Ophelia couldn’t sleep.
Again.
At this point, sleep was becoming a luxury she no longer deserved.
Rain tapped softly against the windows while the fireplace burned quietly across the room.
Everything should’ve felt peaceful.
Instead, she felt like someone had tied anxiety directly to her soul.
She sat near the window wrapped in a blanket, staring outside into the dark gardens of the Vale estate.
Too many things had happened in too little time.
She died.
Woke up in another world.
Found out someone tried to kill her.
Got chased on the road.
And somehow ended up trusting the most suspicious man alive.
Honestly, her life choices were getting worse.
A soft knock interrupted her thoughts.
Ophelia turned slightly.
“It’s open.”
The door creaked open slowly and a maid stepped inside carrying tea.
Not Emily this time.
This maid looked older.
Quieter too.
“My lord asked me to bring this for you.”
Ophelia blinked.
“Alekxander?”
The maid nodded once.
Interesting.
Very interesting.
Ophelia accepted the tray carefully.
“Thanks.”
The maid bowed slightly before leaving again.
The second the door closed, Ophelia looked down at the tea suspiciously.
Considering her current situation, trust issues felt reasonable.
“Imagine surviving assassination just to die from tea,” she muttered.
Still…
Alekxander warning her about poison earlier kept replaying in her head.
Would he really poison her now?
Probably not.
Hopefully not.
Honestly she was setting the bar very low already.
After a moment, she carefully took a sip.
Nothing happened.
Good start.
The warmth spread through her body slowly.
And for the first time all day, she relaxed a little.
Just a little.
Her gaze drifted back toward the rain outside.
Then suddenly…
Whispers.
Soft at first.
“Don’t trust him.”
Ophelia froze immediately.
The teacup trembled slightly in her hands.
The room suddenly felt colder.
“He lied to you before.”
Pain hit her head instantly.
Another vision.
A dark room.
The original Ophelia crying quietly.
Alekxander standing near the door.
“You promised me,” she whispered shakily.
His expression looked tight.
Frustrated.
“I’m trying to protect you.”
“You keep saying that!”
The original Ophelia stepped backward slowly.
“But everytime you protect me, someone dies!”
The vision shattered violently.
CRASH.
The teacup slipped from Ophelia’s hands and shattered across the floor.
Her breathing became uneven immediately.
Someone died?
Because of him?
Or because of her?
Before she could think further, the door opened again.
Alekxander entered quickly.
His eyes landed on the broken cup first.
Then on her.
“What happened?”
Ophelia looked up slowly.
The memory still lingered painfully in her chest.
Silence.
Alekxander’s expression changed instantly.
Not shock.
Not confusion.
Just tension.
“What did you see?”
There it was again.
Always that question first.
Ophelia stood up slowly.
“She was crying.”
His jaw tightened slightly.
“You promised to protect her.”
The silence in the room became heavy immediately.
Alekxander didn’t move.
Didn’t deny it either.
Ophelia’s chest tightened slightly.
“She said people died because of you.”
Still silence.
And somehow…
That hurt more than if he argued.
Ophelia looked away first.
Because suddenly the room felt too small.
Too warm.
Too personal.
“I didn’t kill them,” Alekxander said quietly.
The words came slow.
Careful.
Like they cost him something.
Ophelia crossed her arms slightly.
“But people still died.”
His gaze stayed on her.
“Yes.”
No excuses.
No denial.
Just yes.
That honesty should’ve comforted her.
Instead it made her chest ache strangely.
Because now she could tell one thing clearly:
Whatever happened in the past still haunted him badly.
The fire crackled softly between them.
Rain continued outside.
And for a long moment, nobody spoke.
Then finally Ophelia sighed tiredly.
“I’m so confused.”
The words came out smaller than she intended.
Not angry anymore.
Just exhausted.
Alekxander looked at her carefully.
“I know.”
“You say things like that but explain absolutely nothing.”
A tiny pause.
Then.
“If I explain everything now, you’ll panic.”
Ophelia stared at him in disbelief.
“I’m already panicking!”
For the first time tonight.
He actually smiled.
Small.
Quick.
But real.
And unfortunately…
It looked unfairly good on him.
Ophelia immediately looked away.
Absolutely not.
Her brain was already struggling enough.
No need to develop feelings for the suspicious nobleman with trauma and murder accusations.
Terrible idea.
Awful even.
Alekxander stepped closer slowly.
Not threatening.
Careful.
Like he was trying not to scare her.
That somehow made things worse.
“You should sleep,” he said quietly.
Ophelia laughed softly.
“I don’t think my life allows sleep anymore.”
His eyes stayed on her for a moment too long.
Then.
“You’re safer here.”
Again with that word.
Safe.
Ophelia looked up at him slowly. Enjoying the story? Read on at g.com.
“Do you really believe that?”
Silence.
Alekxander didn’t answer immediately.
And that hesitation told her everything.
Something bad was coming.
He knew it too.
Before she could ask another question, a loud sound echoed somewhere outside.
A scream.
Ophelia froze.
The atmosphere shifted instantly.
Alekxander turned toward the door sharply.
Another scream followed.
Closer this time.
Then running footsteps.
The door suddenly burst open.
One of the guards rushed inside breathing heavily.
“My lord…”
His face looked pale.
“There’s been another attack.”
Everything inside Ophelia went cold.
Alekxander’s voice turned sharp immediately.
“Where?”
“The east wing.”
Ophelia noticed it instantly.
The way the guard avoided looking at her.
Like he already knew something she didn’t.
Then the guard finally said it.
“They were looking for Lady Ashbourne.”
Silence dropped heavily into the room.
Ophelia’s stomach twisted painfully.
No.
No no no.
This was becoming too much.
Alekxander grabbed his coat immediately.
“Lock the estate down.”
“Yes, my lord.”
The guard rushed out again.
Ophelia stood frozen near the fireplace.
Her hands trembled slightly.
“They came here for me?”
Alekxander looked at her directly.
“Yes.”
Still honest.
Still calm.
But this time she noticed something else beneath it.
Anger.
Real anger.
The air around him felt colder suddenly.
Dangerous.
Ophelia swallowed slowly.
“Who are these people?”
No answer.
Again.
Her frustration finally snapped.
“Stop doing that!”
Alekxander paused.
“You keep acting like I’m too fragile to know anything but people are literally trying to kill me!”
Her voice shook slightly now.
Not from anger anymore.
Fear.
Real fear.
“I don’t even know why this is happening!”
Silence filled the room again.
But this silence felt different.
Heavier.
Alekxander walked closer slowly.
Then stopped right in front of her.
Close enough for Ophelia to notice how tired he looked.
Not physically.
Something deeper than that.
“You want the truth?” he asked quietly.
Ophelia nodded immediately.
“Yes.”
His gaze stayed fixed on hers.
Long.
Steady.
Then finally.
“The original Ophelia Ashbourne discovered something she was never supposed to know.”
Ophelia’s breathing stopped slightly.
Alekxander continued quietly:
“And the night she tried to escape…”
The room suddenly felt freezing cold.
“They killed her for it.”