Chapter 5 A Fragile Mind

Slipping Through the Cracks

Kelly remained completely still on the edge of the bed, her heart racing as the slip of paper pressed tightly against her palm, warmth radiating from its edges like a fire igniting her thoughts.

"Don't drink anything." was like a reminder in my head

The phrases spun around in her mind, mingling with the scattered memories she still held onto.

Who was the stranger? How did they know what was happening to her? This thought kept running through her head

She glanced at the untouched tea on her nightstand. How many cups had she already consumed?

A feeling of intense fear took over. How much of her life had been rewritten by Rowel's hand?

She pressed her fingers to her temples trying to think

But every time she tried to remember beyond the past few months, her mind blurred, like ink smeared across a page.

She needed answers. And she needed them before Rowel erased everything completely

The Weight of His Presence

The next morning, Kelly found Rowel waiting for her in the dining room.

His presence was suffocating and killing her inside but she couldn't do anything about it but pretend like it was completely okay

He sat at the head of the long marble table, a vision of control, his black shirt crisp, his demeanor unreadable.

A steaming cup of tea sat in front of her.

Kelly's shivered looking at the tea

"Don't drink anything."

She forced herself to meet his gaze. Did he know she had seen the note?

"Sleep well?" Rowel's voice was smooth, deceptively warm.

She gave a small nod. "Yes, thank you"

"Good," he murmured, studying her like a puzzle he was trying to solve. "You seem... different today."

Her hands curled into fists under the table as she tries to control her emotions

He's testing me. Definitely, he is trying to watch out for any cracks or loops.

And she knew if she made one wrong move-he'd tighten the chains.

Kelly forced a smile. "Just tired."

Rowel leaned back in his chair, his fingers tapping absently against the armrest of the chair

Then, he slid the teacup toward her.

Kelly's pulse skyrocketed.

A challenge, a silent demand, a threat

Would she drink? Would she defy him? Of course, she can't do that

Her throat closed up as she reached for the cup, fingers trembling.

What would he do if she refused? Would he react or turn away

Her mind screamed don't do it.

But before she could decide-Rowel suddenly leaned forward, gripping her wrist. Damn!

"Kelly," he murmured, his voice too soft, too knowing.

Her breath shivered

He knew. Of course, he did, he's just playing dumb

Somehow, some way, he knew she was hesitating for a reason.

She tried to pull away, but his grip tightened, his fingers pressing into her skin-not enough to hurt, but enough to remind her who was in control.

"Drink," Rowel said, his voice barely above a whisper.

A command. A dare. A trap.

-

A Desperate Move

Kelly's mind raced. She couldn't drink it. But she couldn't refuse outright. At that point, she knew she had run out of luck and couldn't escape it this time

So she did the only thing she could think of-she faked a slip.

Her fingers "accidentally" knocked over the cup, spilling the tea across the tablecloth. What a brave move

A sharp silence followed.

Rowel's grip on her wrist turned to steel his fingers closed around her wrist like a shackle.

Kelly's breath suspended

She had never seen him this still and so unyielding

Then-a slow, controlled exhale.

"No harm done," he said, his voice void of emotion.

But the air in the room had changed, it vibrated with tension

Rowel wasn't fooled his gaze seemed to pierce right through her

She had bought herself a moment of safety-but at what ultimate cost??

That night, Kelly couldn't sleep..she struggled hard to keep her thoughts and her mind from going crazy

Rowel hadn't spoken much after the tea incident, but his silence was worse than his words and it was killing

He was planning something for sure She could feel it like it was piercing her skin

As she lay down in bed, she shivered down to her spine, staring at the ceiling, the darkness seemed to be fighting her making her skin fright

Then-a faint creak. Her heart lurched, skipping a beat. Her bedroom door. She turned sharply, but the door was still shut. Or was it? Her chest tightened as she strained her eyes into the darkness to see.

The door wasn't fully closed as it cracked open, a sliver of shadow slicing through the gap. A breathless second passed. Then- A shadow moved. Not Rowel. Someone else. The stranger?

Her stomach twisted into a knot, a cold dread seeping into her veins.

The note. The warning. The missing memories. Was she imagining this? Or was someone there, watching her?

Kelly slowly slid out of bed, every nerve in her body screaming in warning. The floorboards creaked beneath her feet, making her freeze.

If Rowel found out-if this was a trap-it could all be over. But if she did nothing... She might never get another chance.

And then, she heard it.

A whisper, barely audible. "Kelly..."

Slipping Through the Cracks

Kelly's fingers trembled as she held the slip of paper, the words burning into her mind like a promise. "Don't drink anything." Who had written this? And how did they know Rowel's secrets?

As she glanced at the untouched tea, a shiver ran down her spine. How many times had she already drunk it? How much of her life had been erased, sip by sip? She fell into a pool of numerous thoughts at the same time and finally slept off without a final idea

The next morning, Rowel waited for her, his presence commanding attention. His black shirt was crisp, his demeanor unreadable. But Kelly saw something in his eyes, a flicker of emotion that made her heart skip a beat.

"Sleep well?" Rowel's voice was smooth, deceptively warm.

"Yes," Kelly lied, her pulse racing.

Rowel studied her, his gaze too sharp, too knowing. Then, he slid the teacup toward her.

Kelly's stomach churned. "Don't drink anything."

A simple act-lifting the cup, bringing it to her lips. But it felt like a noose tightening around her throat.

Rowel leaned forward, his gaze locked onto hers. "Go on." moving close to watch her drink

Kelly's breath hitched. This was a test. And she was failing..failing terribly. At this moment she was lost

She tilted the cup slightly, letting the warm steam brush against her lips. She didn't have to drink it-just make him believe she had..to give him a sense of humor

She took a delicate sip, not enough to swallow..letting the liquid pool in her mouth for a second before pretending to swallow.

Rowel's gaze didn't waver. A long silence stretched between them, heavy, suffocating.

Then-he smiled. A slow, dangerous smile.

"Good girl," he murmured, satisfied.

Kelly's pulse hammered in her ears. Had he believed her? Or was he simply waiting for the poison to take effect?

The Labyrinth of Her Mind

That night, Kelly lay in bed, her body motionless but her mind racing. What if the tea was already inside her system? What if she had been drinking it for months?

As she pressed her hands against her temples, frustration mounting, she felt a presence in the room. A presence that made her heart skip a beat.

She turned to see a figure standing in the shadows, watching her. Not Rowel. Someone else.

The note. The warning. The missing memories. Was she imagining this? Or was someone really there?

Kelly's pulse skyrocketed as she slowly slid out of bed, her bare feet barely making a sound on the cold floor.

"Kelly... run." The whisper was low, faint, right at the edge of her hearing.

Her blood turned to ice. Her body stiffened, her breath coming in shallow gasps.

The room was silent. Had she imagined it? Or was this proof that she wasn't as alone as she thought?

Then-the door clicked shut. Slow. Deliberate.

Kelly's breath hitched. Her heart beat so loud that she was sure someone would notice it.

Had she locked it? No. She was sure she hadn't. Someone had closed it from the outside.

And that meant-Someone had been inside.

Fear ran down her spine as she moved away from the door, her legs shaking profusely

The warning echoed in her head. "Run."

But where? How? She was trapped. Rowel's presence was everywhere. His control was absolute.

And yet-Someone was trying to help her. Or were they leading her straight into another trap?

Either way, one thing was clear it was too late for her to discover the real fact but she couldn't back down now

Facing the darkness, Kelly felt a handful of eagerness and determination within her. No matter the cost she was ready to uncover the truth

And with that determined mindset, she took her first step into the unknown world