Mon Espion || Phantom of the Opera

Chapter 38 - Admittance

After rigorous vocal lessons from Monsieur Reyer for a week, he offered to give Constance's voice a rest for just one day. She protested at first, determined to continue her training but he kindly informed her she had been doing surprisingly well despite her inexperience. After a few more pushes and orders to take an easy day, he sent her out of his office and out into the hallway. The door quietly shut behind her as she turned her slender body around.

So he wants me to take an easy day she thought to herself, turning around to view the narrow corridor she was in, perhaps I shall write to my parents.

She then turned around slightly, making her way through the various halls of the Opera House that she was starting to recognize. Various performers were scrambling to rehearsals and dinning halls due to the performance being in one week, but that didn't phase Constance at all. She slowly made her way to her chamber door, passing by others as they threatened to trample her over in their haste. Before long, she found her room and entered inside happily, locking the door behind her.

Upon spotting her room, she noticed how the curtains were still drawn from a week ago, the snow had long stop falling and was still covering the streets of Paris from her view. She smiled softly and thought for a moment of her family in Nice, how the streets there by the warm beach were probably not as cold as those on the northern side of France. She missed the warm summer months just relaxing on the beach of her youth. Splashing in the waters of the Mediterranean Sea while day dreaming of a career at the Opera House behind her. Not as grand as the Opera Garnier perhaps, but the Opera de Nice was just as beautiful.

Her thoughts of her youth were quickly interrupted by a harsh knock on her door. Annoyed, she hurriedly went to open it, only to find Nadir on the other side.

"Monsieur Khan? What is the trouble?" she said honestly, not expecting anyone to knock on her door, much less the Persian.

He walked right into her room without her inviting him inside, causing her to hurriedly secure the door behind him as she waited for his response, "There is no time, you must come with me at once."

Constance fought back a dumbfounded expression as she dared to ask, "Whatever for?"

"Do not be daft," Nadir replied, his pleasantries and manners forgotten in the moment, "Erik needs you. He is not himself at all. If we do not hurry, it will be just as bad as last time."

"Last time?" Constance asked once more, only to be met with Nadir's hand taking hold of her wrist, "unhand me at once!"

"There isn't time for this!" Nadir replied once more, pulling her with him towards her secret passage, "come with me willingly or I shall take you by force."

"You wouldn't dare Nadir!" she yelled loudly, watching as he opened the mirror before her and practically dragged her with him inside.

Nadir did not answer her as he continued pulling her into the mirror. It suddenly closed behind them, filling the stone walls with the sounds of Erik's organ. Constance grew frightened then, not being ready to face Erik's infidelity or the fact that he had lied to her but seemingly had no choice. Nadir was much too strong for her to fight off, despite her attempts of freedom.

"Stop struggling Constance, it appears as if you don't want to see him," Nadir spoke honestly, all too frustrated at the situation.

"That's because I'm not ready to face him!" she answered desperately, pulling her entire frame from his grasp to no avail.

"What are you implying?" Nadir asked, halting his step to face her, "face him for what?"

"He doesn't want me around Nadir," she whispered softly, closing her eyes to hide the tears that threatened to fall.