Chapter 5

Aurora pounded on the doors, fists aching, but the only response was Marco's footsteps fading into the distance.

Then—silence.

Total, suffocating darkness.

She hugged herself, but it did nothing to stop the trembling.

Cold seeped into her skin, slow and merciless, like sinking underwater—dragging her down, crushing her beneath the weight of fear.

***

Marco made sure no one would fix the elevator anytime soon, then headed off to wait for Sofia's interview results.

But as he sat there, Aurora's voice echoed in his mind—desperate, raw.

He'd never seen her like that before.

It unsettled him.

Finally, Sofia walked out, pale as a ghost.

"Marco... I didn't get selected. I failed. What do I do? Am I useless? Am I worthless?"

Tears streamed down her face, her whole body shaking.

Seeing her so fragile, Marco felt his chest tighten. In that moment, Aurora vanished from his thoughts.

He pulled Sofia into his arms, murmuring reassurances. Wanting to lift her spirits, he took her home, bought all her favorite foods, and stayed by her side until she finally calmed down and fell asleep.

By then, it was late.

Only then did it hit him—Aurora was still in that elevator.

His stomach lurched.

He moved to leave, but Sofia, half-asleep, clutched his shirt. "Marco... where are you going? Are you leaving me? Don't go... I'm scared..."

He hesitated.

Aurora's situation flickered in his mind—just for a second.

Then he pushed it aside.

Sofia needed him.

So he stayed.

***

Aurora had no idea how long she'd been trapped.

By the time someone finally noticed the malfunction and pried the doors open, she was barely conscious from lack of air.

They rushed her to the hospital. The doctors said she was stable, but she'd need to stay under observation.

Yet even as they reassured her, the sound of her own pounding heartbeat roared in her ears, drowning out everything else.

Then—her phone buzzed.

A message from an unknown number.

A video.

Marco, holding Sofia, soothing her to sleep.

The scene was peaceful. Sweet, even.

Aurora's breath hitched.

Because while they were wrapped in quiet comfort, she had been caged like an animal, left to suffocate.

A fresh wave of rage surged through her already hazy mind.

Fingers shaking, she typed.

[So, you locked me up and still didn't get picked? Useless.]

She didn't wait for a reply.

Blocked. Immediately.

But even after that, her pulse stayed erratic, her breathing uneven.

No matter how hard she tried, the panic wouldn't fade.

A nurse eventually noticed and gave her a sedative, forcing her into sleep.

But even unconscious, the suffocation only got worse.

In her dream, she was drowning.

Struggling. Gasping for air—

Aurora's eyes snapped open.

And in the darkness, a pair of cold, ruthless eyes stared back at her.