Love is Just a Number - Episode 15
09-11-25 (05:23)
Episode 15: Market Meltdown and a Line Drawn in Shadow
Shary POV
The air in the square crackled with palpable tension, thick with unspoken anger and barely concealed threats. I spotted them across the bustling marketplace just in time, their bodies rigid with animosity, their voices rising above the din in a heated argument that threatened to erupt into physical violence. The sight of Moana and Layla facing off against each other sent a jolt of fear through my body. I knew that I had to intervene, to prevent the situation from escalating any further.
They needed to stop, to step back from the brink of disaster. But what could I possibly do? I was trapped between two powerful forces, caught in a crossfire of emotions that I didn't fully understand.
Acting on instinct, driven by a desperate need to protect them both from themselves, I grabbed Layla’s arm and warped us both instantaneously to the dimly lit and treacherous confines of the Shadow Market. The sudden shift in scenery left her disoriented, giving me a brief moment to gather my thoughts and confront her with the raw intensity of my anger. I was absolutely furious, a storm of rage brewing inside me, threatening to consume me whole. I could feel my magic surging through my veins, itching to be unleashed.
"What in the hell was that all about? You can’t just go around spreading lies and manipulating people’s lives!
Especially me and Moana! I will never join you now, not after this," I exclaimed, my voice trembling with barely contained fury. I was beyond disappointed, beyond hurt. I had placed my trust in her, I had believed in her vision, I had even dared to hope that she was different from the other power-hungry individuals I had encountered in my life. But I was tragically wrong. She was just like the rest of them, willing to sacrifice anything and anyone to achieve her own selfish goals. She was simply using me as a pawn in her twisted game, manipulating my emotions and exploiting my vulnerabilities for her own personal gain.
Layla POV
Shary’s sudden and forceful actions caught me completely off guard. He grabbed my arm with surprising strength and, in the blink of an eye, transported us both to the shadowy depths of the Shadow Market. The abrupt change in location left me momentarily disoriented, struggling to regain my composure. As I looked into his eyes, I saw the raw and unadulterated intensity of his anger, and I knew, with a sinking feeling of dread, that I had irrevocably crossed a line. It was clear that I had messed up, that I had gone too far in my machinations. I had pushed him too hard, attempted to manipulate him too blatantly. And now, I had lost him, perhaps forever.
"Fine, Shary. I can't believe you. We're done," I retorted, my voice dripping with a mixture of bitterness, hurt, and undisguised disappointment. A wave of conflicting emotions washed over me – anger at myself for miscalculating so badly, sadness at the loss of what could have been, and a deep sense of loneliness that threatened to consume me. I had genuinely wanted him by my side, not as a pawn or a tool, but as a true partner, an equal in every sense of the word. I had wanted him to share my vision, to believe in my cause, to love me as deeply as I found myself loving him. But it was never going to happen. He loved Moana with(an unwavering intensity, and I, despite all my power and influence, simply couldn’t compete with that.
If he wasn't willing to stand by my side, if he couldn't see the potential for greatness that lay within us both, then I was finished with everything. I was done with Chatlanka, with its archaic laws and its suffocating traditions. I was done with trying to change things from within, with trying to make the city a better place for everyone. I was simply done with everything. The weight of my failures pressed down on me, suffocating my spirit and extinguishing the last flicker of hope within my heart. I am going to leave this city and never return.
With a final, lingering glance at Shary, I turned and walked away, leaving him standing alone and heartbroken in the dimly lit depths of the Shadow Market.
I had lost, and I had no one to blame but myself. My ambition had blinded me, my desire for power had corrupted me, and my inability to trust had ultimately led to my downfall. As I disappeared into the labyrinthine alleys, a single tear escaped my eye, a silent testament to the profound sense of loss that had settled deep within my soul. Don't forget to leave a Comment 
