you showed me colors that I couldn't see with anyone else  

-Taylor Swift

Taking a deep breath, she delicately set her comb aside

There is nothing nothing that you couldn't go through haven, you will go through this as well.

Hell is your home, you just need to accept it.

These were the words that she kept saying over and over again in her head looking at her reflection in the mirror.

There was no fight left in her, all that was left was the will to keep Aezvan safe. With a final glance at herself, she walked out of her room.

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.
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As she walked downstairs, descended the grand staircase, the enticing aroma of a meticulously prepared breakfast enveloped her, a fragrant symphony that danced through the air. Upon her arrival in the dining room, her eyes found themselves drawn to the presence of an elderly couple standing with Aerius.

"Oh, look, here she is, my beautiful sister," Aerius exclaimed, gracing Haven with a smile. She couldn't help but suppress a scoff at the charade he was orchestrating so masterfully.

The elderly couple slowly approached, their expressions unreadable, nodding in approval as if granting some silent approval. Haven paid little mind to their enigmatic presence, her singular desire being to retreat to her room and lock herself away from this unusual gathering.

"Hi, I am Maverick" introduced a man of almost the same age as Aezvan, though perhaps slightly older. 

Not forgetting Aerius threat, she turned towards him and he subtly nodded gracing her with permission.

"Hi, I am H- Evange-"

"Evangelina, what a boring name... but fits you. Reflects your personality" As she began to introduce herself, she was abruptly interrupted by another voice, one filled with a discourteous contempt that pierced through the polite facade. The man, in his early thirties, stood tall before her, regarding her with an air of disdain. She kept quite, there was no good in standing up for herself, she had learnt that the hard way.

"Be in your limits Sebastien, I wouldn't hold myself back if you dare say a word against my little snow" Aerius warned, his protectiveness for Haven taking her by surprise. 

'Weren't these guests important for him. Why is he offending them?, it wasn't the first time someone was openly insulted her, he had done that countless time himself. What a hypocrite'

She thought in her head.

Sebastien just smirked and walked past by her.

"My, my, Hayden, you aren't supposed to show your emotions like this. Everyone already has their eyes on your position. What if somebody were to drag you down using your weakness—a beautiful weakness, in fact?" The elderly woman spoke, her voice tinged with a smirk.

"Well, that would be fun," Aerius responded with a nonchalant tone, seemingly unfazed by the implications.

Haven was about to lower her gaze, attempting to escape the uncomfortable exchange when her eyes unexpectedly locked onto someone in the room, a sight that sent a shockwave through her core.

Ivan.

The name escaped her lips in a barely audible whisper. Even though her voice was hushed, Ivan's ears were attuned to the sound of it, for her voice was etched into his heart.

Ivan, the man she had once loved deeply, had been her confidant and the one with whom she'd shared her painful past. He had been the painter of her world, revealing vibrant colors, but he was also the one to plunge her back into the darkest shade of black. Ivan, the person who had heartlessly abandoned her without a second thought, leaving her in the clutches of the same monstrous past she had fought so hard to escape.

Even now, Ivan's eyes remained locked onto hers, and he extended his hand, as if reaching for a connection. But before she could stop herself, a tumult of anger and raw emotions overwhelmed her. She yanked her hand back and accused him, the bitterness of betrayal evident in her tone. "Why are you here?"

Haven's voice quivered, torn between the raging anger that had simmered for so long and the lingering longing for the love they had once shared.

Ivan, never breaking eye contact, shifted his attention to her family, his tone softer, and his embrace sincere. "I'm sorry, babe. You know I was on a mission, so I couldn't talk to you." He held her tightly, a longing still present in his eyes.

"We need to talk alone, Eva. It's not safe here," he whispered urgently in her ear, his words heavy with the weight of their shared history and the secrets that bound them.

Haven stood still, her heart pounding, the weight of memories and emotions crashing over her as the familiar nickname, "Eva," resonated in her ears. Finally, she nodded, and they made their way to the terrace. The cool morning breeze ruffled her hair as she confronted him.

"Why did you leave, Ivan? Why didn't you tell me where you were going?" Her voice carried a mix of hurt and anger, the wounds of his abandonment still fresh.

He looked around cautiously, as if the very air might carry secrets, before he replied, his words laden with the weight of the past. "Someone from the enemy got to know about you. I had to leave to find the enemy and protect you." His gaze locked onto hers, carrying the sincerity of his intentions and the regrets of his actions.

"You," she pointed an accusatory finger at him, her voice trembling with a mix of anger and betrayal. In that moment, Haven seemed to have forgotten all the rules and expectations that Aerius had laid down for her, her gaze locked onto Ivan with a searing glare.

"I am not going to trust a single word that is going to come out of that mouth," she declared, her eyes welling up with a turbulent mix of anger and heartache.

Ivan's eyes widened in disbelief, he couldn't believe that it was his Eva, who was going against him. She raised her voice at him?

"No, Eva. Why would I lie to you, my love? I would never have left you if it didn't require me," Ivan pleaded, his words laden with sincerity and the anguish of the past. He desperately attempted to explain his actions, but Haven remained resolute, her trust shattered.

"All of you, everyone of you, are full of lies and deceit. I opened my scars to you, Ivan. My scars. At the very least, you didn't have the right to wound them again," she yelled in anger, her voice ringing with the pain of betrayal.

Ivan took a step toward her, his intent to comfort and seek forgiveness, but she forcefully jerked his hands away.

"Don't. Keep your hands off me, Ivan. I will never forgive and forget for what you did to me. You shameless betrayer," she hissed, her words slicing through the air with unyielding determination. Ivan's eyes darkened, his fists clenched, his own anger mirrored in his gaze, but she remained steadfast in her stance.

She had seen the worst in these two months, there was nothing else that he could do to break her further.

"You left me, in the clutches of the- "

"SHUT THE FUCK UP!" His outburst reverberated through the air, causing her to flinch slightly, though she masked her reaction.

Ivan's anger continued to surge as he unleashed his frustration. "You, I never thought that you would turn out to be so ungrateful. What didn't I do for you? I risked my life to save you. I left you in the care of my best man, Hayden, and you're acting as if I sold you to some monster. Stop being so fucking childish, Eva." With his words came a painful whimper as he gripped her already bruised arm.

"Now, you better behave in front of my family, be a good girl you used to be, and introduce yourself as Hayden's sister. I know Hayden must have already told you this, but let me reiterate it for you. If you dare to say a word against mine or Hayden's permission, you will see the worst of me. You got it?" Ivan's words were laced with a menacing warning as he yanked her forcefully. Eva stumbled and tripped on the floor, the physical pain echoing the emotional turmoil within her.

In that moment, she felt like somebody had stabbed her in the worst way possible. The reality of the situation crashed over her, and a bitter sense of irony washed over her. She had sought solace in the arms of another man, thinking he might be her escape from Aerius, only to discover that he was possibly worse than Aerius himself. The depths of despair seemed endless.

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