On the other side of the city, the moment Enzo learned about Elise’s disappearance, chaos completely took over the palace.
He had nearly turned the entire place upside down searching for her.
Every guard, every servant, every security officer had received only one order from him-
“Find her.”
No matter where.
No matter how long it took.
Enzo himself refused to stay still.
He drove through the streets of Versailles like a man possessed, his sharp eyes constantly searching the crowds, every corner, every crossing…
hoping to catch even a single glimpse of her.
His face looked exhausted.
His usually calm expression had completely disappeared.
For the first time in years, fear was clearly visible in his eyes.
Because he knew something Elise didn’t.
And if she stayed outside for too long…
She would be in terrible danger.
“Elsie…” he whispered while gripping the steering wheel tightly.
“Just be safe.”
Rain lightly fell over the glowing streets while cars passed beside him.
Suddenly, Enzo’s eyes narrowed slightly.
A thought crossed his mind instantly.
Books.
Whenever Elise became confused, emotional, or desperate for answers…
she always searched for them inside books.
Without wasting another second, Enzo immediately turned the car toward the old library.
The tires screeched softly against the wet road as he drove faster through the city.
When Enzo reached the library, he searched every corner of the royal library.
He even asked the librarians, but everyone gave the same answer-
“We didn’t see anyone.”
Enzo came outside and sat back inside the car.
“Please… God, protect her,” he whispered while gripping the steering wheel tightly.
Suddenly, his phone rang.
The moment he answered the call, his expression changed instantly.
“What?!”
He hit the steering wheel hard.
The news was terrifying.
______________________________________
The President was sitting alone inside his cabin, quietly going through several files and murder reports spread across the table.
His sharp eyes carefully observed every detail, every pattern, every similarity between the serial killings.
The deep cuts on the neck.
The missing evidence.
The strange symbols left behind at some crime scenes.
Everything felt disturbingly familiar.
Slowly, the President leaned back in his chair, his expression turning darker.
Because he had seen murders like these before.
Years ago.
In the past.
The same kind of brutal killings had once destroyed his entire life.
It was the case where he lost his family.
His closest friend.
And the woman he had loved more than anything.
Blood.
Screams.
Silence.
The President slowly clenched the file tightly in his hands.
“No…” he whispered under his breath.
“It can’t be starting again…”
The President slowly picked up his phone and called someone.
The call connected after a few seconds.
“Did you send those flowers to her?” he asked in a cold, calm voice.
The man on the other side replied quietly,
“Yes.”
“Please make sure she stays safe,” the President said quietly before lowering his gaze toward the murder files again.
For a few seconds, only silence remained between them.
Then the man on the other side suddenly said something.
And instantly-
The President’s body froze.
“What did you say?”
His expression changed completely as shock filled his eyes.
The phone slowly slipped lower from his hand while his body trembled slightly.
“That’s impossible…” he whispered under his breath.
For the first time in years…
Fear appeared on the President’s face.
The President quickly grabbed his car keys and walked out of his office.
The moment he stepped outside, the guards and his secretary hurried toward him.
The guards immediately lined up.
“Sir, where do you want to go? We’ll take you there,” one of them said respectfully.
But the President stopped walking and looked at them seriously.
“No. Stay here,” he ordered.
“It’s a personal matter.”
The guards exchanged uneasy looks, but before anyone could step back, one of his personal guards moved forward.
“I can’t let you go alone, sir.”
The President frowned slightly.
“That’s an order.”
But the guard stood firm without moving.
“In this matter, I will not listen to you,” he said seriously.
“Even if you are our President… your safety comes before your orders.”
For a moment, silence filled the hallway.
The President stared at him before sighing quietly.
He knew exactly how stubborn his personal guard could be.
“Fine,” he finally said.
“Come with me.”
Without wasting another second, both of them quickly walked toward the car….
________________________________
Enzo arrived at the headquarters of the security system and immediately began searching through all the CCTV footage related to Elise’s disappearance.
As the recordings played on the screen, his breathing turned uneven.
His trembling fingers tightened against the desk while his eyes stayed fixed on the footage.
Then, in the very next moment, both his heart and his steps seemed to stop at once.
His eyes widened in shock.
The footage showed a masked man attacking Elise while she desperately tried to defend herself.
A few seconds later, the man dragged her away, and the room fell silent again.
Enzo quickly grabbed the location map and rushed outside.
After a while, he drove to the place shown in the footage and searched every corner of the area frantically.
Frustration burned inside him.
Clenching his jaw tightly, he slammed his fist against the car before kicking the ground in helpless anger.
Meanwhile, the President stood in front of the Eiffel Tower.
The entire area was crowded with people, cameras flashing from every direction while security guards surrounded the venue.
Suddenly, his phone rang.
His expression darkened the moment he saw the unknown number.
With a hint of fear hidden beneath his composure, he quickly answered the call.
“Hello?”
A low chuckle echoed from the other side.
“I love how scared you sound.”
The President’s jaw tightened instantly.
“Tell me where she is,” he demanded coldly.
The man on the call burst into laughter, the sound sharp and unsettling.
The President let out a furious sigh.
“Relax, Mr. Lucien,” the mysterious voice said calmly.
“You literally took me as a joke,” the man continued mockingly.
“That’s why all of this is happening right now.”
Mr. Lucien clenched his jaw, fury burning behind his eyes as the crowd around the Eiffel Tower remained unaware of the tension hidden behind the call.
“If you harm her,” he said in a dangerously cold voice, “make sure you find a place to burn yourself first.”
A brief silence followed.
Then the man laughed again, darker this time, as though he was enjoying every second of provoking him.
The man on the call suddenly disconnected.
Lucien stared at the phone for a moment, his expression dark and unreadable.
Then he turned sharply toward one of his guards and handed him the number.
“Track this call,” he ordered coldly.
“I want his location, his identity, every single detail about him… and I want it before sunset.”
The guard immediately nodded and rushed away to follow his command.
A few moments later, Lucien’s phone rang again.
“Okay, I’m coming,” he said shortly before ending the call.
Without wasting another second, Lucien headed toward his next destination – the place where he hoped to find the girl he was meant to protect.
After a while, Lucien arrived at the abandoned school basement.
The afternoon sun cast harsh rays across the ruined building, making the temperature unbearably hot.
His guards remained stationed outside while he stepped deeper into the dark basement alone.
For a few seconds, everything was silent.
Then suddenly-
The surroundings glitched.
The old basement walls distorted like broken glass, and within seconds, the entire place transformed into a massive mirror room.
Reflections surrounded him from every direction, endless and unsettling.
A strange pressure filled the air.
Lucien suddenly felt as if he had been thrown into outer space.
His body reacted violently to the unnatural atmosphere.
Dizziness hit him instantly, followed by a wave of nausea.
He staggered slightly.
Then warm blood trickled from his nose.
Breathing heavily, he slowly lifted his gaze toward the ceiling.
A gigantic clock hung above him.
Underneath it, glowing words were written across the darkness:
“This door will always be closed to you.”
______________________________________
“The truth always arrives… but never alone.” — Shayarasehar