Annalise crept toward the bed, careful not to make a sound. The man lay motionless, his dark hair tousled across the pillow, long lashes casting soft shadows over his cheeks.

She stopped beside him, watching his chest rise and fall in steady rhythm.

For a moment, she reached out, tempted to brush his cheek - just to see if he was real. But her hand froze mid-air.

No. That’s crazy. What if he wakes up?

A sudden crack of thunder shook the room. Rain lashed harder against the windows, louder than before. So much for sneaking out tonight.

With a sigh, Annalise turned to leave. She grabbed the doorknob, but it didn’t budge.

“What the—?” She jiggled the handle, then pushed and pulled. Nothing. It was stuck.

“Okay… don’t panic, Anna. You’ve got this,” she muttered, scanning the room for another exit. No key. No secret latch. Just walls and silence.

She backed away, frustration bubbling up, until her ankle throbbed again. Wincing, she hobbled to a quiet corner, feeling the sharp sting from her previous fall.

'I can’t stay here forever…' she mumbled.

Just then, the small white ferret that had led her here scampered over, something clutched in its mouth: a leaf.

Annalise blinked. “What’s that for, little guy?”

The ferret tapped its paw against its own leg, tail flicking.

“For me?” She leaned closer. “My leg?”

It chirped softly.

She took the leaf and sniffed. It smelled like herbs - cool and minty. After a second of hesitation, she pressed it against her injury. Almost instantly, a soothing sensation spread through her calf.

“Thanks,” she whispered, managing a smile. “You’re kind of amazing.”

With a pleased trill, the ferret darted away again.

Annalise leaned back against the wall and wrapped a bandage around the leaf. Outside, the storm kept raging. Inside, the only sounds were the rain and the steady rhythm of the man’s breathing.

She glanced over at him. 'Is he dreaming? Sick? Cursed like in one of those fairytales?' A quiet laugh escaped her at the thought. 'Should I kiss him?'

She smiled and shook her head. 'Yeah right. As if that'll work. Get a grip, Anna.'

Curling up in the corner, she sighed and hugged her knees as her thoughts began to blur.

'Whatever happens tomorrow… I’ll face it. I have no choice but to face it.'

. . .

The night passed with the storm outside.

Rain still tapped lightly at the windows when Annalise stirred. But before she could sit up, suddenly, strong hands slammed her down.

She gasped but was unable to move as she was pushed to the floor.

Leaning over her, the man from the bed towered over her, facing her with eyes blazing with anger.

“Who are you?” He opened, his voice was low and dangerous. “Why are you in my house?”

Annalise froze, heart pounding in her throat.

“I-I didn’t mean to—please! This isn’t what it looks like!”

She tried to wriggle free, but his grip held firm. He shoved her back again, eyes scanning her face like a threat.

Then his gaze dropped to her necklace.

He stared at it. Reached out. Brushed it with his fingers, like he was in a trance.

“Where did you get this?” His voice dropped to a rasp.

Annalise blinked, too stunned to answer.

“I said—where did you get it?!” he snapped.

“It’s mine!” she cried. “My grandmother gave it to me yesterday! I-I swear I didn’t mean to trespass! I was following a ferret, the door shut behind me, I got stuck and—”

“You expect me to believe that?” he scoffed.

Her breath caught. Her wrists ached in his grip.

Then his hand moved to her throat.

“You have one minute,” he growled. “Tell me who you are—or I’ll kill you.”

Annalise’s eyes widened. Her body trembled as his fingers tightened.

She gasped, clawing at his hand. “P-please… I-I didn’t mean to—”

He didn’t move.

Her vision dimmed. Panic rose like a tidal wave. Was this really how it ended?

Heart racing from the thought she'd be killed any minute now, Annalise prayed. Suddenly, two shouting voices came from outside.

The man frowned.

Without thinking, Annalise jerked her knee up, hard - straight to where it would hurt the most for a man.

The man grunted, recoiling just enough for her to break free.

Annalise coughed, scrambling backward, legs unsteady.

“I’m sorry!” she cried. “I’ll pay you back, I swear!”

She didn’t wait for a response. She bolted out of the room, heart racing, feet pounding down the stairs.

She turned a corner and ran, then froze.

Through the tall window, she saw two people standing on the bridge just outside.

Pauline and Elijah.

Her ex-best friend and her ex-boyfriend.

They were calling her name.

“Annalise!” Elijah shouted. “Time to come home!”

“Don’t you miss Grandma and Grandpa?” Pauline added, her voice too sweet. “Come on, Anna. Let’s stop playing games.”

Annalise’s stomach twisted. Guns hung loosely in their hands. Their smiles didn’t reach their eyes.

She crouched near the window, peeking out. No backup. Just the two of them—but something felt off. Why weren’t they approaching?

They stood at the edge of the bridge, like something invisible was keeping them out.

Her fingers curled into fists. Slowly, she stepped out onto the porch.

Pauline spotted her immediately. Her smile flickered.

“There you are,” she said. “We’ve been searching all night.” Her eyes darkened. “Let’s not drag this out. You know what we want. Come over here.”

“No,” Annalise said, voice steady despite the fear clawing at her ribs.

Pauline’s expression soured. “God, Annalise. You’re always so difficult. Why can’t you just do what you’re told?”

“Why can’t you leave me alone?” Annalise snapped. “If you want to kill me so badly, come over here and do it yourselves!”

Elijah took a step forward, face twisting. “What did you just say?”

Pauline held out an arm to block him. “Don’t, Elijah. That mansion is—” She lowered her voice. Annalise couldn’t hear the rest.

Then Pauline looked back up, her tone icy. “Let’s cut to the chase. You want your freedom? Fine. Just sign the damn papers.”

She held up an envelope with white papers inside. Judging from their desperate looks, Annalise quickly knew they were papers about her properties - her inheritance that they desired so much they'd kill her to get it.

Scumbags, she thought.

“You already know what this is,” Pauline said. “We don’t need a scene. Sign it, and this ends.”

Annalise stared at it. Her throat burned with rage.

“You think I’m stupid?” she hissed. “I’m not giving you anything. You betrayed me. And I won’t let you steal what my parents left behind.”

Elijah’s smile disappeared.

“You don’t get to decide,” he said. “Sign the papers—or we’ll kill you and burn this place to the ground.”

Her blood turned cold.

She glanced back at the house. If they torched it, the man upstairs would kill her without hesitation.

But… could she really hand it all over? Her home? Her parents’ memories?

She was still torn when a new voice cut clean through the tension.

“Are you done?”

She spun around.

The man who had pushed her earlier now stood in the doorway, tall and unmoving.

His eyes were fixed on the people outside, carrying a different kind of madness.

One that said to get away before things could get out of control - probably, dangerously, out of his own.