Beneath the Veil of Shadows

Chapter 24

Sapphire had always been good at compartmentalizing. It was how she survived in her line of work, how she handled the cruel, dark truths she faced on a daily basis. It was also how she managed to push the memory of the man who had tried to rape her into the farthest recesses of her mind. She couldn’t let herself think about it. If she did, she might break, and Sapphire never broke. She was strong, resilient, and in control—or at least that is what she told herself.

She threw herself into her work with a fervor that surprised even her. She stayed late at the courthouse, spending hours sifting through case files, preparing legal briefs, and distracting herself with the endless details of her clients’ lives. Anything to avoid thinking about that night.

During the day, it was easy. The sun was shining, her colleagues bustled around, and the noise of life kept her mind too busy to wander. But at night, when the world quieted and the penthouse was cloaked in darkness, the memories crept in.

One particular night, as she lay in bed staring at the ceiling, the silence around her began to press in, suffocating her. The events of that terrifying night played on a loop in her mind—the man’s lecherous smile, the way his hands had gripped her, the terror that had seized her body when she realized she might not be able to stop him.

Her chest tightened as the memories became more vivid. She could still feel the roughness of his hands on her skin, smell the cheap cologne he had worn, hear the disgusting words he had whispered in her ear. Her breath quickened, and a cold sweat broke out across her skin. Sapphire squeezed her eyes shut, trying to will the memories away, but they only intensified, pulling her deeper into the panic she had been suppressing for days.

The room felt smaller, as though the walls were closing in on her. Her heart pounded against her ribcage, faster and faster, until it felt like it might burst. Her breathing became shallow and erratic. She needed air—she needed to get out, but her body wouldn’t move.

In the darkness, the panic gripped her tightly, immobilizing her. Sapphire tried to reach for her phone on the nightstand, her hand trembling uncontrollably. She knocked it over instead, and as she reached out blindly to catch it, her hand hit the glass jug of water. The jug toppled off the table and hit the floor with a loud crash, shattering into countless pieces.

The noise startled her, but it wasn’t enough to break the grip of the panic. She lay there, frozen in place, her breaths coming in rapid, shallow gasps. Tears streamed down her face, but she couldn’t make a sound. Her throat felt as if it were closing up, her voice trapped somewhere inside her, just like she had been trapped in that place with that monster.

In the room next door, Elias had been awake, working late into the night as usual. The sound of glass shattering drew his attention immediately. He stood up, his senses alert. Something was wrong.

He made his way to Sapphire’s room, his footsteps quick but measured. When he reached her door, he knocked softly at first, calling her name. “Sapphire? Are you okay?” His voice was calm, but inside, something stirred—a protective instinct he didn’t fully understand.

There was no answer.

His brows furrowed as he knocked again, louder this time. “Sapphire, I am coming in,” he said firmly, his heart now beating faster.

When he opened the door and stepped inside, the dim light from the hallway spilled into the room, illuminating the scene. Sapphire was lying on her bed, still as a statue. At first, it seemed as though she was asleep, but the sight of her rigid form, the way her chest was rising and falling in uneven gasps, told him otherwise.

Elias flicked on the light, and his breath caught in his throat. She was having a panic attack.

Without hesitation, he crossed the room and knelt beside her. His hands hovered over her for a moment, unsure of how to help. Then, gently but firmly, he pulled her trembling body into his chest. “It is okay. I am here.” he murmured against her hair, his voice low and soothing.