Lost In The Darkness {Edited}

Chapter~53

P.s. It is a short chapter. I barely got the time to even write this.

So, my mentor told me the last date of submitting our research moved earlier to this 30th. So, I have been working my butt off to complete and edit my research. Because otherwise, my year worth of an efforts will get wasted and it won't get published officially.

Anyways, have a nice time.

"And if somebody hurts you, I wanna fight. But my hands been broken once too many times."~ Tom Odell

Vanessa's POV:

Vanessa's POV:

My heart stopped. It fucking stopped hearing her name. Then it broke, and kept breaking into a million shards, each one sharper than the last, cutting deep into the core of my being. The pain was relentless, each fragment a jagged piece of the past that couldn't be put back together without drawing blood. It was as if every memory, every emotion associated with her, was a shard embedding itself deeper, making it impossible to heal without inflicting further wounds.

The elevator seemed to close in around me, the walls pressing in as the weight of her name crushed my chest. I could feel the air growing thicker, each breath a struggle as I tried to hold back the tidal wave of emotions threatening to drown me. Her name echoed in my mind, each repetition a cruel reminder of what had been lost and what could never be reclaimed.

In that moment, all the strength I had mustered to confront Angelo, all the resolve I had shown, felt like it was unraveling. The façade of control and determination shattered, leaving me exposed to the raw, unfiltered agony of my heart breaking. It was a pain that went beyond physical hurt, a deep, soul-crushing ache that seemed to seep into every fiber of my being.

I clenched my fists, nails digging into my palms as if the physical pain could somehow distract from the emotional torment. But there was no escape, no way to numb the anguish that had taken hold. All I could do was stand there, feeling the shards of my broken heart cut deeper, knowing that the pieces could never be mended without leaving scars.

It didn't take me long to put the pieces together. No, it clicked the very moment Nicolo said Sophia is alive. He doesn't know who Sophia is; he still doesn't. But he's passing a message from Matthew. Or rather, from Shadow, because when he mentioned that Matthew instructed him to bring me to an address, an all too familiar place, it all fell into place with heartbreaking clarity.

My mind raced, each thought a poignant fragment of memory and realization. Sophia, her name resonated like a bittersweet melody in my soul, stopping my heart and filling me with a flood of emotions. She represented a past that shaped every fiber of my being, driving me relentlessly forward. She was my little hope, the one I had desperately sought, a symbol of a cruelty that fate had bestowed on us. 

I never imagined fate could be crueler; in fact, I dared not entertain such thoughts. Yet, it wove its intricate web around me, entangling my heart in the threads of a promise that held more weight than the entirety of this forsaken world's existence. It condemned me to the bitter role of failure, a label that seared into my soul like a branding iron. I felt like a lost wanderer in a darkened labyrinth, haunted by the echoes of a promise I couldn't fulfill—a promise to shield the one person I cherished from the relentless onslaught of hatred, brutality, and unyielding pain that permeates this world. Every ache, every pang of regret was a testament to my inability to protect her, a haunting reminder of my inability to shield her from the demons that overshadowed our lives.

The elevator doors chimed softly as they slid open, revealing a softly lit corridor ahead. Stepping out, I hastened my stride, the thick carpet swallowing the sound of my steps. I made my way toward the last door on this floor—the entrance to Shadow's Penthouse.

I punched in the familiar passcode, the keypad beeping softly in response. The door's mechanism hummed as it unlocked, allowing me to push it open with a mixture of anticipation and trepidation.

The room beyond was dimly lit, casting soft shadows that danced across the walls. My eyes scanned the elegant décor, but they found her before anything else—a figure seated by the window, bathed in the soft glow of the evening light filtering through sheer curtains.

Her silhouette was unmistakable, her presence both achingly familiar and painfully distant. I hesitated for a moment, drinking in the sight of her, every detail etching itself into my memory—the way her hair fell in gentle waves around her face, the curve of her shoulders as she turned slightly at the sound of the door.

Time seemed to slow as she sensed my presence. Her movements were deliberate yet fragile, as if unsure whether to fully acknowledge the reality around her. And then, as if drawn by an invisible force, she turned her head towards me, her eyes meeting mine.

The world around me faded into insignificance as I stood there, locked in a moment that felt suspended in eternity. Emotions surged within me—a tumultuous blend of joy, longing, and an inexplicable sorrow that threatened to overwhelm my senses.

A gasp escaped me, barely audible amidst the weight of unspoken words and unresolved emotions. Tears welled up in my eyes, betraying the flood of feelings that surged through my heart. They flowed down my cheeks unchecked, mirroring the vulnerability and rawness of the moment.

I finally breathed out, the sound barely a whisper yet echoing loudly in the silence between us. It was a name that carried years of longing, of unanswered questions, of a love that had endured despite the passage of time and the distance between us.

"Sophia"

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A/N:- Did you like the chapter?

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Love,
Ms_CornSalad❤️