CHAPTER FIFTEEN:TRAPPED IN TERROR.

Eena arrived at the abandoned chapel, her heels clicking nervously against the stone floor. She turned in circles, scanning the shadows.

"Hello?" she called, her voice unsteady.

I stayed silent, watching from the darkness.

She was alone—just as I planned.

Slowly, she stepped further inside, her breathing shallow, her hands gripping the edges of her coat. She had no idea I was already behind her.

In one swift motion, I swung the metal pipe.

A sharp gasp.

Then silence.

She collapsed to the floor, motionless.

I crouched down, checking her pulse. Still alive. Good.

By the time she woke up, she wouldn't be in that chapel anymore.

She'd be in my world now.

Elena stirred, groaning as she tried to move, only to realize she was bound tightly to a chair. Panic flared in her eyes as she struggled against the restraints.

The dimly lit room was cold, the walls bare, the only sound was her own ragged breathing.

"Where am I?" she whispered, her voice hoarse.

I stood in the shadows, watching. She didn't recognize me. Not yet.

Slowly, I stepped forward, my face still obscured.

"Who are you?" she demanded, trying to mask the fear in her voice.

I didn't answer. Instead, I reached for the buttons of my coat, slipping it off. Then, I pulled at the edges of my disguise—peeling back the mask of my new life.

My hair, my makeup, the clothes—everything carefully altered—now adjusted to match the face she had once known.

Her breath hitched. Her eyes widened in horror.

"You… No. You're dead," she stammered, shaking her head violently. "You DIED!"

I tilted my head, a slow, chilling smile spreading across my lips.

"Did I?"

Her scream filled the room.

Elena trembled, her breath shallow as she stared at me like I was a ghost.

I stepped closer, dragging a chair across the floor with a slow, deliberate screech before sitting across from her.

"You look pale," I murmured. "Like you've seen a ghost."

She flinched. "This… this isn't real."

I leaned forward, my gaze piercing through her. "Oh, it's very real. And we have so much to talk about."

Her lips quivered, but she tried to mask her fear. "Leon will find me."

I laughed—a slow, mocking sound that made her shiver. "Leon doesn't care. He's probably already thinking of replacing you."

A flicker of doubt crossed her face.

Good.

I circled her chair, my fingers grazing the back of her neck, making her shudder. "Tell me, Elena… do you ever feel like someone's watching you? Like shadows move when they shouldn't?"

She swallowed hard, refusing to answer.

I crouched beside her, my lips close to her ear. "I've been with you for weeks. Whispering in the dark. Leaving little reminders. Did you like my gifts?"

Her breath hitched.

I smiled. "Oh, I know you did. You kept looking over your shoulder, waiting for the nightmare to end. But guess what?"

I grabbed her chin, forcing her to meet my eyes.

"The nightmare is just beginning."

Her silent tears finally fell.

Elena's breathing was ragged, her wrists raw from struggling against the restraints. But the real fight wasn't physical—it was in her mind.

I wanted her to shatter.

And I knew exactly how to do it.

I turned off the single lightbulb above her, plunging the room into darkness.

Then, silence.

Minutes passed. Maybe hours.

I watched as panic set in, her breath coming in sharp gasps. She couldn't see me, couldn't hear me. But she could feel me.

"Elena," I whispered from somewhere in the dark.

She jumped.

I let out a soft, eerie laugh.

"Elena…" I repeated, my voice coming from another direction this time.

"STOP IT!" she screamed, her voice shaking.

I flicked the light back on, but I wasn't in front of her anymore. I was behind her, close enough that she could feel my breath against her neck.

She sobbed, shaking her head. "Please… please stop…"

I walked around to face her again, tilting my head. "Why? You didn't stop when I begged, did you?"

Tears streamed down her face. "I don't know what you're talking about—"

I grabbed her face, my nails pressing into her skin. "You do know."

I reached into my pocket and pulled out a small music box. I wound it up, and a soft, haunting lullaby filled the air.

Elena's eyes widened. She knew this tune.

"This was playing… the night you and Leon set me up," I murmured. "Do you remember now?"

She shook her head violently, but her body betrayed her—trembling, breathing uneven.

I leaned in closer. "You can lie to yourself, but your mind remembers. And I'm going to make sure you never forget."

She let out a broken sob.

I smiled. "Now… let's play another game."

Meanwhile, Leon was growing desperate. He had searched every possible location, sent men to hunt for her, but Elena had vanished without a trace.

And with every passing day, the fear in his chest grew.

Because whoever took her knew how to erase their tracks.

And if they could do that…

They could come for him next.