clara. I had spent my entire life living in her shadow, being compared to her, being dismissed as the less-pretty, less-perfect sister. But hearing it from him-this man I had been forced to marry-was a new kind of pain.

"I know," I said quietly, my voice trembling.

Caden stopped pacing and looked at me, his eyes narrowing. "What did you say?"

"I know I'm not Clara," I repeated, louder this time. My voice cracked, but I forced myself to continue. "I never wanted to be her."

He scoffed, shaking his head in disbelief. "Then why the hell are you here? Why did you let this happen?"

Tears streamed down my face, and I couldn't hold it in any longer. "Do you think I had a choice?" I snapped, my voice rising in desperation. "Do you think I wanted this? To be married to someone who hates me?"

Caden stared at me, his expression unreadable. For a moment, I thought I saw a flicker of doubt or regret in his eyes, but it was gone as quickly as it appeared.

"You're lying," he muttered, turning away from me.

"I'm not," I said firmly, wiping my tears. "I didn't ask for this. I didn't want to take Clara's place. But no one asked me what I wanted. Not my parents. Not Clara. Not you."

My voice broke again, and I took a shaky breath. "If I could leave, I would. But I can't. So stop blaming me for something I had no control over."

The room fell silent except for the sound of my ragged breathing. Caden stood there, his back to me, his hands clenched into fists. He didn't say anything, and I didn't expect him to.

Just tell me what happened to my Clara," he demanded again, his voice trembling with anger and desperation.

I couldn't take it anymore. The pain, the accusations, the constant comparison-it all came crashing down like a dam breaking.

"Your Clara ran away!" I shouted, my voice filled with all the anger and frustration I had been holding back.

His eyes widened in shock, and then in an instant, his expression darkened. He stormed toward me, his hands reaching for my neck.

"Never say that again!" he roared, his grip tightening around my throat. "Clara would never do that!"

I clawed at his hands, gasping for air, my vision blurring as tears filled my eyes. He refused to believe the truth, refused to accept that the woman he idolized had abandoned him.

Finally, he released me, shoving me back onto the bed. I coughed, struggling to catch my breath, my hands trembling as I held my neck.

"You're lying," he spat, his voice laced with venom. "Clara would never leave me. Never."

I didn't respond, too drained to argue anymore. My throat burned, and my chest ached, but the pain inside me-the emotional weight of everything-was far worse.

Caden stood there for a moment, staring at me as if expecting me to take back my words. When I didn't, he turned on his heel and stormed out of the room, slamming the door behind him.

I curled up on the bed, clutching my knees to my chest, and let the tears flow freely.

How had my life come to this? How had everything fallen apart so completely?

I didn't know how long I stayed like that, crying silently into the pillow. All I knew was that I felt more broken than ever, and there was no one to help me pick up the pieces.

I checked the time and noticed it was still the middle of the night. Exhausted, I lay back down, hoping to find some solace in sleep. Tears streamed down my face, soaking the pillow beneath me. I didn't even realize when sleep finally claimed me, pulling me into a restless and uneasy slumber.