Chapter 2 - She's back?

[Elena]

"You mean you saw Vienna? She's back?"

Asher’s voice cracked like something inside him had just snapped in half.

There was a pause. A long one.

"Send me the address, now," Asher said loudly, bringing the phone down and tucking it back into his pocket.

He turned. His movements were stiff, fast. His entire focus tunneled in on the door.

"Asher—" I called, my voice small, breaking.

He didn’t stop. Didn’t answer.

Just reached for the doorknob.

My feet moved before my brain could catch up. "Asher, wait—please."

He swung the door open.

I stepped forward. "What was the call about? I mean, you said Vienna...," My world faltered as he walked out the door, slamming it shut behind him with a hard thud that made my heart skip.

I stood frozen. Still. Unable to move. I opened my mouth to say something but no words came out. My lips pursed into a thin line as what he just said rang over my head.

Vienna? Vienna is back?

I swallowed the rising lump in my throat and slowly looked around the room. The candles flickered quietly, the food untouched, the wine still half full.

The silence came rushing in like a wave. Suffocating.

I turned away, wrapped my arms around myself as if I could hold my chest together. My heart was thundering. My breath came out in shallow, shaking bursts.

Vienna?

No! No! That's impossible. It's...I mean...it can't be

God, why now?

Why the hell now?

My legs gave out before I even realized I’d moved. I sank onto the chair, then stood back up again, pacing. My feet carried me in circles across the rug.

She can’t be back.

Not after everything. Not after I’d finally said those damn words to him.

I’m in love with you.

God.

Why did I say that? Why did I strip myself bare, rip open my heart—just for her to reappear like some twisted ghost?

I stopped pacing just long enough to grab the wine bottle and pour myself a full glass. Then another.

And another.

The burn didn’t help. It didn’t even distract me.

Vienna.

My sister.

The one Asher still hadn’t been able to get over for two years — the one who disappeared and left behind nothing but a note that read, "Don’t look for me."

She was the reason Asher asked me to be his wife. Just so he could get her jealous and draw her out of hiding.

And for two whole years, she was nowhere to be found

So why now? Why fucking now that I've confessed a love that I've kept hidden for years? Why? Why?

If she's back then that means she's well and alive.

God!

I wanted to be happy that she was alive. I did.

But I wasn’t. Not entirely.

Because I was selfish. Because I wanted more time.

Just a little longer. Just until Asher could see me.

My legs trembled as I paced back toward the table. My eyes burned. My stomach twisted.

"Maybe it’s not her," I whispered to myself.

It’s not the first time this has happened.

There’d been moments when someone thought they saw her. Asher would chase after every single lead, only to come home broken all over again.

Maybe it’s just another one of those. Another dead end.

"It has to be," I muttered, my voice barely audible.

I looked at the front door again, my heart slamming down hard on my chest.

God please let him walk back in and say it wasn't her.

I turned, stumbling slightly as I made my way to the couch. The wine swirled in my glass. My heart pounded behind my ribs like it wanted out.

I dropped down to the couch and curled into myself, legs tucked under, arms holding tight around the pain. My eyes stared blankly at the wall as my thoughts spiraled.

Vienna. Why now?

You could have stayed wherever you were. I'm selfish I know, but I love Asher. I fucking love him, I want him all to myself.

So...so If she's truly back then what happens now? What? I mean...fuck!!

I pressed the wine glass to my lips again, then rested it on the floor and leaned my head back.

God, I’m pathetic.

"I don’t hate her," I whispered into the room. "But I hate that she’s back now. Just when I thought…"

I couldn’t finish that sentence.

Couldn’t say the words, Just when I thought he would look me in the eyes after I confessed to him.

Another tear slipped out of my eyes.

I wiped it with the back of my hand, curling deeper into the cushions.

"It’s not her," I whispered again, trying to believe it. "It’s not her. It can’t be her. She’s not back. She’s not…"

The words blurred.

The room spun.

The last thing I remember before my eyes drifted shut was whispering one more time—

"It can’t be Vienna. She’s not back. She’s not…" I mumbled softly as I drifted off to sleep.