When Elise finally opened her eyes, sunlight was already pouring softly into the room through the giant glass windows.
For a few seconds…
she just stayed there.
Quietly staring at the ceiling.
And strangely- after such a long time, she felt alive again.
As if her exhausted soul had finally rested.
As if her body had been born again after carrying pain for too long.
A soft breath escaped her lips.
Slowly, she sat up on the bed, her silky hair falling over her shoulders.
The room smelled fresh…
calming…
almost unreal.
She pushed the blanket aside and walked barefoot across the cold marble floor.
Her fingers gently held the curtains before pulling them apart.
And the moment she did- her eyes widened.
The palace looked breathtaking in the morning light.
Golden sunlight touched every corner of the huge estate.
Beautiful fountains sparkled like diamonds, while rows of white flowers danced softly with the wind.
Far away, tall trees surrounded the palace like silent guards protecting a hidden kingdom.
It didn’t look like a house.
It looked like a world separated from reality.
Elise stepped closer to the balcony slowly, completely lost in the view.
“Beautiful…” she whispered unconsciously.
But then- her smile faded slightly.
Because deep inside her heart, one question still remained alive.
Who exactly was that man…?
A soft knock suddenly echoed through the room.
Elise blinked before turning toward the door.
“Come in…” she said softly.
But before anyone answered, another knock came-gentle yet formal.
She walked toward the door and slowly opened it.
Outside, several maids stood in a straight line, dressed neatly in black-and-white uniforms.
In their hands were silver trays filled with a royal breakfast-fresh fruits, pancakes, coffee, juice, and dishes she had probably never even tasted before.
For a moment, Elise just stared at them in surprise.
Without waiting for permission, the maids quietly entered the room with practiced elegance.
One of them carefully placed the food on the long glass table near the balcony while the others arranged everything perfectly.
The smell of fresh coffee and warm butter filled the room instantly.
After finishing, the head maid turned toward Elise and bowed her head slightly.
“Enjoy your breakfast, ma’am.”
And just like that- they all left the room silently, closing the door behind them.
The sudden quietness returned again.
Elise looked at the luxurious breakfast in front of her, still unable to understand why she was being treated like this.
This place…
These people…
That mysterious man…
Nothing made sense anymore.
Elise was actually starving after such a deep sleep.
So without thinking too much, she sat down and finally started eating.
And surprisingly- she enjoyed it.
The warm pancakes melted softly in her mouth, the fresh juice tasted sweet, and the coffee somehow made her body feel lighter.
For the first time in days, she ate peacefully without rushing or forcing herself.
After finishing breakfast, she picked up her phone quickly.
But the moment she checked it-
“No network.”
Again.
Her shoulders dropped slightly as she let out a deep sigh.
“Great…” she murmured under her breath.
The palace hallways looked even bigger during daylight, almost intimidating with their silence.
A few moments later, she reached the living room.
And there he was.
That man.
He sat calmly on the luxurious couch near the massive window, one hand holding a warm cup of black coffee while the other rested against a tablet he was reading.
The morning sunlight fell perfectly over him, making him look unreal-dangerous yet strangely elegant.
He didn’t even look up immediately.
As if he already knew she was there.
Elise stopped walking for a second, her heartbeat slowing strangely.
Then finally- he lifted his eyes from the tablet and looked directly at her.
He slowly turned off the tablet and placed it on the table beside him.
Then he stood up gracefully, fixing his sleeves slightly before looking at her.
“Good morning, Elise.”
His deep voice sounded calm…
almost warm this time.
Elise was caught off guard for a second, but then she gave a small smile.
“Good morning…” she replied softly.
She walked forward and sat down on the couch in front of him, trying to ignore the strange nervousness building inside her chest.
A few seconds later, he sat down too.
The living room suddenly felt quieter than before.
Only the soft sound of the fountain outside and the distant wind moving through the trees could be heard.
Elise looked at him carefully now in daylight.
He looked even more dangerous up close.
Sharp jawline.
Calm eyes.
Expensive watch resting around his wrist.
And that unreadable expression that made it impossible to know what he was truly thinking.
Meanwhile, he simply took a sip of his coffee while watching her silently.
Not in a creepy way.
But like he was studying her reactions carefully.
And somehow…
that made her even more nervous.
“How do you know me?” Elise asked while breaking the silence.
The smile on his face slowly disappeared.
For a moment, he stayed quiet.
Then he smiled again softly and leaned back slightly.
“I know everything about you,” he replied gently.
Elise looked at him silently.
“So tell me… where is my boyfriend?” Elise asked quietly.
The air in the room suddenly turned heavy.
The man’s fingers tightened slightly around the coffee cup, but his expression remained calm.
He looked at her for a few seconds before placing the cup down on the table.
That man stayed silent for a moment.
Then he looked at her calmly and spoke in a low voice.
“I’m not allowed to talk about that man.”
“Who the hell is allowing you to do anything?” Elise asked furiously.
But that man didn’t lose his temper.
He remained completely calm.
He simply looked at her quietly before speaking in the same composed voice.
“You ask too many questions, Elise.”
“Tell me who he is,” Elise asked again in the same furious tone.
That man slowly stood up from his place and slipped one hand into his pant pocket.
Then he looked at her calmly.
“Just wait for a while,” he said softly.
“You’ll get to know everything.”
Before he could leave the room, Elise spoke quickly.
“I want to go outside,” she said.
“I have to find my boyfriend.”
The man stopped near the doorway.
Then he slowly turned toward her.
Elise frowned immediately.
“What do you mean I can’t go?”
“And you can’t find him either,” he added in the same composed tone.
Her confusion only grew stronger.
“What are you even saying?” she asked, staring at him.
After saying that, he left the room.
Elise slowly sat down on the sofa, lost in thoughts about Joe.
“Sorry, Joe…” she whispered softly.
“But I promise… I’ll save you.”
After sitting there for a while, she finally got up and decided to look around the palace.
The place was huge.
As she walked through the long hallways, her eyes widened at the beauty around her.
Every room looked luxurious and perfectly designed.
Giant chandeliers sparkled above her, expensive paintings covered the walls, and the marble floors reflected the sunlight beautifully.
She walked past elegant guest rooms, a massive library, indoor lounges, and balconies with breathtaking views.
Then she reached the kitchen.
And once again, she was stunned.
The kitchen looked bigger than an entire apartment.
Everything was modern, organized, and spotless.
Several chefs and workers were busy preparing food quietly.
The entire palace looked less like a home- and more like a royal world hidden away from everyone else.
Elise stopped one of the maids who was passing by the hallway.
“Is there any network connection here?” she asked quickly.
The maid looked at her for a moment before replying politely,
“At the corner of the corridor, there’s a gaming room, ma’am. You can spend time there.”
The answer sounded strange and completely unrelated to her question.
But Elise noticed one thing- if there was a gaming room, there had to be internet.
Without wasting another second, she followed the long corridor toward the corner of the palace, trying to find the source of the network connection.
Elise finally reached the end of the corridor.
A large wooden door stood there slightly open, and soft golden lights spilled out from inside the room.
Curious, she pushed the door gently.
And the moment she stepped inside- she froze.
The room looked nothing like an ordinary gaming room.
It looked luxurious…
powerful…
expensive.
Warm amber lights glowed across the dark wooden walls, giving the entire place a rich royal feeling.
In the center of the room stood a massive gaming setup with multiple curved screens glowing beautifully in the dim light.
A black gaming chair faced the desk like a throne.
Shelves filled with rare collections, books, gaming controllers, and decorative pieces covered the walls perfectly.
The soft carpet beneath her feet felt expensive, while the scent of coffee and wood made the room strangely comforting.
Everything inside the room looked carefully designed.
Not childish.
Not messy.
But elegant.
Elise slowly walked further inside, completely mesmerized.
Elise quickly rushed toward one of the computers and sat down in front of it.
Her fingers moved nervously as she switched it on.
Within seconds, the large screen lit up.
She immediately opened Chrome and searched for her current location, hoping to finally understand where she was.
The loading screen appeared for a moment.
Then the results came.
And the moment Elise read them- her entire body froze.
Her eyes widened in complete shock.
“This… can’t be possible…” she whispered.
___________________________________
A locked door can hide many secrets.
But some truths are far more dangerous when they’re finally opened.
Until next chapter…