I Left Before He Learned My Worth novel Chapter 121

**TITLE: I Left Before He Learned My Worth**

**Chapter 121**

**ARIA**

The words cut deeper than I could have anticipated, each syllable echoing the doubts that had been swirling in my mind for days. It was as if Thomas had reached into my thoughts and pulled out the very insecurities I had been trying to suppress. Trust was a currency I had yet to earn; I hadn’t proven myself in any meaningful way. I hadn’t done anything that would warrant the unwavering faith that Ivory seemed to inspire so effortlessly in others.

“Nobody blames Ivory for what she did yesterday,” Thomas continued, his voice steady and unyielding. “In fact, people are lauding her brilliance. If she hadn’t orchestrated that trap with such precision, Luna Aria would still be trapped in that hellish prison, or worse—she could be dead by now, the victim of a spy’s treachery, and we would have been left with nothing but regret, too late to act when the evidence finally surfaced.”

The woman beside him interjected, her tone curious yet probing. “But what if Alpha Kael had chosen to stand firm against executing Luna Aria? What if he had demanded to see concrete evidence first and had refused to endorse Ivory’s plan?”

Thomas’s response was blunt, devoid of any softness. “He would have faced impeachment. The elders would have stripped him of his title, deeming him unfit to lead. To question Ivory’s integrity after fifteen years of loyalty would have implied that the mating bond had clouded his judgment irrevocably.”

The younger man, his brow furrowed in concern, chimed in, “It was unjust to Luna Aria, though. Subjecting her to such terror, making her believe she was on the brink of death.”

“Indeed, it wasn’t fair,” the woman conceded, her voice laced with a mix of empathy and pragmatism. “But sometimes, leadership demands decisions that are harsh yet necessary. Luna Aria must come to terms with the fact that harboring resentments will only worsen her situation.”

Thomas’s voice turned grave, laden with the weight of reality. “She also has to grasp the gravity of what could have happened if Ivory had misused that trust. If Ivory had fabricated evidence, exploiting Kael’s faith to orchestrate Luna Aria’s execution, she would have paid with her life. That was the gamble she took. She staked her very existence on the certainty of her claims.”

“That’s the distinction between someone who deserves unwavering trust and someone who does not,” the woman asserted, her tone firm. “Ivory has consistently demonstrated that she wields her influence responsibly, using it solely for truth and justice, never for selfish motives or petty vengeance.”

The younger man nodded, his expression resolute. “Luna Aria needs to establish that same foundation of trust. She has to prove that she can handle power responsibly, that she is deserving of the faith placed in Lunas.”

“If she manages that,” Thomas added, “if she dedicates the coming months or even years to genuinely contributing to the pack, earning respect through her actions—then perhaps, the next time she faces accusations, people will rally to her side, just as they did for Ivory.”

“But until that time comes?” the woman questioned, her voice tinged with concern.

“Until then,” Thomas said, his words sharp as a blade, “she remains the Luna who stumbled into her role, a mere political convenience who brought chaos rather than value. She’s the one who expects trust without having earned it, and then feels hurt when others don’t automatically believe in her innocence.”

Their conversation continued, but I found myself unable to bear it any longer. The brutal honesty about my failures and shortcomings was too much to absorb. I turned away from the gardens, my heart heavy, and walked briskly, the tears I refused to shed blurring my vision.

They were right. Every word they had spoken resonated painfully within me. I hadn’t earned trust. I hadn’t laid the groundwork that would inspire belief in me during moments of crisis. I hadn’t done a single thing to prove I was worthy of the position I occupied.

VERIFYCAPTCHA_LABELVerify