Truth's Hurt

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An hour later, they arrived at the castle gate.

Both of them stepped out of the car and headed towards the castle gate.

Several guards armed with guns stood in front of it. They looked at every person who came in and out of the castle like a predator.

Cold. Cruel. Heartless.

Hara shivered at the sight of them.

Her trembling legs suddenly felt so jello when she thought about what kind of person the people are inside the castle.

One of the guards stopped Hara when she was about to enter the gate. He extended his hand as if he wanted something from her.

“Excuse me?”

Her questions came wrong.

Both of the guards exchanged a glance. Within seconds, they pulled the guns tucked at their waist and aimed at them.

Hara’s heart pounded in fear, and she could feel the quiver in her hands, getting stronger and stronger.

She felt her throat closing up, and no words could come out of her mouth.

Her mouth turns dry, and her face turns pale as she froze on the spot, not daring to breathe or retreat.

One could see cold sweat dripping down her face and neck.

The guard extended his hand once more as he narrowed his eyes at her. Hara’s eyebrows furrowed in confusion.

She looked at Bella, who was looking at her with panic. Her eyes dropped to Hara’s purse for a second before her eyes went back to Hara’s eyes as if trying to tell her something.

However, Hara could not process the hint given and looked at the guards once more in confusion.

Hara felt like she had forgotten something important.

‘What precisely does this guard want from us?’

‘Why can’t this guard ask nicely?’

Not getting any response from them, the guards pull the safety of their guns, making Hara flinch and whimper in fear.

Closing her eyes, she waited for the bullet to plant itself on her head.

′Mom, Dad, goodbye...′

Just then, a male voice speaks from behind them.

“What do you think you’re doing?!” the familiar voice shouted at the guards.

The guards immediately lowered their guns before bowing to Aryan in respect.

“Apologize, sire. We thought they were uninvited strangers.”

Hara’s eyes went wide in surprise and anger.

‘They are only two girls standing in front of them in a dress! What harm could they do?!’

‘Good grief!’

“They’re my friends, alright.” Aryan clarified.

Hara turned around and gasped when she noticed him standing behind her. Shocked, she stumbled backwards and felt herself falling.

Luckily, Aryan caught her and pulled Hara back to her feet.

Hara looked up and saw him staring at her. Their faces were an inch away from each other, making her blush in shyness.

Her heart began to pound loudly, and her face was covered in red when she thought that he must’ve heard it.

“T-thank you.” she stuttered.

Aryan let go of her and smiled, causing her heart to beat faster.

She immediately steps back when she notices how inappropriate their position is.

“You’re welcome.”

Suddenly, Arabella grabbed Aryan by his arm before kissing his lips in a swift movement.

But, what stunned Hara was that he didn’t refuse.

She stared at them with a stunned expression.

Her mouth fell open, but no words came out.

Hara felt her heart shattered into pieces.

Her body went numb, and there was a dull pain in her chest.

Clutching both sides of her dress tightly, she tried her best to keep her tears from falling.

“You...” she finally managed to utter a word after a few seconds.

Her words stopped their lip-locking action and made both of them turn their attention towards her.

Before she could say anything, she felt a stinging pain on her right cheek.

Hara touched her burning cheek with shock.

She looked at Arabella with pained and confused eyes.

“You know what? I’ve been waiting so long for this moment to come,” Bella said with hatred in her tone.

“Bella? What are you doing?” Hara asked her, still in shock.

“What do you think? I’m dumping you! What else?” she smirked at her.

Hara felt a wave of pain in her heart.

Her eyes turned misty.

She bit her lips harshly, struggling not to let her sob from coming out.

Taking a few deep breaths, Hara stared back at her, trying to show her strong front.

“Why are you doing this to me?” Hara asked as calmly as she could.

Bella’s eyes twitched with mockery, “You know why.”

“That slap is for having a crush on my boyfriend,” she smirked as she crossed her arms.

Bella’s words hit her nerves.

“I don’t have a crush on him!” Hara denied it, her face burning red in embarrassment.

“Yes, you are! Do you think I’m blind? I know that you like him!” she snapped at me, “Just give up, Chihara Hagard!”

Hara felt like she was mad. Aryan is just her crush. Not her boyfriend.

However, this news still hurts her badly.

She had been planning to tell Aryan after she graduated, but it seems she was too late.

Bella’s boyfriend.

So, that was it.

“You never told me.”

“Do you think you are qualified to know about our relationship? We have a higher position than you! If my parents weren’t your parent’s friends, I’d be more than happy to ignore you!”

“You don’t know how much I hated it when I had to study with you. Because of you, I lost my freedom! Your house is disgusting! I can’t live in that small house with you! I hated it when I was compared to you!”

Hara’s eyes went moist once again.

“You’re the reason why my parents didn’t give me what I wanted! I’m so ashamed when other teenagers who have the same position as me ignore me because of you! I am ashamed to befriend someone like you!”

When someone close to you suddenly turns her back on you, mocks you and insults you, who wouldn’t be heartbroken?

Who wouldn’t feel sad?

Hara was trying her best to stop her tears from rolling. However...

Her tears flowed down her face, hot and quick.

She breathed slowly, trying to hold it back but, her lips couldn’t help but quiver as she sobbed in sadness.

She tried to wipe her tears, clamp her lips shut and look up at the dark sky, trying to stop her tears. But, none of it works.

After so many years of living as her best friend, Hara couldn’t believe that Bella would say something like that.

She didn’t know that Bella actually hated her so much.

What did she do?

What had gone wrong?

“Aww...I didn’t know you were such a crybaby. Does it pain you, honey? To know the truth?” she said in a faked sympathy.

Yes! It pained me!

Yes! The truth hurts!

Hara didn’t answer her even when her harsh words were eating her heart out.

Instead, she lowered her head.

Huffing a trembling breath, she holds her tears back as much as she can.

She gulped the lump in her throat and looked back at her, “Thank you for everything you’ve done for me, and I’m sorry for having a crush on your boyfriend.”

Hara remembered what her mom used to say to her, “Chihara, you must never forget this. Forgive even when it’s hurt. It’s hard, but you must do it!”

“Haha...You’re so funny.” Bella laughs, “Do you think a simple apology will be enough? Do you think I will let this go so easily?”

Hara looked into her eyes that were full of hatred towards her.

She glanced towards Aryan, who had his hand on his forehead, but he was silent from the start until now.

She suddenly felt that this Aryan before her was so unfamiliar to her.

He actually liked this kind of girl?

While Hara was still contemplating her thoughts, Arabella saw her glancing at him.

“What? Expecting him to help you?”

Hara swallowed hard, not saying anything more.

She felt tired, and she wanted to scream her lungs out.

She wanted to be alone.

She closed her eyes and inhaled sharply.

She opened her eyes and saw Bella’s enlarged face in front of her.

Before Hara could act, Bella pushed her with all her might to the ground.

Failing to dodge her, Hara landed on her back with a loud thud.

Her head hit the hard ground, and her head immediately throbbed in pain. She wanted to say something but she couldn’t.

She felt her right ribs crack with an eerie sound.

She began to see black dots.

She struggled to stay conscious.

She tried her best to fight the unbearable pain in a futile attempt.

Finally, the darkness overcomes her.

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