FLORA'S POV:
He whispered in my ear, “Dahlia, you have to be a good girl.” His breath brushed against my earlobe.
And then he left immediately. With the sensation lingering all over my mind.
I collapsed onto the couch and sat still for a while, my mind burdened with countless thoughts.
The confusion was throbbing inside me—I didn’t know what to do or how to escape. If only I could remember a bit more about Dahlia’s life.
How could I fulfill this conquest if I had no direction? I needed a savior.
My hand reached for my neck subconsciously, but to my shock, the necklace wasn’t there again. My heart skipped a beat. I sat up and checked thoroughly, but it was truly gone.
I ran upstairs in search of my bag but bumped into Jonathan, who was just about to come downstairs.
“What’s wrong?” he asked, his face etched with surprise. I was breathing too fast, but I told him I was fine.
Suspicious, he said nothing more and walked away.
As soon as I entered the room, I grabbed my bag and searched through it thoroughly. It wasn’t there.
I felt like the living dead. What was my purpose if what I came for was gone?
My chest tightened, and I felt like I was suffocating. My breath became unsteady as I laid on the bed, wishing I could summon Selene. But that was impossible—I tried, but nothing worked.
My phone rang, cutting through the intense silence like a knife. I grabbed it—it was the same person who had called while I was at Lucian's: Trina.
Cursing in frustration, I picked up the call. Before I could say anything, her harsh voice cut through.
“Dahlia, don’t fuck with me. You better show your face here, or I’ll show you what I can do.”
Her tone sent chills through me. It was too cold, and I wondered what business Dahlia had with her.
“Trina, if you could just give me a little time, I promise I’ll sort things out,” I said, hoping to buy myself time.
“Forty-eight hours. If I don’t hear from you, you’re cooked,” she snapped and hung up.
I needed to know who Trina was and what she wanted, but how?
I jotted everything down and tried to piece it together bit by bit. I needed to get out of here, find Trina, and most importantly, find my necklace.
Jonathan’s footsteps approached the room, and I jumped off the bed, headed into the bathroom.
The door opened, and I watched him through the blurry glass of the bathroom door. He looked around for me, then, realizing I was in the bathroom, settled on the bed.
I turned on the shower. As the water hit my body, it helped relax my swirled mind, though not completely. I stayed in there longer than necessary, pondering how to find my necklace, the most important thing at the moment.
By the time I emerged, Jonathan was fast asleep.
I went downstairs to get something to eat. I was famished. The kitchen table was already set, and I was surprised. Jonathan seemed dangerous but oddly kind, and I couldn’t make sense of it.
I didn’t trust the food, but my rumbling stomach disagreed. Reluctantly, I sat at the table and ate. The food tasted almost bland in my mouth, but I didn’t stop until I felt full.
I slumped onto the couch, devastated and unsure what to do. Memories of everything replayed in my mind: Lucian’s son’s death, Marcus, Selene, Trina, Jonathan, the accident, the miraculous healing—and now, the missing necklace.
Overwhelmed, the room began to blur and spin. Shivering, I blacked out on the couch.
When I opened my eyes, I was floating in a serene, bright place—like the full moon on a clear night. But there was no one around.
I scanned my surroundings, and suddenly, my eyes fell on a figure lying lifelessly. It was Marcus. I recognized him immediately. His blank stare pierced through me, and my heart raced.
I was his only hope, and I had to do everything to save him.
“Marcus!” I tried to call, but my voice barely rose above a whisper. He seemed surrounded by an obstacle that could only be broken if I completed my quest.
Tears filled my heart as I vowed to go to any lengths to save him. For that, I would have to set my emotions aside and be fierce.
I longed to speak to someone—anyone. I needed Selene. “Selene… Selene…” I called, but my voice betrayed me, coming out as nothing more than a whisper.
It felt as if something had clamped down on my throat, stopping me from speaking. My gaze shifted back to Marcus. With newfound determination, my eyes flickered open, and I was back in the living room.
I was drenched in sweat and was shivering from cold.
I dragged myself upstairs. Jonathan was still fast asleep.
I went into the bathroom for a hot bath to ease the cold.
I filled the tub with hot water and slipped inside, allowing the heat to surge through my body. The warmth was soothing and comforting, as if it were washing away all my burdens. For a brief moment, I let go of my emotions, surrendering to the tranquility the bath offered.
Afterward, I stepped out of the bathroom and changed into some nightwear. I reached for my phone and flipped it on, staring at Trina’s number as if it might reveal something useful. Hoping for a clue, I checked the messenger app, but it was locked, and I couldn’t figure out the pin code.
“I’ll deal with that tomorrow,” I told myself, slipping the phone back into my bag.
My gaze drifted to Jonathan, who was still peacefully sleeping on the bed. I couldn’t help but wonder what he had in mind for me.
With a sigh, I joined him on the bed, adjusted the air conditioner, and pulled the duvet tightly around me. Exhaustion finally overtook me, and soon, I slipped into sleep.