A Thief's Kiss

11| Pain

Chapter 11: Pain (Aria's POV)

We stood there, staring at each other for several moments. 

"Don't do it, Aria," he sighed. 

"Why? Because I'm stooping low?" 

He stared at me almost looking guilty. I know he doesn't want to marry me. I don't want to marry him either. But I have a point to prove. And maybe it's the hatred in me or just me being stubborn. But I can't let this go. My life became hell because of him and his grandparents. 

After they fired my parents and my parents made the decision to go back, they couldn't stand me. My mother felt so humiliated nearly every time that she looked at me. So one fine day, we went to Azura market palace. They told me it was a chance for me to buy something from Azura before we left forever. And then they left me in the crowd for someone else to find. To pity me and take me in. 

I wish that would have happened, but no. My mother had already called my aunt. And when she saw me, she had to take me in, she didn't have a choice. My parents had already told the police here that my aunt is meant to take care of me and they made sure I went with her. So ultimately, because of Prince Alexander and his grandfather, my parents left me. 

Now there's just one problem. He doesn't know that. He doesn't know that my parents left me. That they were too humiliated to return with me. 

"You don't know why I'm doing what I'm doing. So don't interfere." 

"Don't interfere?" he scoffed. "You're marrying me." 

"You have no idea what happened to me, Alexander. So just don't." 

"What happened to you, huh? What happened? You chose to stay behind while your parents left, how is that my fault? How is that my family's fault?" 

I couldn't help but let out a small laugh. "I chose?" I nodded, "I should have known you think this is my fault." 

"I'm not-" 

"Leave." 

"Excuse me?" 

"Leave, I don't want to see you." 

"This is my palace, not yours. You're not my wife yet, don't bark orders." 

I rolled my eyes, ready to close the door in his face but he pushed it open and walked inside, pulling me with him and closing the door behind us. 

"I won't marry you." 

"Go tell your parents that," I shrugged. 

"Aria, I know what my grandfather did was wrong, but you can't do this just to prove him wrong." 

"Well, I am," I replied. "Because I know what I went through. Not you." 

"What did you go through? You chose to stay and you turned into a thief. That's what you went through." 

"And how would you? Did you check on me? Did you ever call? Ever come down to see me?" 

"I was eleven!" 

"And I was alone!" 

"You were with your aunt!" 

"And isn't she just lovely?" I scoffed. 

He has no idea what kind of pain he and his family put me through. "Then why did you stay with her?" 

"I didn't have a choice!" I snapped. 

"There's always a choice, Aria." 

I gave him a hard shove. "Don't fucking tell me that!" He grabbed my hands, pulling them away from his chest. "You think I chose to turn into a thief? And tell me, if my aunt was so great, why was I paying rent to stay in her attic?"