Title: Shadows of the Heart
On cobblestone streets winding through lush gardens of a quaint town called Eldridge lived Clara, a talented painter who produced some of the brightest landscapes in town. In love was Clara for Ethan, the son of the wealthiest man in town. Ethan was known for his good looks and charm. Their love was forbidden; Clara came from humble origins while Ethan's parents had arranged for him to marry Lydia, an heiress of one of the wealthiest families in the town.
In the face of all odds, Clara and Ethan secretly started to date under the old oak tree right by the river. Their love blossomed in stolen moments and was filled with laughter as well as dreams of their life to live. As the day of the wedding crept up, Clara felt despair. One stormy night, she heard Lydia's father talking about how to destroy her family's honor and make sure Clara will never be a threat to their marriage. Full of pain and anger, Clara decided to act.
On the night of the engagement party for Ethan, Clara had planned a plan to show Lydia's real faces. She revealed that Lydia had been secretly sabotaging local businesses by destroying the reputation and the businesses of people with the hope that her own family's status would be improved. Clara assembled all the proof gathered and, at the engagement party in front of guests, brought it to Lydia's face and showed her the deceitful action inside that room. The room just fell silent upon Lydia's façade crumbling, while Ethan stood, left between loyalty to his family and the love Clara had for him.
Lydia's reputation was destroyed, and the engagement to Ethan was canceled. Clara was overcome by feelings of remorse over the mayhem she had unleashed. Clara wanted revenge but soon realized this had cost her too much. She was thoroughly confused and heart-broken, and so did Ethan, who sought out Clara for answers. Clara later narrated all her reasons to him, close to the oak tree, which made depths touch his feelings with a sense of powerlessness and the grief that follows.
Galvanised by Clara's passion and valour, Ethan decided to be on her side. They decided not to think of their revenge but their dreams. As they painted a new future in sight, the shadows faded behind them, and bright colours emerged in the shape of hope and love. At the end, they learned that romance, true, could endure trials by revenge, emerging more unifying and stronger than ever.