Ophelia had exactly one hour to leave a house that might be trying to kill her.
No pressure.
She stood in the middle of her room, staring at everything like she was supposed to pack her entire new life into a bag.
Which was… strange.
Because none of this actually felt like hers.
“My lady, we don’t have time,” Emily said, already moving around the room.
Right.
Time.
Ophelia snapped out of it and grabbed the nearest dress.
“…Do I even need this many clothes?”
Emily paused.
“You’re going to stay with Lord Vale.”
Oh.
Right.
That part.
Ophelia blinked slowly.
“…That suddenly feels like a bad idea.”
Emily didn’t laugh.
Which was concerning.
Instead, she walked closer and lowered her voice.
“My lady… you’ll be safer with him.”
There it was again.
That same sentence.
Not safe here.
Safer with him.
Ophelia frowned slightly.
“Emily,” she said carefully, “why does everyone sound like I’m about to be murdered?”
The maid went quiet.
Too quiet.
Yeah.
That answered enough.
Ophelia sighed and sat on the edge of the bed.
“Okay… just tell me one thing.”
Emily looked at her.
“Do you trust him?”
The question hung in the air.
Simple.
But not really.
Emily hesitated.
Then slowly nodded.
“Yes.”
No long explanation.
No hesitation after that.
Just yes.
And somehow…
That made Ophelia feel a little better.
Not fully.
But enough.
By the time Ophelia stepped out of her room, the entire manor felt different.
Quieter.
Heavier.
Like everyone knew she was leaving.
And didn’t like it.
Servants avoided her eyes even more now.
Some looked nervous.
Others looked… worried.
That was new.
Ophelia walked beside Emily down the long hallway.
Her footsteps echoed softly.
Too softly.
For a moment, she felt it again.
That strange pull.
Like something was watching her.
Waiting.
She stopped walking.
“My lady?” Emily asked.
Ophelia didn’t answer immediately.
Her gaze drifted toward one of the doors.
Closed.
Plain.
Nothing special about it.
But—
Her chest tightened.
Her hand moved before she could stop herself.
She reached for the door handle.
The second her fingers touched it—
The world shifted.
Darkness.
Voices.
Fast.
Loud.
“She’s inside—”
“Don’t let her out—”
“Finish it—”
Ophelia’s breath caught.
The door burst open in the memory.
Men rushed inside.
The original Ophelia stumbled backward.
Terrified.
“No—please—”
Then—
A voice.
Familiar.
Cold.
Everything froze.
Alekxander.
Standing at the doorway.
His expression unreadable.
But his voice—
His voice wasn’t calm this time.
“If you touch her, you answer to me.”
Silence.
Tension.
The men hesitated.
Then slowly stepped back.
The memory flickered.
Shifted.
And suddenly—
The same room.
But empty.
Quiet.
Too quiet.
A body on the floor.
Still.
Not moving.
Ophelia gasped as the vision snapped away.
She stumbled back immediately.
“My lady!”
Emily grabbed her arm before she could fall.
Ophelia’s breathing turned uneven.
Her heart was racing too fast.
That wasn’t just a memory.
That was…
That was something that happened here.
In this house.
In that room.
Ophelia looked at the door again.
It looked normal now.
Like nothing ever happened.
“…We need to go,” she said quickly.
Emily didn’t argue.
The carriage was already waiting outside.
Black.
Simple.
Just like him.
Ophelia stepped out of the manor slowly.
The fresh air hit her immediately.
Cold.
Sharp.
But it felt… good.
Better than inside.
Way better.
For the first time since waking up in this world—
She could breathe properly.
Alekxander stood beside the carriage, speaking quietly with one of the guards.
He looked up the moment she stepped outside.
Of course he did.
Their eyes met.
And for a second—
Everything else faded.
The servants.
The manor.
The tension.
Just that look.
Like he was checking something.
Making sure something was still there.
Or maybe…
Still okay.
Ophelia looked away first.
Because that felt like too much.
Way too much.
“Are we leaving now?” she asked, walking closer.
“Yes.”
Simple.
Of course.
He didn’t ask if she was ready.
Didn’t explain anything.
Just yes.
Ophelia nodded slowly.
“Good.”
Because if she stayed any longer, she might actually lose her mind.
Emily stepped forward nervously.
“My lady…”
Ophelia turned to her.
The maid looked like she wanted to say something more.
But didn’t.
Instead, she just bowed her head.
“Take care of yourself.”
Ophelia gave her a small smile.
“I’ll try.”
That was the best she could promise.
She turned back and climbed into the carriage.
Alekxander followed right after.
The door closed.
And just like that.
The manor was behind them.
The carriage started moving.
Slow at first.
Then faster.
Ophelia didn’t say anything for a while.
She just sat there, staring out the window. Get faster updates on g.com.
Watching the estate disappear.
Piece by piece.
Until it was gone.
Only then did she finally speak.
“That house is insane.”
Silence.
Then.
Alekxander almost smiled.
Almost.
“I won’t argue with that.”
Ophelia blinked.
Oh.
So he could agree with things.
Interesting.
She turned slightly to face him.
“Okay… you need to start explaining things now.”
“No.”
Of course.
What else was she actually expecting.
Ophelia sighed.
“I just left my family, almost got locked up, saw someone die in a memory, and you’re telling me no?”
“Yes.”
She stared at him.
Long.
Hard.
“You’re actually unbelievable.”
“I’ve been told that.”
Why did that sound like he didn’t care at all?
Ophelia leaned back against the seat.
“Then at least tell me this.”
He didn’t respond.
But he was listening.
She could tell.
“Am I in danger?”
A pause.
Short.
But enough.
Then.
“Yes.”
No hesitation.
No softening.
Just the truth.
Ophelia swallowed.
Okay.
Good.
At least he was honest about that.
“From who?”
Another pause.
Longer this time.
Alekxander looked at her.
Really looked this time.
Then said quietly.
“Everyone.”
The word settled heavily between them.
Ophelia felt it immediately.
That cold weight in her chest again.
Because deep down…
She already knew.
Her family.
The servants.
The house itself.
Nothing felt safe.
She let out a slow breath.
“And you?”
The question came out before she could stop it.
Silence filled the carriage.
Alekxander didn’t answer immediately.
He just watched her.
Carefully.
Like he was deciding something.
Then.
“No.”
Ophelia blinked.
That was… fast.
Too fast.
“You expect me to believe that?”
“I don’t expect anything.”
That was worse.
Way worse.
Ophelia looked away again.
Because for some reason.
That answer felt more honest than anything else he said so far.
The carriage kept moving.
Further away.
Further from the manor.
Further from whatever was waiting for her there.
But somehow,
The unease didn’t leave.
It followed her.
Sat quietly in her chest.
Because now she understood something clearly.
Leaving didn’t mean she was safe.
It just meant,
Whatever was after her…
Would come looking.