Blame

                                    

                                          
Chapter 12

Nyrah watched Aston with a horrified expression, her eyes wide and mouth slightly agape. Alessa and Izan mirrored her shock, their faces pale and tense. The atmosphere around them buzzed with agitation and outrage as onlookers gossiped and murmured disapprovingly. Aston's unethical stunt had left a chaotic mess in its wake. Plates, glasses, and cutlery were scattered across the floor, smeared with remnants of food and drink.
"B-Boss, is everything alright?" Izan asked, his voice trembling slightly. Aston clenched his jaw in anger, his eyes flashing as he turned to glare at Izan. The intense stare made Izan immediately shut his mouth, a cold shiver running down his spine. Izan had sensed for days that Aston's displeasure with him was growing, a tension that had started four days ago when he began spending more time with Nyrah and Alessa. The reason for Aston's sudden animosity remained a mystery to Izan.
Out of the three, Aston chose to drag a horrified Nyrah out of the scene, pulling her towards a vacant corner. Alessa and Izan watched in stunned silence, their expressions a mix of confusion and fear for their friend. They wanted to intervene, to stop or question Aston, but they were paralyzed by the power and authority he wielded. Aston Archer was a man who hated being questioned, and his reputation for intolerance of dissent kept them rooted to their spots, unable to act. Nyrah's wide eyes and trembling form only heightened their anxiety, but they knew there was little they could do against Aston's formidable presence.
"Aston, leave me alone! Your tactics won't work on me," Nyrah said, struggling to free herself from his iron grip on her wrist. His eyes flashed with anger, but he released her hand only to slam her against the wall. A surge of pain traveled through her body, but she ignored it, focusing on the burning question in her mind. "Why did you do that at lunch, huh?" she demanded. She searched his eyes for any sign of remorse or explanation, but all she found was a cold, unyielding fury.
"Oh, you mean disturb you and your new boyfriend's quality time?" Nyrah's confusion peaked at the mention of 'boyfriend' when she didn't have one. "What are you trying to say, Aston? I have no boyfriend."
"I'm not blind, Nyrah. Are you and Izan not in a relationship?" he interrupted, his tone accusatory. "He's just a friend," he didn't let her complete when he said his next disturbing statement, "How far have you gone with Izan?" A momentary slap landed on his right cheek, making his face turn in the opposite direction.
 Nyrah had never slapped anybody in her whole life but him. He crossed the limit today by degrading her character so easily. She was born into a good family which offered her everything—money, respect, and good values. She was kept protected from everything evil until she stepped into the outside world, only to realize how hypocritical it was. 
People judge without evidence, and she was already the victim of the same. No proof they hold, yet still they claim, and tarnish souls with whispered blame. In a world of double standards' reign, where judgment falls like bitter rain, men's actions pass without a pause, women's friendships tainted, called by name while men's remain untouched by shame.
"How dare you, Nyrah!" Aston yelled in anger.
"How dare you, Aston! You are just my boss, and you have nothing to do with my life." With that, she attempted to escape, but he blocked her way again, pressing her so hard against the wall that she thrashed in his arms. Aston was beyond angry now. No one had ever dared to raise their hands to him, but today she had, and he had no intention of letting it go. He decided to hit her where it hurt the most.
"I have everything to do with my Elena's killer," he stated, making her freeze. The mere mention of Elena's name was enough to bring back the regret and four years of pain she had suffered. Aston continued, "Sometimes I think it was all planned by you." His words were a calculated revenge, a mental blow for the physical one he had received. 
Tears began to fall from her eyes, one by one, as her mind went blank at the mention of Elena. It was a cruel reminder of that night when an innocent life was lost, and she had failed to save his girlfriend, his Elena. The weight of that failure bore down on her, the pain of the past crashing over her like a relentless wave.
"You know she was calling for you in pain, begging for someone to help, to pull her from that fire, but you let her burn mercilessly," he reminded her.
The same pain from that night clogged her chest, stealing her breath as the fear of Elena's death gripped her heart so tightly. Suddenly, the sound of something falling broke the tension. Aston turned his head to see Alessa, her face a tumult of emotions. Without a word, Aston left, satisfied with the destruction he had caused in Nyrah's heart, reopening long-sealed scars and leaving her to drown in the agony of her guilt and regret.
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So cruel of Aston, right?. Well, tuck your seat belts and get ready for the ride, as the curtains are about to be removed from the past. Follow me on insta to get spoilers.
Thanks for reading ❤️