Disgrace 소설 & 이야기

The silence stretched, thick with months of bitterness, fights, and betrayal. Slowly, deliberately, Caleb took a step forward. And then, he did something I never thought I would see Caleb Ruiz do. His knees hit the hardwood floor beside the bed. He didn't stand over me. He bowed his head, his hands clenching into fists against his thighs. The posture was one of absolute defeat, stripping away every ounce of the pride that had dictated his life. "I”m sorry, Danica," Caleb whispered, his voice thick, rough with an emotion he had spent the entire season hiding. "I”m so fucking sorry."

Let me fill it. I don’t. Finally, she exhales. “I will not insult you with pleasantries,” she begins. “We are beyond that.” “I agree,” I say evenly. Her eyes sharpen slightly. Good. She expected resistance. She did not expect composure. “What you have done,” she continues, “has consequences far beyond yourself.” “Yes,” I say. A pause. That wasn’t the answer she wanted. “You have humiliated this family,” she presses. “No,” I correct calmly. “I made a choice you don’t approve of. Those are not the same thing.”

He held my hand, promising, "I'll remember that forever, and I'll never make such a mistake again." He'd forgotten again a mere six months later. The scorching sunlight at noon burned my shoulders and back. In stark comparison, I felt as though my heart had been submerged in ice water, gradually cooling down until no warmth was left. I let out a derisive chuckle before returning to the stage. After turning to our friends and family waiting there, I announced calmly, "The marking ceremony is canceled." Later, I slowly tore the silver feathered wedding gown I'd worn 66 times into shreds, ripping up the remnants of dignity holding this relationship together.

She felt crushed and deeply disappointed, realizing her good intentions were unappreciated. She shouldn’t have done that; she should have remained indifferent to Logan, who was now infatuated. Ava felt utterly foolish, especially after being slapped by that rude woman. It was clear she would never forget the incident that had so suddenly tarnished her dignity. Now, only clenched fists remained, with anger tightly held inside. Ava couldn’t accept the treatment she received from Sophia and Logan. To her, it was a significant humiliation. She walked away, her disappointment spilling over into spontaneous tears and a trembling body.

“The problem is… you gave that grace to someone who abused it.” Maya swallowed. That word sat heavy. Abused. “Say it,” Zara said softly. Maya frowned. “Say what?” Zara held her gaze. “That what he did to you wasn’t just ‘mistakes’ or ‘confusion.’” Maya hesitated. Her lips parted slightly. Closed again. Then finally, “He… disrespected me,” she whispered. Zara nodded. “And?” Maya’s voice trembled. “He lied to me.” Zara didn’t look away.

Lucian shrugged with his hands stuffed into the pocket of his pants. "Disgrace?" Ileus scoffed. "It’s not a disgrace if I am telling the truth. I am simply trying to expose someone who does not deserve to be happy. She has hurt way too many people, and you will be next. Am trying to show you the kind of woman you just married, but you call it a disgrace." He half smiled, causing Lucian to shake his head in revulsion. "It looks like you still love her." He suddenly spoke with a grin on his face.

Adrian’s earlier words revealed a harsh truth. By calling everyone useless, he was specifically pointing out Greg’s incompetence. As a result, Greg stood there like a turtle retreating into its shell, too afraid to advance. Naturally, the crowd saw him as completely worthless. Although Greg was considered a prodigy, he appeared no better than trash in Adrian’s presence. This situation only intensified the crowd's disdain for him. Every prodigy had their pride, and Adrian’s insult had been particularly harsh, leaving Greg utterly humiliated. The crowd's doubtful gazes turned toward him.

I saw the deep crease in his brow and the slight tremor in his fingers; it was the disappointment of a man who didn’t lament my morality, but my lack of caution. My mother was in a state I had never seen in all my life. Her face, always impeccable and held high with arrogance, now bore a mask of absolute shame. She seemed to have shrunk beneath her designer dress. For the first time, I saw the woman who taught me that the family name was everything crushed by the weight of dishonor. And Grace… my sister just watched. There was a disturbing glint in her eyes, a morbid curiosity, as if she were watching a car crash in slow motion, just waiting to see who would be the next to die.

I skidded to a halt in disbelief in time to avoid the dirt flying into the air. ‘I am out of shape,’ Grace breathed, ‘oh goddess, I was so easily beat. How will I ever show my face again?’ I tasted disappointment on my tongue, felt it in my bones and saw it in the way my wolf’s head drooped. It seemed she wanted so desperately to hide her face. I didn’t think a simple run would produce such an effect but her pride had been crushed. Was this the pride of an alpha the books often spoke about? ‘Let’s just go home,’ Grace said, ‘I’m tired anyway.’

And then I sat on the floor, my back against the cabinet, and I thought about what Daniel had said. You are a disgrace. The word echoed in the empty room. Disgrace. I had been called many things in my life. Ruthless. Ambitious. Successful. Dangerous. But never a disgrace. Not until tonight. I finished the drink and set the glass down. Daniel was wrong. I wasn't a disgrace. I was a man who had been wronged. A man who had given everything to a woman who threw it away. A man who was fighting for what was his.