Emilia stared at her reflection in the mirror, the fluorescent lights of the hospital bathroom casting a harsh glow over her tired face. Dark circles had formed under her eyes, and her skin looked pale, almost sickly. She turned the faucet, splashing cold water onto her face, trying to shake the weight of the conversation she had just had with Lucian.

His words lingered in her mind, repeating over and over again like a haunting melody. You’re just like them, Emilia. And sooner or later, you’ll realize that.

Emilia took a deep breath, gripping the edge of the sink as if it could steady her spinning thoughts. Why was Lucian so certain that she was different? And what exactly did he mean by "a choice"? Every time she thought she was close to understanding him, he would slip through her fingers like smoke, leaving her more confused than before.

The door creaked open behind her, and Emilia quickly wiped her face, trying to compose herself. She turned to see Elias standing in the doorway, concern etched deeply into his features.

“You okay?” he asked, stepping into the bathroom, his voice soft and gentle in contrast to the sterile environment around them. “You’ve been avoiding me all day.”

Emilia forced a smile, though she knew it didn’t reach her eyes. “I’m fine. Just... a lot on my mind.”

Elias leaned against the wall, crossing his arms. “You don’t have to tell me everything, Emilia, but I can see when something’s eating you alive. You’re not alone in this, you know.”

Emilia looked down, her hands trembling slightly. “I just... I don’t know what to make of him. Lucian. Every time I think I have him figured out, he says something that... shakes me.”

Elias pushed himself off the wall and took a step closer. “What did he say this time?”

Emilia hesitated. She wasn’t sure she could explain it—wasn’t even sure she fully understood it herself. “He keeps talking about choices. About how I’m like the others—the ones who disappeared. He says they had a choice, and so do I.”

Elias furrowed his brow, his concern deepening. “A choice? What kind of choice?”

“I don’t know,” Emilia admitted, shaking her head. “But the way he says it, it’s like he knows something about me—something I don’t even know about myself. It’s unnerving.”

Elias stepped closer, gently placing a hand on her arm. “Emilia, you can’t let him get in your head like this. He’s trying to manipulate you, make you doubt yourself. That’s how people like him operate.”

“I know,” Emilia said quietly, her voice wavering. “But what if he’s right? What if there’s something I’m missing?”

Elias tightened his grip slightly, his eyes filled with a quiet determination. “Listen to me, Emilia. You’re a doctor. You save lives. You’re nothing like him.”

Emilia swallowed hard, her throat dry. “I don’t know anymore, Elias. He makes me question everything—my decisions, my instincts, even my own identity. And the worst part is... part of me feels like he’s telling the truth.”

Elias’s expression softened, and he moved even closer, his voice dropping to a soothing murmur. “You’re letting fear cloud your judgment. Whatever he’s trying to do, it’s all a game to him. You just have to stay focused on the facts, on what you know is real.”

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Emilia nodded, though the uncertainty still gnawed at her. “You’re right. I just... need to keep reminding myself of that.”

Elias gave her a small, reassuring smile. “We’ll get through this, okay? Together.”

For a moment, Emilia felt a flicker of relief—something solid in the midst of the storm that had taken over her life. But that flicker was quickly snuffed out by the cold realization that no matter how much Elias tried to help, there was something about Lucian that only she could understand. And she wasn’t sure if she could face it alone.

Elias’s phone buzzed in his pocket, and he glanced down at it before looking back at Emilia. “I’ve got to run, but I’ll check in on you later. Please, just... try not to overthink everything.”

“I’ll try,” Emilia said, offering him a weak smile as he left the room.

Once she was alone again, Emilia turned back to the mirror, her reflection staring back at her with haunted eyes. She couldn’t shake the feeling that Lucian was right about one thing: she was already in too deep.

Later that afternoon, Emilia found herself standing outside Lucian’s room once again. Her heart pounded in her chest as she prepared herself for another round of cryptic conversation. This time, however, she was determined to push harder, to get real answers.

She opened the door and stepped inside. Lucian was awake, sitting up in bed, his eyes immediately locking onto hers the moment she entered the room. His smile, as always, was unsettling.

“Back so soon, Emilia?” Lucian said, his voice smooth and calm, as if he had been expecting her. “I must say, you’re becoming quite the regular visitor.”

Emilia didn’t bother with pleasantries. “You keep talking about choices. What do you mean by that? Why do you think I’m like the others?”

Lucian chuckled softly, leaning back against the pillows. “Straight to the point. I like that about you. But you already know the answer, don’t you?”

“I don’t,” Emilia said firmly, her frustration bubbling to the surface. “Stop playing games with me.”

Lucian’s smile widened, his eyes gleaming with something darker, more dangerous. “Oh, but this is no game, Doctor. You see, the people who disappeared—those you’ve read about—they weren’t taken. They made a choice. They chose to see the world as it truly is, to step beyond the lies they had been told their whole lives. Just like you’re starting to.”

Emilia’s heart raced, but she forced herself to stay composed. “And what is that supposed to mean? What lies?”

Lucian leaned forward slightly, his voice dropping to a near whisper. “The lie that you’re in control. The lie that you can save everyone. The lie that you’re nothing more than a doctor, a healer. You think you can help people, Emilia, but the truth is... you’re just like them. You’re searching for something. Something more.”

“I’m not like them,” Emilia said, her voice firm, though the uncertainty gnawed at her. “I’m not... searching for anything.”

Lucian’s smile didn’t falter. “Aren’t you? You came to me, didn’t you? You didn’t have to. You could’ve walked away, left me in the hands of another doctor. But you didn’t. Why is that, Emilia?”

Emilia opened her mouth to respond, but the words caught in her throat. She hadn’t considered that—hadn’t realized just how drawn she had been to Lucian’s case from the beginning.

Lucian’s voice softened, almost tender now. “You want answers, just like they did. You want to understand why you’re here, why your life has led you to this moment. And the truth is... you’ve always known there was something more to you.”

Emilia felt a lump rise in her throat, her thoughts spiraling. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

“Oh, but you do,” Lucian said, his voice barely more than a whisper now. “You’ve felt it, haven’t you? That pull. That sense that there’s something more to your life, something you’ve been searching for without even realizing it.”

Emilia’s breath hitched in her chest. She wanted to deny it, to push back against the idea that Lucian was somehow right. But deep down, she couldn’t. There had always been something—a restlessness, a feeling that her life was on a path she couldn’t quite understand.

Lucian’s gaze never left hers, his eyes burning with a quiet intensity. “You and I... we’re not so different, Emilia. We’re both searching for the same thing. The truth.”

Emilia shook her head, stepping back toward the door. “I’m nothing like you.”

Lucian’s smile widened, though there was no warmth in it. “We’ll see. Sooner or later, you’ll realize that we’re on the same side.”

Emilia turned and left the room without another word, her heart pounding in her chest. As the door closed behind her, she couldn’t shake the feeling that Lucian had gotten under her skin in a way she hadn’t anticipated. He was right about one thing: she was searching for something.

But what terrified her most was the possibility that Lucian knew what it was before she did.