Chapter 13: Facade Of Death

Beads of sweat formed on her forehead as she turned restlessly in bed. Her eyes flew open with a loud gasp. Her hand clutched her chest as she gasped for breath.

The torment she had received in Lorenzo Empire had been haunting her non-stop. Now she was too scared to sleep. She had no one to talk to about it; she felt like she was losing her fuckin’ mind.

Sleep felt like an impossible task for her, and the night had just begun—it was barely 1 a.m. She needed water. She pushed herself out of bed and stood in front of the mirror, staring at her reflection.

She wore a light spaghetti-strap top that hung softly on her shoulders, the fabric so thin it showed the shape of her nipples beneath. The matching shorts stopped at mid-thigh, loose and airy, moving with her as she walked.

She should probably grab her robe, but then again, it was the middle of the night. She would just head to the kitchen, get some water, and then leave.

With that, she left her room, her small feet padded down the hallway, and then she ascended the flights of stairs, making a sharp turn to where the kitchen was.

The maids who worked in the mansion were fast asleep, so Anna got into the kitchen herself. Her eyes roamed around the large kitchen, and then she made her way to the fridge.

She took a glass cup and poured the contents in it; she gulped it all down. When she was done, she left the kitchen and was about to ascend the flight of stairs when she saw a tall glass door left ajar at the far end of the grand living room.

The lights were dim, making the place look eerie. Somehow, she imagined the piercing sound of screams from both the guilty and the innocent people that had been slaughtered in this empire. Was it why it felt oddly cold? And why the air felt too thick to breathe sometimes?

She had never even seen that door before. Her curiosity piqued—part of her wanted to take a look, and the other wanted to head back to her room and avoid trouble. She imagined what was behind those doors—dead bodies. But the way the door was designed and placed, like they didn’t want just anyone going through it, it was hidden by a tall black shelf which had been pushed aside to let the beautiful door come into view.

Heading back to her room also meant heading back to her nightmares. Anna gripped the stair railing tighter as she contemplated.

What if that door was the direct key to her freedom? It was possible that that door might be her way out. A back exit out of this empire. Might’ve been why it was hidden from plain sight.

She certainly had zero interest in dying in the hell hole. Someday, she would escape, and the information hidden behind those doors would be her way out.

She’d have gone back to her room to grab her robe, but what if the shelf got pushed back before she returned? The door might be locked too—she had to take the risk.

Anna let out warm air through her mouth as she left the staircase, her eyes fixed on the glass doors. She began walking, making sure her steps were as quiet as possible.

She reached the glass door; she steadily grabbed the handle and pulled it, making her entrance.

Her eyes widened as she took in the garden that greeted her. The most exotic and beautiful trees and flowers were planted at each side with a beautiful pathway in the middle.

The garden stretched for as far as her eyes could reach. What lay at the far end? Perhaps the exit door?

She suddenly felt like Barbie, who found a magical garden beneath her room—but what Anna didn’t know was that there was nothing magical about the beautiful garden. It was simply a facade for death.

Anna took in deep breaths. It was now or never, she encouraged herself. She began walking through the path, hoping she would find what she was looking for.

…

A guard stumbled on the sight of the glass door, which was left ajar. Not wasting any more time, as it could result in him landing in the grave, he quickly called out his fellow guard.

Together, they locked the door and pushed the heavy shelf back in place to conceal the door—unknowing someone was inside the forbidden garden.

…

The bright full moon hung above her head as she walked. She was sure an hour had passed, but it felt like this garden was never-ending. It made her remember the forest path she had come through when she was first being brought to the empire. Did this garden stretch for miles too? It only made that much sense, right?

While coming here, she had hoped to find another exit, but she hadn’t thought of the possibility that she might not be able to reach there on foot—at least not before the butler found out she was from the empire.

Her face fell in disappointment. Nothing ever came easy for her—how did she forget that? Her legs hurt from the long walk.

She was about to turn to leave when her eyes suddenly caught the pair of glowing golden orbs staring at her from behind one of the trees.

Her heart hitched, her blood froze, as cold sweat rolled down her back. She heard a rustling sound from the other side, and she saw another pair of golden orbs staring at her. She swallowed.

Of course, this place was bound to be haunted by wild animals. She took a step backward, but that seemed to have triggered the creature, as it suddenly let out a loud howling sound—one that sent her heart into her throat.

The two large wolves suddenly emerged from behind the trees. Anna wanted to scream, but she was too frozen to let it out.

They were larger and bigger than the ones she had seen in pictures—one with white fur and the other with black fur. Both growled at her angrily, like they couldn’t wait a second longer to tear her apart.

A tear slipped out of her eyes, and without a second thought, she began running—not on the straight middle path, but she took the path where the trees were planted.

She ran with all her might, but it felt like a stroll when compared with the agile wolves. She was panting as she ran, tears streaming down her eyes.

And then she stumbled on a large root. Her knees scraped the ground, and she fell to her face, wounding her head.

She quickly sprang to her feet, but it was too late. The wolves had gotten to her, and it felt like if she moved even an inch, they wouldn’t hesitate to pounce on her.