Wife's Suffering

Alayna Althea sat at the edge of the large, gilded bed, her fingers absently tracing the intricate patterns of the silk sheets. Her reflection in the ornate mirror across the room seemed almost foreign to her - beautiful, poised, and yet empty, like a puppet trapped in a world of strings she could never untangle. Her long, dark hair cascaded over her shoulders in soft waves, a stark contrast to the turmoil brewing in her heart.

She had once dreamed of a life filled with love, respect, and acceptance. Instead, she found herself trapped in a marriage that was far from what she had imagined. The marriage to Rafael Aziel, the man she loved with all her heart, had become a suffocating cage. Every day was a battle to maintain her composure as she endured the harsh words, the insults, and the cold stares of her husband's family. They had never truly accepted her. To them, she was nothing more than a pawn in a game of power and influence.

Yet, despite it all, Alayna clung to the one thing that kept her going - Rafael. He was the man who had promised her love and a life together. At least, that was what she had believed. He had shown her affection in the early days of their marriage, giving her hope that their union could become something real. But with every passing day, the warmth in his eyes seemed to fade, replaced by indifference. His family's disapproval had begun to infect him, making her feel like an outsider in her own home.

Today was no different. As she sat alone in their vast bedroom, waiting for her husband to return from yet another meeting with his mother and the family business, Alayna could feel the weight of the loneliness pressing against her chest. She had tried so hard to fit into their world, to prove herself worthy of Rafael's love. But every attempt only seemed to bring her more humiliation.

Her mind wandered back to the words spoken by his mother, Helena Aziel, just the day before. "You should know your place, Alayna," she had said coldly. "You are not one of us. You were never meant to be here. Rafael deserves someone who can stand beside him in his world, not drag him down into yours."

Those words echoed in Alayna's mind like a haunting refrain. She had tried to ignore them, to dismiss them as mere cruelty, but they had lodged themselves deep in her heart. It hurt, more than anything else, because she knew that Rafael had heard those same words and done nothing to stop them. He hadn't even defended her.

But Alayna refused to give up. She had made a vow to herself that she would stand by him, no matter how painful the cost. She loved him, and that love was the only thing that kept her from breaking. Rafael was the man she had chosen, the man who had promised to cherish her. She couldn't bear the thought of abandoning him, even if it meant enduring more ridicule and disdain.

Her thoughts were interrupted by the sound of footsteps outside the door. Her heart skipped a beat, hoping that it was Rafael returning, but when the door creaked open, it was not her husband who stepped inside. Instead, it was Helena, her cold eyes scanning the room as she walked in without a word of greeting.

Alayna stood up, her posture stiffening as she tried to mask the frustration that threatened to bubble to the surface. "Mother Aziel," she said, her voice soft but strained.

Helena's gaze flickered over her before settling on the bed. "I see you've made yourself comfortable," she remarked, her tone dripping with sarcasm. "I wonder how long you plan on playing the role of the dutiful wife before you realize you don't belong here."

Alayna swallowed her pride, refusing to let the sting of the words show. "I'm doing the best I can," she replied, her voice barely above a whisper.

Helena scoffed, moving closer to her. "The best you can? Your best isn't good enough, Alayna. You will never be enough for Rafael. He deserves someone who can bring something of value to this family, not someone who drags him down with their poor, provincial roots."

Tears stung the back of Alayna's eyes, but she refused to let them fall. She had cried enough for this marriage, enough for the constant rejection. "I love him," she said quietly, her voice shaking with emotion. "And I believe he loves me too."

Helena's lips curled into a smile that was anything but kind. "Love? Don't be naïve. Rafael will never truly love someone like you. You are nothing more than a temporary distraction for him. When the time comes, he will cast you aside like the rest."

Alayna's heart sank as the weight of Helena's words hit her like a physical blow. She had always known that she wasn't truly accepted by Rafael's family, but hearing it from his mother's lips was a brutal wake-up call.

"Don't worry," Helena continued, her voice cold. "Your time here is running out. Sooner or later, Rafael will see the truth, and when he does, he'll do what needs to be done."

Alayna wanted to scream, to tell Helena that she was wrong, that Rafael would never betray her like that. But deep down, she feared that she already knew the truth. She had seen the way Rafael's eyes had begun to drift away from her, the way he had grown distant in recent months. Perhaps Helena was right. Perhaps her place in this family had always been a lie.

The sound of the door closing behind Helena was the final blow. Alayna stood alone in the silence, the walls of her perfect prison closing in around her. She couldn't shake the feeling that everything she had believed in was unraveling before her eyes.

But still, she held on. She clung to the hope that Rafael would return to her, that he would remember the love they once shared. She had to believe that, because without that belief, she had nothing left.

As the night grew darker and the weight of the day settled upon her, Alayna stared out of the window, her heart heavy with uncertainty. She knew that the road ahead would not be easy. But no matter how many times she was knocked down, no matter how much pain she endured, she would keep fighting. She would keep loving Rafael, even if it meant sacrificing her own happiness. After all, it was all she had left.