Elizabeth was still sleeping peacefully.

The room was quiet.

For once, there was no pressure weighing on her. No rushing to prepare for school, no crowded hallways, no endless conversations from people she barely understood. The world outside continued moving, but inside her bedroom, everything felt still.

It was a Sunday.

A rare moment where she could simply exist.

She rolled around beneath her blanket, enjoying the warmth and the calmness surrounding her. Her mind was strangely peaceful, almost as if the strange events of the previous days had been pushed far away.

The dream.

The missing memories.

The feeling that something about her life was incomplete.

For a few moments, she forgot about all of it.

Then—

"Do you like mafia bosses?"

A voice echoed through her room.

Elizabeth's eyes opened instantly.

Her peaceful expression disappeared.

Her body froze before her mind could even understand what was happening.

Slowly, she sat upright.

Her heartbeat grew louder.

Someone was inside her room.

Standing near her family pictures was Chris Evans.

He wasn't hiding.

He wasn't rushing.

He looked completely comfortable, casually examining the photographs as if he belonged there.

As if entering someone else's bedroom without permission was normal.

Elizabeth stared at him, unable to process what she was seeing.

How did he get in?

Why was he here?

And why was he acting like this was an ordinary conversation?

"Why do you like them?" he asked.

His voice was calm.

Too calm.

He walked around the room while waiting for an answer that never came.

Elizabeth wanted to speak.

She wanted to ask him to leave.

She wanted to call for help.

But fear held her in place.

Chris moved toward her desk, looking at the objects around her with strange curiosity. He picked up her perfumes one by one, examining them before bringing each bottle closer to his nose.

He wasn't searching.

He was exploring.

Like he was learning everything about her.

Elizabeth watched silently.

Every small movement made her more uncomfortable.

Then Chris opened her wardrobe.

The sound of the door opening made her tense.
"You know..." he said, still looking through her belongings, "I don't like asking a question and not getting an answer."

His tone changed.

The calmness disappeared.

"It's just insulting."

Elizabeth's breathing became shallow.

She didn't understand what he wanted from her.

Chris reached inside.

A moment later, he pulled out a pair of pink panties.

Elizabeth's eyes widened.

The feeling of fear that had already filled her body became something heavier.

Chris looked at them with a strange amusement.

With sudden anger, he kicked the wardrobe door shut.

The sound echoed through the room.

Elizabeth flinched.

He turned toward her.

"But I do like pink panties," he added.

His expression changed again.

Almost playful.

Almost innocent.

He walked toward the bed and sat beside her.

The closeness made her uncomfortable.

Her entire body screamed at her to move away, but she couldn't.

She felt trapped.

Elizabeth was frozen, her heart pounding so hard she could almost hear it.

Chris noticed.

He smiled.

"Aww... sorry I had to let myself in," he said, moving closer.

"I just couldn't help wanting to see you."

His eyes locked onto hers.

Elizabeth looked away.

She didn't know what scared her more—the fact that he was there, or the fact that he acted as if nothing was wrong.

He leaned closer.

The space between them disappeared.

"I see... no response," he muttered.

For a moment, everything was silent.

Then his expression changed.

Suddenly, his hand moved.

He grabbed her neck.

Elizabeth gasped.

The shock was immediate.

The strength behind his grip frightened her.

It wasn't just threatening.

It felt like he truly didn't care whether she survived.

The room that had felt peaceful moments ago now felt like a cage.

Elizabeth struggled to breathe.

"I... I don't know what to say," she stuttered, terrified.

Chris looked at her reaction with amusement.

"Oh, not that bullshit," he smirked.

"It turns me on."

Then, without warning, he kissed her.

There was no warning.

No hesitation.

No moment where Elizabeth could understand what was happening.

Her mind went blank.

The person who had invaded her room, the person who spoke as if he belonged there, had crossed a line she never wanted him to cross.

Elizabeth pushed against him, trying to create distance between them.

"Stop..." she managed to whisper.

But Chris didn't listen.

His strength overwhelmed hers, and for a terrifying moment, she felt completely powerless.

The room that had once felt safe now felt like a place she no longer recognized.

Then—

The door suddenly burst open.

"Elizabeth!"

Lusion rushed into the room.

The surprise broke Chris's focus for a brief second. His grip loosened.

That was enough.

Elizabeth pushed him away with everything she had.

The force sent Chris stumbling backward.

But he wasn't alone.

He crashed into Lusion, and before either of them could recover, their bodies collided with the window behind them.

The glass shattered.

For a moment, everything froze.

The sound of breaking glass filled the room.

Then both of them disappeared through the second-story window.

Elizabeth stood completely still.

Her hands trembled.

Her breathing became uneven.

She couldn't move.

She couldn't think.

Only one thought repeated inside her mind.

What if they both died?

Her eyes widened.

Is it my fault?

The question dug deeper with every second.

Slowly, almost afraid of what she would see, Elizabeth walked toward the broken window.

She looked down.

Chris was gone.

Not injured.

Not lying there.

Gone.

Like he had never existed.

Like he was nothing more than a nightmare fading after waking up.

An illusion.

Elizabeth stared for a moment, trying to understand what she was seeing.

But then she noticed Lusion.

He was still there.

Alive.

She rushed downstairs.

"Lusion!"

He slowly moved, and Elizabeth immediately helped him up, supporting him as they walked back into the sitting room.

Her hands were still shaking.

Everything that had happened felt unreal.

Like she was trapped between reality and a dream she couldn't escape.

She reached for her phone.

The police.

Someone needed to know.

Someone needed to stop this.

But before she could call, Lusion gently grabbed her hand.

"Don't call them."

Elizabeth looked at him, confused.

"Why?"

Lusion didn't answer immediately.

Instead, he pulled her into an embrace.

For the first time since Chris appeared, Elizabeth stopped moving.

The fear she had been holding back began to surface.

Her eyes watered.

"I feel helpless," she whispered.

Her voice was barely audible.

"Maybe I should go to him..."

She looked down.

"Or he'll kill someone."

Lusion held her gently.

"It's okay to feel hopeless," he said.

His voice was calm.

"But you'll get through this. I promise... it'll end."

Elizabeth listened.

But she didn't look convinced.

The fear was still there.

The confusion.

The strange feeling that she was somehow connected to the person who had hurt her.

"Maybe what's making me feel like this..." she said quietly.

She paused.

"Is that I won't get a chance to understand him."

Lusion looked at her.

Elizabeth struggled to explain something she barely understood herself.

"Or maybe deep down... I wanted to be with him."

Her voice became quieter.

"His toxicity."

The words surprised even her.

Lusion stared at her.

Not because he judged her.

But because he realized how deeply this had affected her.

"That's deep," he said softly.

He looked away for a moment before continuing.

"But I think you should forget about him."

His expression became serious.

"Don't put yourself beneath someone else's foot."

Elizabeth looked down.

Tears slowly formed in her eyes.

"What if that foot is the closest I'll ever get to someone?" Elizabeth asked desperately.

Her voice cracked.

The question wasn't really about Chris anymore.

It was about herself.

About the fear that maybe pain was the only thing she would ever receive from another person. That maybe even something unhealthy was better than being alone.

Lusion looked at her.

For a moment, he didn't know what to say.

Then he spoke.

"Then you're just a toy," he said quietly.

Elizabeth looked up.

"A toy given a purpose by someone bigger than you."

His words were harsh, but they carried a strange truth.

"A background character in your own life story."

The words stayed with her. Elizabeth lowered her gaze, thinking about them.

Was that what she had become?

Someone waiting for another person to decide her worth? Someone allowing others to define who she was?

Slowly, she wiped away her tears.

"That's a good point," she whispered.

The room became quiet. For the first time since Chris appeared, Elizabeth felt like she could breathe again.

She looked at Lusion.
And Lusion looked back.

There was a strange warmth between them. A moment where neither of them needed to speak.

Then they moved closer.
And they kissed.

To Elizabeth, it felt like comfort.

Like escaping the chaos that had surrounded her. But for Lusion, it meant something much deeper.

His heart raced.

After everything, she was finally beside him.

The girl he believed deserved better.
The girl he wanted to protect.
The girl who, in his mind, should belong to him.

His alone.

Meanwhile, in Chris's hideout...

The quiet corridor was broken by the sound of footsteps.

Slow.
Uneven.

Chris stumbled forward, using the wall for support. His body was injured, his clothes stained, but his expression was not one of defeat.

It was anger.
Obsession.

"How could she do this to me?" he muttered.

His voice trembled.
Not with sadness.
With disbelief.

"She pushed me away..."

A twisted smile slowly appeared on his face.

"But it only makes me want her more."

He looked at his wounds.
Instead of fear, he seemed fascinated by the pain.

"Ahh..."

He breathed out.

"The pain is nice."

Chris continued walking through the corridor, forcing himself forward. The pain didn't stop him.

If anything, it reminded him of what he believed he had lost. When he finally reached the end of the corridor, he stopped.

The obsession in his eyes remained.

"I should continue the plan."

His expression hardened.

"I'll make her mine again."

Back at Elizabeth's house...

The shattered glass still covered the floor.

The evidence of what happened remained around them.

But for a moment, Elizabeth tried to forget.

As she and Lusion stayed together, a sound interrupted the silence.

A foot stepped onto the broken glass near the doorway.

"Elizabeth?"

A familiar voice echoed through the room.

She immediately stopped.

Her heart changed.

The tension in her body disappeared.

She turned toward the voice.

For a moment, everything else faded.

"Lizza, are you okay?"

He rushed toward her.

Elizabeth looked at him.

And for the first time that morning, she felt safe.

"I feel okay now," she whispered.

Then she walked into his arms.

He embraced her tightly.

For a moment, Elizabeth allowed herself to relax.

After everything that had happened, after the fear and confusion, being held by someone familiar felt comforting.

He kissed her, trying to reassure her that everything was going to be okay.

Elizabeth gave a small, shy smile.

But even then, her expression carried exhaustion.

The morning had changed too quickly.

"It's a long story..." she said quietly.

She looked away.

"I... a lot happened."

Her voice trembled slightly.

He noticed.

But instead of forcing her to explain, he simply smiled.

"It's okay, my love."

His hand moved gently along her arms.

Then he stopped.

His expression changed.

There was something wrong.

A small mark.

Blood.

His eyes widened.

"You're hurt!"

Elizabeth looked down, almost as if she had forgotten.

The pain had been pushed away by everything else that happened.

"I'm fine," she tried to say.

But he was already moving.

"No, you're not."

He quickly rushed toward the kitchen and returned with the first aid kit.

Sitting beside her, he carefully began removing the small pieces of glass from her arm.

Elizabeth stayed quiet.

The silence between them was heavy.

"You shouldn't get into danger when I'm out of town, Lizza," he said while cleaning the wound.

His voice sounded worried.

Almost like he blamed himself for not being there.

Elizabeth looked down.

"I'm sorry..."

She paused.

"It's just... there's been a lot going on."

She struggled to explain.

"It's complicated."

Meanwhile, in Chris's hideout...

The room was dark. The only light came from the strange purple glow of the chemical inside the container.

Chris carefully examined it.
The liquid bubbled quietly.

"This one will knock her out," he said.

A small smile appeared.

"Unlike the last one at school."

He placed the container down. Then he turned toward the wall. Pictures covered it. Faces. Names.

Everyone connected to Elizabeth. Everyone who might have feelings for her.

Chris stared at them.

"Ted..."

He moved his finger across another picture.

"Elliott."

Another.

"Sam."

Another.

"Tom."

He stopped.

"Me..."

Then his eyes moved to the final picture. "And Botas."

His expression darkened.

"Ted and Sam are out."

A devilish grin formed on his face.

"One less problem."

Back at Elizabeth's house...

The sound of police leaving could be heard outside.

The situation had finally calmed down.

Or at least, it appeared that way.

The front door opened.

Elizabeth looked up.

Her mother had returned.

"Mrs. Cross," Botas said, standing beside Elizabeth.

Her mother immediately noticed the damage around the house.

The broken window.

The shattered glass.

The signs that something had happened.

"You're back..."

Her expression changed.

"What happened here?"

She rushed toward her daughter.

Elizabeth looked at her.

Before she could answer, Botas spoke.

"There was an intruder."

He tried to sound calm.

"But everything is okay now."

The word stayed in Elizabeth's mind.

Intruder.

Something about it felt familiar.

Not because of what had happened today.

Because it reminded her of something else.

A memory buried deep inside.

The room around her faded.

And slowly...

she was pulled back into the past.

13 months ago — Flashback

The Hill of Edenus was quiet.

The wind moved gently through the grass, carrying the sound of leaves moving above them.

Beneath a large tree, Botas stood beside Elizabeth.

He looked at the place around them with a strange sense of importance, as if this moment was something he would never forget.

"I call this place the beginning," he said.

Elizabeth looked around, confused.

"The beginning?"

Botas placed his hand against the tree.

"Yeah."

He smiled.

"Because I want you to be my girlfriend."

For a moment, Elizabeth simply stared at him.

The words caught her by surprise.

Then she smiled.

"Then you're my boyfriend from now."

She stepped closer and hugged him.

The two of them stood beneath the tree, unaware of how important that moment would become.

Or how many memories would eventually be connected to this place.

Then—

"Elizabeth!"

A voice echoed across the hill.

She turned.

Lusion was approaching.

At first, he looked relieved.

But that feeling disappeared the moment he saw them.

His expression changed.

The warmth in his face faded.

His eyes darkened.

"Who is he?" Lusion asked.

His voice was colder than usual.

Botas stepped forward.

"I'm her boyfriend."

He looked directly at Lusion.

"And you?"

For a moment, there was silence.

Lusion didn't answer.

He didn't need words.

His anger spoke first.

He walked forward and punched Botas.

Elizabeth froze.

She looked at Lusion.

But he wasn't looking at Botas.

His eyes remained fixed on her.

Like he wasn't fighting because of Botas.

He was fighting because of what Botas represented.

Elizabeth couldn't look at him.

She lowered her eyes.

"I didn't ask you," Lusion said coldly.

--------

The memory faded.

Elizabeth returned to the present.

She was sitting beside her mother and Botas.

The room was quiet.

But her mind was somewhere else.

The past and present felt connected.

Like something hidden was slowly revealing itself.

Outside, the sky had changed.

The bright day was gone.

Dark clouds covered the sky, and thunder rolled in the distance.

Then—

A flash of lightning struck.

The same tree on the Hill of Edenus.

The tree where it all began.