Morning came. Cristina opened her eyes, lying alone on the bed. The room was dim, curtains half‑drawn, the silence heavy. She pressed her hand against her head and whispered,
"What a headache…"
Her thoughts spun in confusion. Did I even go to Lucian's office yesterday? No… I don't think so.
She changed clothes, brushed her teeth, the cold water stinging her skin. Then suddenly, the memory struck like a blade.
"It was a dream… no, I did call Lucian."
Her eyes dropped to her neck. Dark red marks covered her skin, trailing down to her cleavage. Love bites. She froze, staring at them in disbelief, her breath catching.
"How could this be possible? No… it's not."
Her phone rang, breaking the silence. She snatched it up. It was Alexander.
Alexander: "So… you were drunk."
Cristina: "How do you know?"
Alexander: "I called you. You answered—and Lucian too."
Cristina (voice trembling, pacing the room): "What are you saying?"
Alexander: "He responded. I know his voice. You must have been drunk—you don't remember."
Cristina's breath faltered. So it wasn't a dream…
Alexander: "Dream?"
Cristina: "No… I didn't. I'll talk to you later."
She dropped onto the couch, clutching her knees, memories flooding back.
I kissed him… and he kissed me. We had our romantic moment—but why? We were both involved… Do I love him? Did he love me? How could we break two world rules?
"I won't go to work today… but how long can I ignore this? First, I will go find out if he has feelings for me… or not."
.
.
.
.At the café
.
The air smelled of coffee and paper. Elise noticed Cristina's pale face.
Elise: "You don't look good. Rough night?"
Cristina: "Yes… all good."
They worked together, the clatter of cups and chatter surrounding them.
Cristina: "Arian didn't come today?"
Elise: "He already informed the group. I think you didn't check."
Later, as they changed clothes, Elise's eyes widened at Cristina's neck.
Elise: "Cristina… what is this, all over your neck? Don't tell me you're secretly dating."
Cristina: "No… it's not like that. And it's not Arian."
Elise (smirking): "Of course not. He's only your friend. So… who's the mystery man?"
Cristina (hesitant): "Well… yesterday I was feeling a little bad, so I went to a club and… did something with a random guy."
Elise (teasing, raising her brows): "A random guy, huh? That explains the battle scars. You're full of surprises."
Cristina's thoughts screamed: How can I tell her I slept with a demon? She'd send me straight to a mental hospital. When the time comes… then I'll let her know.
.
.
.Night fell. Cristina drifted into sleep, and her steps carried her to the entry gate.
But David was not there. The iron doors stood open, a hollow silence pressing against her chest. She hesitated, then walked inside.
In her cabin she waited, the ticking clock loud in the stillness. Alfryd… half an hour late. Why hasn't he come?
Restless, she crossed to the other side. The door creaked open.
Cristina: "Alexander… did Lucian come to your side?"
Alexander: "No. And why would he come here? I am waiting for work, but didn't get any work to do. Something isn't right…"
The silence stretched, heavy and unnatural. Finally Alexander rose.
Alexander: "You should go. It's time for me to leave."
Cristina returned to her cabin. Still, Lucian never came. When her time ended, she vanished back to her world.
She opened her eyes, heart racing. Why weren't Lucian and David there? This has never happened before. Something is wrong.
The next night, she went again. The door was open. David was gone. Shadows seemed thicker, the halls colder. She searched the library, the cabin—empty.
Her phone rang. Alexander's voice was tense.
Alexander: "All good? Did he come?"
Cristina: "No… he didn't."
Alexander: "Same today. I also didn't get any work to do."
Cristina's voice broke, tears spilling.
Cristina: "What happened to Lucian? Is he fine? I want to meet him… I want to see if he is okay…"
Alexander: "Don't cry. Everything will be fine… okay?"
She hung up, sobbing, the sound echoing in the emptiness. And as the hour ended, her body dissolved back to her world, leaving only the unanswered questions behind.
.