Chapter 16: The Haunting of Love and Lies

The silence between Ellie and Ben was unbearable. It sat between them like an open grave, deep and endless.

"I don't know."

Ben's words still echoed in her head, each syllable a fresh wound.

Ellie had expected a fight, maybe even a denial. But not that.

Not hesitation. Not uncertainty.

A slow, eerie clap broke the silence.

Victoria.

"Wow," her voice purred from the shadows. "That was brutal, Ben. I almost feel bad for her."

Ellie's blood boiled. "Shut up!"

"Oh, sweetie," Victoria giggled, "you wish you could shut me up."

The room turned cold.

The mirror above the dresser cracked—thin lines spiderwebbing across the glass like an omen.

Ben stood motionless, his face pale. "Victoria, please—"

"Oh, you don't get to please me anymore, darling," Victoria sneered. "You don't get to beg me to stop when we both know—"

She whispered now, her voice curling around him like smoke, "—you didn't want me to."

Ellie clenched her fists. "Enough!"

The air shook.

And then—Victoria appeared.

A cold version of her former self. A translucent figure with long, flowing hair and piercing eyes.

She smirked. "You still don't get it, do you?"

Ellie's heart pounded. "Get what?"

Victoria's expression darkened. "That I'll never let you have him."

And then—the bed lurched.

Ellie barely had time to scream before she was yanked backward. The mattress dipped, unseen hands pinning her down.

"Ben!" she gasped.

He lunged for her, but Victoria shoved him away with an unseen force.

"Stay right there," Victoria purred. "I want you to watch this time."

Ellie struggled, her body cold under the ghost's grip. "What are you doing?!"

Victoria leaned in, her phantom breath like ice against Ellie's ear. "Making you suffer."

The room darkened.

And then—a cold, invisible touch traced Ellie's skin.

She shuddered, horror and something else warring inside her.

Ben snapped. "Victoria, STOP!"

Victoria laughed, full of malice. "Why? Are you jealous, Ben?"

He fought against the unseen force, his muscles straining. "You don't control me anymore!"

Victoria tilted her head. "Don't I?"

Ben froze.

His body jerked, his breath hitching.

Ellie watched in horror as his fingers twitched—his body responding to something.

To Victoria.

"Oh, Ben," Victoria purred, "you were always so easy to tempt."

Ellie snapped.

"GET AWAY FROM HIM!"

The lights burst.

The entire room shook.

And then—Victoria screamed.

A blinding force erupted from Ellie's body, sending the ghost flying across the room.

Victoria faded—just for a moment.

The pressure lifted.

Ellie gasped, sitting up, her heart pounding.

Ben scrambled to her side. "Ellie…"

She shoved him away. "Don't touch me."

Hurt flickered in his eyes. "Ellie, I—"

"You don't know if you love her more than me," she hissed. "And now I don't know if I can ever trust you again."

Victoria's laughter echoed faintly as she disappeared.

"Oh, sweetheart," her voice whispered from the shadows. "This is far from over."

And Ellie knew—deep in her bones—it wasn't.