Semua Bab THE CURSED NECKLACE: Bab 11 - Bab 20

Eduardo had lived alone for so long that silence used to feel normal.Comfortable even.Now it felt empty whenever Elena wasn’t speaking.The realization irritated him more than it should have.He sat quietly in the armchair across the cabin while low firelight flickered against the wooden walls, his large hand resting lazily against his jaw as he watched Elena curled up on the couch nearby.She had fallen asleep reading.Again.The open book rested loosely against her chest while soft breaths escaped her parted lips.Peaceful.Too peaceful for someone carrying death around her neck.Eduardo’s gaze drifted toward the necklace automatically.Cold silver wrapped around pale skin.Wrong.Even now, something about the thing unsettled him deeply.But he never asked about it.Never asked why she appeared half-dead in an alley.Never asked why fear sometimes flashed across her face when black cars drove through town.Because asking questions would make this real.And Eduardo didn’t want real

Roberto expected desperation.Begging.Tears.Most men lost their courage the second Francesco guards chained them underground.This one didn’t.The dungeon smelled heavily of blood and rust when Roberto stepped inside, black shoes echoing softly against the concrete floor while guards immediately straightened around him.And there he was.Eduardo.Roberto’s eyes narrowed slightly.Interesting.The man chained to the chair looked exactly like the type Elena would run to after losing everything.Tall.Broad.Built like someone who spent his life carrying heavy things instead of speaking unnecessary words.Even injured, Eduardo’s body radiated brute strength beneath the torn dark shirt clinging to his frame. His arms were thick with hardened muscle earned from labor rather than luxury while rough scarred hands remained clenched tightly despite the chains binding him.A trimmed beard shadowed his jaw.Dark brown eyes lifted slowly toward Roberto without fear.Defiant.Roberto immediately

“Elena!”Harsh shoving jolted her awake violently.Elena gasped sharply as her eyes flew open.Morning light flooded the small servant room while rough hands grabbed her shoulder again.For one disoriented moment, Elena’s chest tightened in panic.The woman.The blood.The knife in her stomach—Had it been real?“Elena!”Another shove.Reality returned immediately.A tall sharp-faced woman stood over the bed glaring down at her impatiently.Her dark gray maid uniform looked perfectly pressed despite the early hour while silver streaks cut through her black hair harshly.“You plan to sleep all day?” the woman snapped in thick Italian accent.Elena blinked slowly.The necklace rested cold against her throat.No glow.No ghost.Had she imagined it?The older woman suddenly threw a broom onto the bed.“Move.”Elena stared at it silently.“I need to see Roberto,” she said quickly.The woman froze.Then laughed.Not kindly.Cruelly.The sound echoed through the tiny room unpleasantly.“Oh,

Cold.That was the first thing Elena felt.Not pain.Just endless cold.She opened her eyes slowly.And forgot how to breathe.The world around her was wrong.A black ocean stretched endlessly beneath a crimson sky while silver ash drifted softly through the air like snow. Far away, massive ruined structures floated above the water upside down, defying gravity itself.The air smelled faintly of blood and roses.Elena stood barefoot in shallow water that reflected the red moon hanging overhead.“What is this…?”Her voice echoed strangely.Like the realm itself repeated her words back slowly.Elena turned in circles, panic rising steadily inside her chest.No Francesco estate.No servants quarters.No Roberto.Only endless black water.Then—A soft sound behind her.Drip.Drip.Elena froze.Someone stood several feet away.The woman from that night.Ghostly pale skin.Long black hair.The bloodied knife still buried deep inside her stomach.But this time…She looked calmer.Less monstro

Pain exploded through Elena the second her body hit the stairs. She tumbled hard against polished marble, breathless screams tearing from her throat while the world spun violently around her. Strong hands caught her before she struck the bottom. Dante. Elena blinked as he steadied her carefully against his chest. For a second she barely recognized him. He looked thinner than before. Dark circles shadowed beneath his eyes like he had not slept properly in weeks. “Elena are you hurt?” Dante asked urgently. His voice sounded genuinely panicked. Behind him— Heavy footsteps descended the staircase slowly. Roberto. The entire atmosphere shifted the second he appeared. Black shirt. Rolled sleeves. His gaze swept briefly over Elena in Dante’s arms before settling on the staircase above. Empty. No child. Roberto’s jaw tightened almost imperceptibly. “What happened?” Dante demanded. Elena’s lips trembled slightly. “T-there was a little girl…” Silence. Dante looked confus