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Aric\'s smirk faltered slightly, replaced by a look of mild surprise. "Oh? Suddenly you have a backbone? How interesting."

Sylvia\'s voice trembled, but she stood her ground. "I came here to seek an alliance, not to be humiliated. If you refuse, then so be it. But I won\'t degrade myself for you."

Aric\'s expression turned cold, his eyes narrowing. "You think you have a choice? You think you can waltz in here and demand anything from me after betraying me for Jarod? You have no power here, Sylvia."

Sylvia\'s fists clenched at her sides. "I made mistakes, but I won\'t grovel for you. My family\'s honor means more to me than that."

Before Aric could respond, the sound of a gasp echoed from the shadows. Both turned to see Jarod emerging from the corner, his face pale with shock and anger.

"Sylvia," Jarod said, his voice a mixture of disbelief and pain. "Is this what you\'ve been reduced to? Begging Aric for help?"

Sylvia\'s face flushed with shame, but she stood tall. "Jarod, this is not what it seems."

Jarod\'s eyes blazed with fury. "Not what it seems? I heard everything. You were willing to throw yourself at him to save your family. How could you, Sylvia?"

Aric chuckled, the sound low and mocking. "Ah, the hero arrives. How touching. But you\'re too late, Jarod. Sylvia knows her place now."

Jarod ignored Aric, focusing entirely on Sylvia. "I can\'t believe you would do this. We were supposed to be together, to fight for our future."

Sylvia\'s eyes filled with tears. "I had no choice, Jarod. My family is on the brink of ruin. I did what I had to do."

Jarod shook his head, disgust evident on his face. "You\'ve changed, Sylvia. The woman I loved would never stoop so low."

Aric\'s laughter rang out again. "Oh, this is rich. The noble hero and the fallen maiden. What a story."

Jarod turned his fury on Aric. "You think this is funny? You think you can manipulate and destroy lives without consequence?"

Aric\'s smile widened. "I think I can do whatever I want. And there\'s nothing you can do to stop me."

Sylvia stepped forward, her voice firm. "Enough. Both of you. This isn\'t helping."

She turned to Jarod, her expression pleading. "Jarod, please. Understand my position. I never wanted this."

Jarod\'s face softened slightly, but the hurt in his eyes remained. "Sylvia, I... I don\'t know if I can."

Aric watched the exchange with amusement, his eyes glittering with malice. "Ah, the lovers\' quarrel. How delightful."

Aric watched the tension between Sylvia and Jarod with a cold, calculating gaze. As Jarod moved protectively in front of Sylvia, Aric\'s smirk grew more pronounced.

"Well, well, well," Aric drawled, his tone dripping with mockery. "Look who decided to show his face. Jarod, the impotent and defeated hero. How does it feel to be bested and humiliated at every turn?"

Jarod\'s fists clenched at his sides, his knuckles white with the effort to restrain his anger. "You haven\'t won, Aric. This isn\'t over."

Aric laughed, a cruel, mirthless sound. "Oh, but it is over. You lost, Jarod. You and your pathetic dreams of glory. Even your precious master, Ryan Chen, couldn\'t save you. Speaking of which," Aric continued, his eyes gleaming with malice, "I\'d like to thank your master for obeying the order to stay out of our battle.

Such a loyal soul, isn\'t he? Maybe I should call Ryan Chen my master from now on."

Jarod\'s face turned a deep shade of red, his anger barely contained. "Don\'t you dare speak of my master like that!"

Aric\'s smile widened. "Why not? He failed you, just like you failed yourself. You see, Jarod, you were never meant to be the hero. You were always destined to fall."

Sylvia stepped forward, her voice desperate. "Aric, please. Enough of this. We need your help."

Aric turned his icy gaze on her, his expression hardening. "And why should I help you, Sylvia? You betrayed me for this weakling. You threw away our engagement for a man who couldn\'t protect you. Now you come crawling back, expecting me to save your family?"

Sylvia\'s eyes filled with tears, but she held her ground. "I\'m asking for an alliance, not mercy. My family\'s fate—"

Aric interrupted her with a dismissive wave. "Your family\'s fate is of no concern to me. But perhaps," he said, his voice dropping to a sinister whisper, "if you were to accept my offer to become my maid, I might consider sparing them."

Sylvia\'s face flushed with humiliation and anger. "I won\'t become your maid, Aric. I have my pride."

Aric\'s expression turned mocking. "Pride? What good is pride when your family is on the brink of ruin? Think about it, Sylvia. You could save them, if only you swallow that pride and accept your place."

Before Sylvia could respond, Aric turned his attention back to Jarod, his eyes gleaming with malicious delight. "Tell me, Jarod, how does it feel to know that Sylvia is willing to degrade herself for her family? To beg for my mercy?"

Jarod\'s eyes blazed with fury. "You\'re a monster, Aric. You thrive on others\' misery."

Aric\'s smile widened. "And you, Jarod, are a fool. A defeated, impotent fool. Even your master in his soul state is powerless to help you now."

The mention of Ryan Chen, still hidden within Jarod\'s ring, stung deeply. Jarod\'s anger boiled over, his voice trembling with rage. "You\'ll regret this, Aric. You haven\'t won yet."

Aric chuckled, his eyes cold and calculating. "Oh, but I have. You see, I hold all the cards now. Sylvia knows her place, and soon you will too."

Sylvia\'s shoulders slumped, the weight of Aric\'s words pressing down on her. She felt the crushing reality of her situation, the despair threatening to overwhelm her. But she couldn\'t give in, not yet.

"Aric," she said, her voice trembling but determined. "I will find a way to save my family without sacrificing my dignity. You may have won this battle, but the war is far from over."

Aric\'s eyes narrowed, his expression darkening. "Bold words, Sylvia. But remember, I always get what I want. And right now, I want to see you broken."

Sylvia met his gaze, her eyes filled with a steely resolve. "You won\'t break me, Aric. I won\'t let you."

Jarod stepped forward, his voice strong and unwavering. "And neither will I. We\'ll find a way to stop you, Aric. Together."

Aric\'s laughter rang out, cold and mocking. "Good luck with that. But know this: I will crush you both, and I will enjoy every moment of it."

Sylvia\'s desperation and pride collided as she walked away from Aric. She glanced at Jarod, hoping for some sign of reassurance, but what she saw instead was a mix of anger and disappointment.

"Sylvia," Jarod said, his voice tight with frustration, "how could you even consider his offer? Becoming his maid? Have you lost all sense of pride?"

Sylvia\'s tears brimmed over. "I\'m trying to save my family, Jarod. What else am I supposed to do?"

Jarod\'s expression hardened. "We can find another way. But debasing yourself like that—it\'s not the answer."

The rift between them widened in that moment. Sylvia felt the sting of his words, the judgment in his eyes. "Maybe you don\'t understand what it\'s like to be truly desperate."

Jarod shook his head. "Maybe you don\'t understand what it means to stand by your principles, no matter what."

Aric watched their exchange with satisfaction, knowing he had driven a wedge between them. "Ah, the sweet sound of discord," he murmured to himself, reveling in their conflict.

Sylvia and Jarod\'s argument intensified, their voices echoing through the estate. Their bond, once strong, now seemed fragile and ready to break. Jarod\'s frustration and Sylvia\'s desperation clashed violently, each unable to see the other\'s perspective.

"You\'re so stubborn, Jarod," Sylvia cried. "Do you think I\'m enjoying this? Do you think I want to be in this position?"

"And do you think I enjoy seeing you degrade yourself?" Jarod shot back. "We were supposed to be stronger together, but it feels like you\'re giving up."

Sylvia\'s face twisted with pain and anger. "Maybe I am giving up. Maybe I can\'t fight this anymore."

Jarod\'s face contorted with a mixture of disbelief and sorrow. "Sylvia, can\'t you see? This isn\'t you. The Sylvia I fell in love with would never bow to someone like Aric."

Sylvia\'s eyes flashed with indignation. "And what about you, Jarod? You couldn\'t protect me or my family. You left me no choice but to come here and beg."

Jarod\'s guilt was palpable. "I never wanted this for you. If I could turn back time, I would have done everything differently."

Aric\'s mocking laughter broke through their heated exchange. "This is truly entertaining. Watching you two tear each other apart is more satisfying than I could have imagined."

Sylvia\'s anger turned towards Jarod, her voice cutting like a knife. "You\'re not a man, Jarod. A real man would have found a way to protect me and my family. But you... you just stood by and watched us fall."

Jarod staggered back as if struck, his face paling. "Sylvia, don\'t say that..."

Sylvia\'s voice was cold, final. "What\'s the point of staying with you if you can\'t even stand up for me? We\'re finished, Jarod. This is the end."

Jarod\'s heart shattered at her words, and he struggled to maintain his composure. "Sylvia, please. Don\'t do this. We can find another way."

Sylvia shook her head, tears streaming down her face. "There is no other way, Jarod. I have to do what\'s best for my family, even if it means breaking my own heart."

Jarod\'s eyes blazed with fury, but there was nothing he could do. He had lost Sylvia, and it was all because of Aric\'s machinations.

Sylvia turned to Aric, her voice steady despite her tears. "I will not become your maid, Aric. I will find another way to save my family. But know this, I will never forgive you for what you\'ve done."

Aric\'s smile widened. "We\'ll see about that, Sylvia. We\'ll see."

As Sylvia walked away, Jarod stood there, his heart heavy with guilt and sorrow. He watched the woman he loved walk out of his life, knowing that he had failed her in the most profound way possible. Their relationship was over, shattered beyond repair.