THE HEIRESS VOW - Chapter 140

Chapter 140: Shattered Peace
Her fingers traced the rough edges of the bench, a futile attempt to anchor herself to the present. This was where it all began, where she had first glimpsed the possibility of peace, of a life not defined by war, betrayal, or loss. But the peace was a fragile illusion, one that now lay shattered at her feet.

“Trust,” she had once said, “is the foundation upon which we build our lives.” Yet now, that foundation crumbled beneath the weight of a single name—someone she had believed in, someone she had fought beside. The air was thick with tension, each breath she took a battle against the panic rising within her. Ava’s world, so carefully constructed, so meticulously maintained, was unraveling, thread by thread.

“I never thought it would be you,” Ava whispered, her voice trembling, barely audible. But the betrayal was not a ghostly whisper; it was a deafening roar, echoing in the silence of her sanctuary. The very person she had trusted most, the one who had stood by her side through countless battles, had turned against her. The shock was a physical blow, a punch to the gut that left her reeling.

Her eyes darted around the garden, seeking, searching for a sign, a clue, anything that could explain why. Why now? Why here? The place where she had once felt safe was now tainted, a reminder of her foolishness, her blind faith.

“You always were too trusting,” a voice sneered from the shadows, cold, sharp, like the edge of a blade. Ava turned, her heart pounding in her chest, and there, emerging from the darkness, was the last person she expected to see—the betrayer.

“How could you?” Ava’s voice cracked, a mixture of disbelief and fury. The question hung in the air, unanswered, a futile plea for understanding in a world where trust was a currency too easily spent.

The betrayer stepped forward, their face a mask of indifference, devoid of the emotions that churned within Ava. “It was never personal,” they said, their tone as cold as ice, as if that could somehow make the betrayal easier to bear. “It was always about survival, Ava. You, of all people, should understand that.”

“Survival?” Ava repeated, the word tasting bitter on her tongue. “You call this survival? Selling me out to the enemy, aligning yourself with the very people we’ve been fighting against? How could you betray everything we’ve worked for?”

The betrayer’s eyes narrowed, a flicker of something—regret, guilt, perhaps—crossing their features before it vanished, replaced by a steely resolve. “You’re naive, Ava. This world isn’t about right or wrong, good or evil. It’s about power, control, and who holds the upper hand. And right now, that’s not you.”

Ava felt her heart constrict, the realization settling in like a heavy weight on her chest. This was not just a betrayal of trust; it was a betrayal of everything she stood for, everything she had fought to protect. The person before her was not the ally she had once known but a stranger, a shadow of the person they had once been.

Her mind raced, thoughts colliding in a chaotic whirlwind of anger, hurt, and fear. She had to get out of here, had to escape before it was too late. But where could she go? Who could she trust? The world she had known was crumbling around her, and the ground beneath her feet was shifting, unstable.

“You’re making a mistake,” Ava said, her voice trembling with the weight of her words. “You think you’re safe, that you can outmaneuver them, but you’re wrong. They’ll use you, just like they used everyone else. And when you’re no longer useful, they’ll discard you like yesterday’s news.”

The betrayer laughed, a hollow sound that sent a shiver down Ava’s spine. “Perhaps. But until then, I have the upper hand. And you, Ava, are out of time.”

Ava’s breath caught in her throat as the betrayer raised a hand, signaling the presence of others—enemies, hidden in the shadows, waiting to strike. This was it, the moment of truth. She was surrounded, outnumbered, and utterly alone.

Or was she?

Her mind flashed back to the countless battles she had fought, the impossible odds she had overcome. She was not just a survivor; she was a fighter, a warrior who had faced down death more times than she could count. And she would not go down without a fight.

Ava squared her shoulders, her eyes locking onto the betrayer’s with a fierce determination. “You may think you’ve won,” she said, her voice steady, unwavering, “but this isn’t over. Not by a long shot.”

The betrayer smirked, their confidence unshaken. “We’ll see about that.”

Before Ava could react, the betrayer’s hand shot out, and a searing pain exploded in her side. She gasped, stumbling back, clutching at the wound. Blood seeped through her fingers, warm and sticky, as her vision blurred. The world tilted, the ground rushing up to meet her as she fell to her knees.

“Goodbye, Ava,” the betrayer whispered, their voice cold and final. And with that, they turned and disappeared into the shadows, leaving Ava alone in the garden, bleeding, broken, and betrayed.

But this was not the end. It could not be. Ava’s hand clenched around the hilt of her dagger, her resolve hardening even as her strength ebbed away. She would not die here, not like this. She had too much left to do, too many battles left to fight.

And then, as if in answer to her silent plea, her phone buzzed in her pocket. With trembling fingers, she pulled it out, the screen glowing faintly in the dim light. A message flashed across the screen, sent from an unknown number, but the words were all too familiar.

“You should have known better, Ava. The game has only just begun.”

Ava’s heart skipped a beat as the reality of the situation sank in. The betrayal was just the beginning, a prelude to something far more dangerous, far more deadly. The antagonist was watching, waiting, and now, with her trust shattered, her alliances in tatters, Ava was more vulnerable than ever.

But she was not defeated. Not yet.

With a grim determination, Ava pushed herself to her feet, wincing at the pain that shot through her side. She would survive this, just as she had survived everything else. The game might have just begun, but she was not playing by their rules.

Not anymore.

As she staggered out of the garden, leaving behind the shattered remnants of her peace, Ava knew one thing for certain—this was not the end. It was just the beginning of a new chapter, one where she would take control of her own fate, no matter the cost.

And with that thought burning in her mind, she disappeared into the night, ready to face whatever came next.