after they met her

fourtythree

i v a n a

I wandered through the endless hallways, feeling more and more disoriented with each step.

The mansion was enormous, its labyrinth of corridors winding in every direction, and I had no idea where I was going.

My heart pounded in my chest, echoing in the empty space around me as my frustration grew. I'd been trying to find my way back to the ballroom or at least to the bathroom, but every turn seemed to lead me deeper into this maze.

This place was just too big, too overwhelming.

I could feel the walls closing in, the weight of the mansion pressing down on me. The grandeur of it all, the high ceilings, the ornate decorations—what had once seemed impressive now felt suffocating.

My breath hitched as I turned another corner, only to find yet another unfamiliar hallway stretching before me.

Finally, I couldn't take it anymore.

My legs felt weak, trembling from the anxiety gnawing at me. I leaned against the wall, sliding down until I was sitting on the cold marble floor.

I pulled my knees up to my chest, wrapping my arms around them and laying my head on top.

A sigh escaped my lips, the sound filled with the weight of my frustration and fear.

How did I manage to get lost?

I'd only meant to find some peace, a moment to breathe after everything that had happened, but now I was trapped in this labyrinth with no idea how to find my way back.

My thoughts churned, a mix of self-reproach and helplessness.

I had grown up navigating the rough streets of the city, always alert, always aware of my surroundings.

And now, here I was, hopelessly lost.

I closed my eyes, trying to steady my breath, but my mind kept racing.

This night was already overwhelming, and now this? I felt tears prickling at the corners of my eyes, but I blinked them away.

Crying wouldn't help.

I just needed to get my bearings and find my way back.

But as I sat there, lost in my thoughts, a sound broke through the quiet—a low murmur of voices. My ears perked up, and I lifted my head, straining to hear more clearly.

The voices were coming from a room at the end of the hall. My first instinct was to go there and ask for help.

Maybe they could point me in the right direction, help me get back to the others.

But just as I pushed myself up from the floor, I froze.

One of the voices... it was familiar.

Too familiar.

My blood ran cold, and my breath caught in my throat.

My heart began to race as I recognized Raymond's voice, the one that always held a touch of warmth when he spoke to me, but now sounded different—cold, calculating.

I pressed myself tighter against the wall, my knees trembling, feeling like they could give way at any moment, but I couldn't bring myself to reveal my presence.

I had to know what was being said.

As I leaned against the cold wall, the conversation between Raymond and the unknown man continued to drift through the partially open door, growing clearer with every word. My heart pounded in my chest, every fiber of my being urging me to leave, to stop listening to the words that would surely break me. But I couldn't move. I was frozen in place, caught in the invisible web of their exchange.