All Chapters of Broken: Claiming her place: Chapter 21 - Chapter 30

Ariana’s POVThe knock came softly, almost hesitant, as though the maid was unsure whether she was welcome in my thoughts.“Come in,” I said, forcing steadiness into my voice.She entered with a wooden box cradled in her arms. When she opened it, I didn’t see silk gowns or the pastel dresses I once wore as a princess of the Valenti Moon. Instead, neatly folded inside were riding leathers; dark, supple, unmistakably expensive. The kind made to protect, to move, to endure.I reached out before I could stop myself. The leather was cool beneath my fingers, smooth and strong. It hugged my waist and shoulders perfectly, as if it had been tailored with my measurements in mind. It fit like a glove.Not a princess’s armor.A survivor’s.The maid smiled softly. “Alpha Fernando said these would suit the task better.”I nodded, unable to speak for a moment. When she left, I stood before the mirror, studying my reflection. The girl staring back at me looked unfamiliar, different, sharper, harder,

Ariana’s POVThe words Victoire had whispered at the courtyard still lingered in my mind, unrelenting. Even now, I could feel the sting of her arrogance, the venom in her suggestion aimed straight at Fernando. My stomach turned at the thought. My eyes followed him as he paced across the room, his expression unreadable, jaw tight, hands curling into fists.It was like a huge blow on my face, though I couldn’t even pinpoint exactly why. Something about the way he had frozen when she’d leaned close, the way his chest had stiffened, it was terrifying and… strangely human. For the first time, I saw the man behind the Rogue King façade, and I realized clearly how much was at stake, not just for me, but for him as well.I clenched my fists at my sides. There was no time to think. No time to be timid. I needed to be assertive. If I wanted to survive, to protect what was left of my family, I had to make my wishes known. I squared my shoulders and stepped closer, ignoring the tension in the ro

“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” I said quietly, my voice trembling just enough to sound real. “Fernando treated me like a prisoner. He controlled where I went, who I spoke to…he never trusted me.”I even managed a bitter laugh, the kind that tasted like humiliation. “He paraded me around like leverage.”The pretense mask fit perfectly. I’d worn it my whole life.Elena studied me, eyes sharp, calculating. She didn’t move closer this time. She didn’t need to. Her confidence filled the room.“Fuck. You’re a terrible liar, Ariana,” she said flatly. “But I’ll let you pretend.”My heart skipped, but I kept my gaze low, blinking rapidly like I was fighting tears.“You think I don’t know where you went with him?” she continued. “You think nothing reaches me beyond these walls?”She took a step forward, leaning towards me. “The old Valenti warehouse. Our family’s business property. The one Liam claimed was abandoned.”My breath stopped for just for a second.So she knew.I clenched m

Ariana’s POVLiam’s voice droned on, heavy with what seemed like emotions, but my attention had already drifted.He stood too close, eyes soft, hands restless as he spoke about regret and second chances. “I never stopped caring about you,” he said quietly, like a confession meant to pull me back in.I nodded at the right moments, tilted my head, let my shoulders slump the way a broken girl’s should.At that moment, something caught my attention.A little, golden, ornate key hung from a thin chain around his neck, half-hidden beneath his shirt. Intricately carved.A heart-key.My father’s voice echoed in my memory, clear as day. The Black Ledger doesn’t open for just anyone. It needs a heart-key. Blood alone won’t do.So this was it. Not locked away in a vault. Not buried in some secret chamber.It was in plain sight. Hanging right on Liam’s chest.My pulse quickened, but I kept my face carefully blank. Inside, everything shifted. Every piece fell into place with terrifying clarity. Fe

Ariana’s POVI stood frozen, the Black Ledger heavy in my hand, its worn leather biting into my palm. My eyes stayed locked on Victoire, my mind scrambling to make sense of her words.“There’s no way,” I said, my voice shaking despite my effort to sound firm. “That can’t be the reason. You’re obviously lying.”Victoire smiled, slow and cruel, like a predator amused by its prey’s denial.I shook my head violently. “You expect me to believe you? After everything you did after my father died?” My chest tightened at the memory of how she swept in draped in false grief, how she tightened her grip on the pack while I was still drowning. “You ruined everything. You don’t get to rewrite his story.”She clicked her tongue. “Still clinging to that fantasy of a noble father?”I hated how calm she was. How certain.Victoire didn’t stop talking. She never did when she sensed weakness. Every word was another sharpened blade calling my father a murderer, calling me naïve, calling me a foolish girl p