Chapter 6

That night, Elena was again haunted by dreams. In the cold darkness, she saw Adrian standing before her, dressed in the black suit he wore at their wedding. His thin smile seemed so real that it made Elena's chest tremble. Adrian held out his hand, as if inviting Elena to step towards him.

"Adrian..." Her voice broke, filled with a longing she didn't understand.

Elena's hand was just about to touch those fingers when suddenly Adrian's face changed. His warm smile disappeared, replaced by an angry look in his eyes. The skin on his face was blackened, as if burned, and blood was seeping from his temples.

"You betrayed me," Adrian's voice sounded cold and wrenching, as if coming from beyond the grave. Elena backed away, trembling. "No! I never-"

But Adrian's shadow grabbed her neck, gripping her tightly. Elena's breath caught, and her eyes widened. She struggled, trying to break free, but the world was getting darker...

Elena woke up with a scream that caught in her throat. Cold sweat soaked her temples, mixing with the tears that had been flowing since forever. Her breathing was labored, as if her lungs refused to cooperate.

Her hand reflexively reached for the empty side of the bed, but cold was all she found. Adrian was not there. Adrian was never by her side again.

She covered her face with both palms. It felt like a heavy stone was pressed against her chest, making every breath painful.

Who exactly was Adrian? The whisper haunted her mind. The husband she thought had died on her wedding night now appeared in her dreams, accusing her. The image was so real, as if Adrian was alive... and hated her.

---

The next day, a new oddity adds to Elena's unrest.

The young maid who had once whispered to her warning her to be careful in the mansion-suddenly disappeared. Elena waited for days, hoping to see that friendly face return to bring her afternoon tea or simply greet her with a nervous smile. But there was no news.

She ventured to ask Damien as they ate breakfast together at the long, always quiet table.

"Where's Sarah? The waitress who usually works in the east wing. I haven't seen her since two nights ago."

Damien looked away, then back at his plate. His movements were cold and emotionless.

"She's gone."

Elena frowned. "Gone? Where?"

"None of your business," Damien replied shortly, his tone like a sharp knife, closing the conversation.

But that answer only increased Elena's suspicions. Sarah couldn't have just left. The servants at the Blackthorne mansion never left without a reason. Moreover, the brief look Damien gave her when he said that implied something deeper secret that he was reluctant to reveal.

Elena gripped her spoon tightly. What exactly are you hiding, Damien?

---

That night, they attended a business event of the Blackthorne family. The grand hall was filled with crystal chandeliers and clinking champagne glasses. Elena wore a blood red dress handpicked by Victoria, as if to symbolize the elegance of the Blackthorne family.

She stood beside Damien, smiling stiffly at the guests who came to greet her. In her heart, she just wanted to go home. She was sick of all the stares, as if she was just a decoration on Damien's arm.

But the surprise came when Damien suddenly leaned over and kissed her forehead in front of everyone. Elena froze. Her blood rushed, her face hot, while the guests smiled in satisfaction at the pretend romance.

After the event was over and they returned to the mansion, Elena exploded. She pushed the bedroom door open, then turned to stare at Damien with fiery eyes. "Don't ever use me like that again! I'm not a doll that you can show off at will."

Damien gave him a long look. His eyes were dim, not only cold, but as if they held a burden that he never shared. His hands clenched into fists at the side of the table before he sighed. His face was hard to read. "I have no choice."

The words made Elena pause for a moment, but made her heart ache even more. "That was always your excuse. There was no choice. And me? Did you ever think I had a choice, Damien?" Her voice broke, filled with restrained pain.

Damien didn't answer. Only a fragile shadow flashed briefly across his face before freezing again. He turned away, leaving Elena with a thousand mounting questions.

---

A few nights later, Elena woke up in the middle of the night to a noise. She opened the door to her room, walking slowly down the dark hallway.

The sound grew clearer. Damien's voice, talking on the phone in his study. Elena held her breath, standing behind the slightly ajar door.

"I don't want her to get hurt again." Damien's voice sounded heavy and depressed. "I've seen her suffer enough. Don't let it happen again."

Elena froze. Her chest rumbled. Him? Was Damien talking about him? Or... about Adrian?

He wanted to go in and demand answers, but his feet were stuck. There was a timidity about hearing the truth that she wasn't ready to accept.

When the sound of Damien's footsteps approached, Elena quickly backed away, ran back to her room, and closed the door tightly. She stood behind him, clutching her pounding chest. Questions kept swirling in her head until dawn. Was Damien hiding something about Adrian? Or was this all a mind game planted by the Blackthorne family?

One thing was clear: Elena knew one thing: the deeper she was trapped in this house, the more she realized that she wasn't just a pawn in this game. Elena stared at the ceiling of the dark room, her heart racing. She knew there was something big hidden in this house... but the answers were still locked up tight, keeping her in limbo.

And the dreams about Adrian, Damien's cold stare, and Sarah's disappearance were just the beginning of a bigger nightmare.