chapter 3 : the conflict

Stella's Nightmare

Stella slowly drifted back into a restorative sleep, her body still weakened but her breathing more steady. Daisy made sure she was comfortable before stepping back, casting one last worried glance at her. But as soon as sleep enveloped Stella, something far stranger occurred.

In her dreams, Stella found herself once again in the vastness of a dark and oppressive desert. The wind howled, carrying with it indistinct whispers. And there, in the distance, a familiar figure slowly emerged from the shadows. She didn't need to see him clearly to know who it was. It was him. Her demon.

He stood there, shrouded in darkness, his piercing gaze and enigmatic smile sending shivers down her spine. His eyes glowed with an otherworldly, inhuman light. Stella tried to look away, to run, but as always, her legs refused to move.

— "You know you can't escape me," he said, his deep, cavernous voice resonating in the silence of her dream.

Stella shut her eyes tightly, willing the vision to disappear. But every time she closed her eyes, he was there, ever-present, lurking in every corner of her mind. He stepped closer, his shadow enveloping her, his voice whispering threatening promises.

— "You belong to me, Stella. And you know it."

She felt increasingly trapped, as if every dream pulled her deeper into his grasp. There was no respite, no peace—not even for a moment. Every night, every sleep, he returned, never leaving her. She would sometimes wake up drenched in sweat, gasping for air, but even awake, the sensation of his presence lingered like a shadow at the edge of her mind.

The Morning After

The next morning, Stella woke up with a jolt, a cold sensation in the air, as if the warmth of the dream had vanished with the dawn. Her heart pounded loudly, an echo of the shadow that had followed her into the real world. She clenched her fists, trying to shake off the oppressive feeling gripping her chest.

She slowly sat up, her muscles still stiff and sore. Daisy was there, sitting nearby, her face marked with worry.

— "Stella? You're awake? How do you feel?" Daisy asked, her voice filled with both gentleness and tension.

Stella avoided Daisy's gaze, retreating into a dark corner of her own mind.

Later, she found herself standing at the edge of the garden, her eyes closed as the wind gently brushed against her face. The breeze, cool and light, seemed to offer her some comfort, but the weight in her chest remained. She couldn't shake the feeling that the demon was still following her, watching her.

"Why… why can't I just be free of all this?!" she thought, her voice trembling as she whispered to herself, her fists clenched tightly. "I didn't ask for this. I don't want this!"

Turning in circles, as if searching for an escape, she felt the invisible chains tightening around her. The more she tried to run, the more he followed. It was like a curse—an invisible tether holding her captive.

"I'm so tired… tired of running. But how do I get rid of him? How do I escape this… this thing?!"

She dropped to the ground, pulling her knees to her chest. Burying her face in her arms, she tried to find some semblance of comfort.

"I'm all alone in this. No one will understand… Daisy, she wants to help, but she doesn't even know what I'm going through. No one knows. No one understands…"

Tears began to stream down her face, but she quickly wiped them away, angry at herself. She didn't want to be seen as weak. She didn't want anyone to know.

But the truth was, she was scared. Scared of what she'd become. Scared of the demon, of what he represented, and of what he might do to her.

"I have to keep moving. I can't stop." But deep inside, a voice whispered that fear, pain, and loneliness would eventually consume her.

She remained there, alone in the garden, lost in her thoughts, fighting the urge to give up.

---

At Théo's House

Anaïs sat on Théo's couch, arms crossed, her eyes fixed on the door. She had spent the entire night thinking about what she'd seen, what she'd felt. She couldn't shake the strange sense of unease gnawing at her. Théo wasn't home yet, but she knew he'd return eventually, and she was determined to confront him this time, no matter the consequences.

When the door finally opened, Anaïs shot up, her piercing gaze immediately locking onto him.

— "You sure took your time," she snapped, her voice sharper than she intended.

Théo froze in the doorway, surprised to see her there. He hadn't planned on facing her now. Not after everything that had happened with Stella. He had other priorities, clearer goals in mind. But Anaïs didn't seem willing to ignore him this time.

— "What are you doing here, Anaïs?" he asked, setting his things down on the table without looking at her. He could feel trouble brewing.

— "I was waiting for you." She stepped closer, her steely gaze boring into his. "I heard what you said at the club. Are you seriously going through with this bet with Stella?"

Théo frowned, irritated. He was used to Anaïs questioning him, but this time, he sensed something was different.

— "Of course I'm serious. That's the whole point, isn't it?" he said with a shrug, unbothered. "The bet's simple: seduce Stella, make her fall for me. That's it."

Anaïs rolled her eyes, but she couldn't ignore the pang in her chest. Why did it bother her so much? It was just a bet to Théo, nothing more. Yet, the thought of him getting close to Stella made her blood boil.

— "You're such an idiot, Théo," she spat, her tone biting. "Have you seen her? Have you seen the state she's in? And you're treating this like it's some kind of game!"

Théo finally turned to face her, his annoyance growing.

— "It's a bet, Anaïs. That's all it is. Aren't you supposed to have my back?" He stepped closer, refusing to back down. "I need this win. That's all that matters."

Anaïs stared at him, momentarily speechless. He didn't get it. He didn't understand that he was hurting her by focusing solely on this bet. She straightened up, forcing herself to remain calm, though jealousy churned inside her.

— "You know, this whole thing disgusts me," she said, stepping closer. "Do you really think this will work? That manipulating Stella like this will get you what you want?"

Théo shook his head, exasperated. He was determined, and nothing—no one—would stop him. Not even Anaïs.

— "I don't need your lectures, Anaïs," he said coldly. "I know what I'm doing. And if you don't like it, too bad."

The silence between them grew heavy, tense. Anaïs stared at him, her eyes glistening with frustration and sadness. She knew her gaze betrayed her emotions, but she couldn't hold back anymore.

— "You're willing to do anything to win this bet, aren't you?" she murmured, her voice tinged with sorrow. "You won't stop until you've won, right?"

Théo looked at her for a moment, thrown off by her words. But he wasn't about to let doubt creep in. Not now. He averted his gaze, avoiding a question he didn't want to answer.

— "It's not your place to judge me, Anaïs," he said, stepping closer, more direct. "If you think I'm going to quit because of this, you're wrong. I'm going to win this bet."

Anaïs stared at him, her jealousy morphing into anger she could no longer contain. She wanted him to realize. To understand just how much it hurt her to see him so fixated on conquering Stella.

— "Fine, Théo." She turned on her heel, ready to leave. "Do whatever you want. But one day, you'll see what it'll cost you."

Théo stood there, alone, arms hanging at his sides, Anaïs's words echoing in his mind. A moment of doubt. Just for an instant. But he shook his head, pushing the unease away. The bet was his only priority, and nothing—and no one—would divert him from his goal.

Theo slumped onto the couch, arms crossed, trying to calm the anger Anaïs had left behind. His mind kept replaying her words, but he didn't have much time to think. A loud knock echoed through the door. Thinking Anaïs had come back, he let out an annoyed sigh and got up.

— "What now?!" he barked, yanking the door open.

But it wasn't Anaïs. Lizzie stood there, her gaze cold as steel. She walked in without waiting for an invitation, forcing him to step back.

— "Lizzie?" Theo said, surprised. "What are you doing here?"

She shut the door behind her and planted herself in front of him, arms crossed.

— "We're talking. Now."

Theo frowned, his irritation rising.

— "I don't have time for one of your lectures, Lizzie."

— "Oh, you better make time, because this is serious."

She took a step forward, her piercing gaze locked onto his.

— "Is it true? What I heard about that stupid bet you made?" she demanded, her voice filled with reproach. "You're trying to seduce Stella just to prove something to your friends?"

Theo rolled his eyes, trying to mask his discomfort with his usual arrogance.

— "You listen to too much gossip, Lizzie. Go play detective somewhere else."

But Lizzie wasn't backing down. She placed a firm hand on his chest, stopping him from walking away.

— "Look me in the eyes, Theo, and tell me it's not true. Tell me you're not dumb enough to play with Stella like that."

The silence that followed was enough of an answer. Lizzie stepped back, shaking her head in disgust.

— "You're such an asshole," she muttered, her voice dripping with contempt. "Stella deserves better than this."

Theo sighed, crossing his arms, but he avoided her gaze.

— "Look, it's just a bet, okay? It's not that serious."

— "Not that serious?!" Lizzie shouted, her voice rising. "That girl already struggles to trust people, and you're about to stomp all over what little dignity she has left for… what? Your ego? Your dumb friends?"

Theo clenched his fists, irritated by her accusations.

— "Alright, Lizzie. You're not her mom. She'll get over it."

— "She'll get over it?!" Lizzie repeated, incredulous. "You have no idea what she's going through, do you? None. You think you're just playing a game, but if you break her, there's no coming back from that."

He tried to respond, but she raised a hand to cut him off.

— "If you go through with this," she continued, her eyes blazing with anger, "you'll lose her. Not just her. Have you even thought about what this could cost you?"

Theo stayed silent, unable to answer. Lizzie stared at him for a moment longer before letting out a disgusted sigh.

— "Here's some advice, Theo: drop this stupid bet before it's too late. Because if Stella finds out what you've done…"

She shook her head, her expression almost pitying.

— "She'll hate you. And trust me, you'll regret it for the rest of your life."

With that, Lizzie turned on her heels and walked out of the apartment, leaving Theo alone with his thoughts. He sat back on the couch, running a nervous hand through his hair.

— "It's just a bet," he muttered again, as if trying to convince himself.

But this time, the doubts had firmly taken root.