Chapter 2. The Shadow of That Night

"I promise, once your younger sister graduates, it will be your turn to go to college again," said my father.

But that promise was shattered when I received a text message—a photo of my step-sister's graduation with the caption: "Finally finished. Father is so proud."

Since then, I had known my father's pride was not for me.

My hands trembled as I opened my phone. I couldn't help but call him.

"Dad... now it's my turn, right? You promised—"

A moment of silence.

"Dad can't talk right now."

Click. The line went dead.

I stared at the dark ceiling. All the pain felt real—my father loving my stepsister more, his false promise. But only for a moment—it turned out to be a dream.

A knock on the car window woke me up completely. My breath was still caught in my throat. When I turned my head, Lucian was sitting next to me, his face calm, a little polite, different from his usual cold stare. We were on our way to my mother's small house after I agreed to marry him.

"I didn't think you could sleep in this situation." It was a taunt that came out of Lucian's mouth.

I snorted. "You should have woken me up."

"I did, but it seems you were sleeping very soundly," he said calmly.

Damn it. This man always managed to embarrass me. Not wanting to waste my energy on him, I looked away. I ignored Lucian, who was focused on his cell phone, while his driver quietly watched us in the rearview mirror.

It felt strange—after six years, I was back in my postponed life. But now, I was no longer a victim. I sat in the passenger seat, silent, staring at the city streets.

When we arrived at my mother's house, we were greeted by her tired face, which turned surprised when she saw me coming with Lucian, but she still invited us in.

Since the incident six years ago, I had deliberately lived separately from my mother in a small apartment to calm myself down.

I didn't tell my mother about this contract, only asking for permission to marry. 

Although her face was still pale, my mother stared at me intently as I revealed my intentions. "Marry... Lucian? Are you serious, Selene?"

I nodded, suppressing a slight smile. "I know it's surprising, but I don't want you to worry. Just give me your permission, and I'll take care of everything."

Lucian sat beside me, his demeanor unexpected: polite, holding back his ego. "Mrs. Cole, I promise to respect Selene and her family."

My mother looked at him, coughed, then looked at me again, confusion mixed with anxiety. "You were the one who... fired her, Lucian. And now... marriage?"

Lucian nodded lightly, a thin smile—too neat to be comfortable. I held back nausea. "There's too much that can't be explained, Mom," I muttered, my eyes fixed on her, hoping she would understand without panicking.

My mother didn't answer right away; she looked uncertain.

I had already shifted my gaze to Noah—my six-year-old brother peeking at us from his room.

When our eyes met, Noah immediately returned to his room. I sighed softly, a feeling of worry immediately overwhelming me.

Even though my mother responded as if everything was fine, I knew the threat hadn't gone away. Almost getting hit by a car, a dead cat in the yard... all coincidences to my mother, but I knew it had something to do with the mysterious letters I always received. I never told her—I didn't want to add to her worries.

I couldn't guarantee that Noah wasn't experiencing the same thing as my mother. His quiet demeanor made me even more worried.

"Mom, please, let me marry Lucian." Finally, I begged, looking at my mother's face, which was growing paler because she hadn't fully recovered yet.

Not only my mother, but Lucian also looked surprised by my words.

Of course, it wasn't love that made me beg like this. I just wanted this marriage to happen and to make sure my mother and Noah moved into a new, more suitable apartment, with the help of bodyguards who would secretly protect them. Everything was safe, at least on the surface.

"Are you serious about what you said?" This time my mother asked Lucian. "You won't hurt my daughter like you did six years ago, right? Will you trust her with all your heart and protect her no matter what?"

Without a moment's hesitation, Lucian replied. "I never go back on my word. Selene will be safe."

I would have been almost charmed by him if I hadn't remembered that this man was acting.

But his acting seemed very convincing because shortly after that, my mother nodded resignedly. She took Lucian's hand and patted the back of it gently.

"All right. I've never seen Selene beg like that. If you are willing to protect her, I will allow your marriage. But remember, if you break your promise, I will make sure you pay for it, even in my grave I will curse you."

"Don't bring up death, Mom. Now Lucian has to go back, he made time to come here in the middle of his busy schedule," I said, pulling Lucian's hand from her grip.

Lucian was already standing when I pulled him up. Of course, I didn't want to let him linger here. My goal had been fulfilled, now all that was left was to kick this man out of here.

"Why are you in such a hurry? We can have lunch together for the first time, you haven't visited in a long time, Selene," said my mother.

Hell no!

"He's very busy, Mom. Maybe next time," I said, pushing Lucian's back so he would leave immediately without giving him a chance to say anything.

We were outside, just the two of us. "I never go back on my word. Selene will be safe," I said, repeating Lucian's words in front of my mother, intending to taunt him.

"You'd be better suited as an actor than a CEO, and don't expect me to believe you," I said again, staring at him. Of course, he wasn't being entirely sincere; we were bound by a contract.

Lucian smiled slightly, his hands in his pockets. "I know. And I don't expect that."

I held my breath. Something made my heart race—a mixture of disgust, curiosity, and... something more complicated.

"You know the deal," his voice was cold but calm, as usual. "Six months. You're my wife. Starting tomorrow."

I sighed softly, calming myself. "Fine. But remember, Lucian… I'm not a doll. I have an additional condition: my mother and younger brother must be safe, and I must keep working."

Lucian laughed briefly. "Interesting. It seems this marriage will be far from boring."

After that, he walked to his car without looking back until his driver opened the door for him.

***

Blackwood Corporation Building. After deciding to work while attending college, I recall interning at this location, initially feeling like it was a golden opportunity to prove myself to my father.

Then, it happened again. The siren suddenly blared, the computer screen flashed, and my account name appeared as the perpetrator. Just like that time, Lucian stood in the doorway, cold, as if a single glance was enough to pass judgment.

"Take her out."

Security guards roughly pulled me away. The room felt further and further away, and Lucian's gaze was the final verdict: cold, leaving no room for defense.

However, Lucian's face suddenly appeared very clear and close, his mouth opening to say, "Marry me, Selene."

I gasped! My eyes opened. Clutching my chest, which felt tight, I gasped for breath.

Damn it! Another nightmare!

I glanced at the clock on the nightstand. It was midnight.

I wiped the sweat from my forehead. Why did the events of six years ago always haunt me, even in my dreams?

I remember, after that incident, I disappeared. No college, no steady job. Only stigma and ridicule. But I refused to be destroyed. I spent night after night staring at the screen, entering dark forums, learning from the shadows. If the real world rejected me, then I would fight back from the unseen world.

Six years have passed, and I have become a shadow. A nameless hacker. Now, I am back in contact with Lucian, not because of an internship contract but a marriage contract.

Tuk!

The sound forced me out of my reverie. Someone was standing outside my window.

I rose slowly, my steps still unsteady. When I opened the window, a thin brown envelope was wedged between the frame and the glass.

No sender. No name.

I opened it with trembling hands.

Rough handwriting adorned the crumpled paper:

"You chose the wrong path. Remember that night. You will fall again."

My blood froze. I crumpled the paper, but the trauma still gripped my chest.

No postmark. No digital fingerprint. Just a bare threat. Someone had deliberately sent it directly, making sure I knew they were close enough to penetrate the walls of my house.

The shadow of that night was not over. They knew Lucian had contacted me; they deliberately did not send an email so I couldn't track them—the people I suspected were the same ones who had hacked my account before.

But I knew, since that night, their game wasn't over. And now, the game had just begun.

I sat down in my chair, staring at the letter for a long time before putting it in a small box with the other threats I often received.

Then, as if by reflex, I pulled my old laptop from under my desk. The laptop I hid, a witness to all my wounds.

The screen lit up slowly, dragging me back to the only thing I had held onto all this time: the old logs I had saved before my work access was revoked. Line after line of code appeared, cold.

And there—two IP addresses running simultaneously. One was mine. The other… was unfamiliar.

If I opened this, I might find the truth… or my destruction.