The morning sunlight filtered through the window, casting long shadows across Emilia’s office. She hadn’t slept much the night before, Lucian’s words echoing in her mind like a relentless hum. The connection he had alluded to—that sense of inevitability—haunted her, though she tried to dismiss it as nothing more than psychological manipulation. But no matter how hard she tried to shake the feeling, a nagging sense of truth clung to his words.

Her phone buzzed, pulling her back to the present. It was Elias.

She hesitated before picking up. "Elias?"

"Emilia, where are you? I stopped by your office earlier, but you weren’t around," Elias said, concern lacing his voice.

"I had an early meeting with Lestrade," she lied, not wanting to reveal the late-night confrontation she’d had with Lucian. "Just got back to my office."

There was a brief pause on the other end of the line before Elias spoke again. "You’ve been different lately, Emilia. Ever since Lucian woke up, you’re... distant. Is everything okay?"

Emilia rubbed her temples. "I’m fine, Elias. Really. It’s just been... a lot."

"I can tell," Elias said, his voice softening. "Look, I know you’re involved in this because you care, but I’m worried. You’ve always had this way of absorbing everything around you, letting it eat at you until you can’t breathe. Don’t let him do that to you."

"I’m handling it," Emilia replied, though the words felt hollow even to her. "I promise, I’ll let you know if things get out of hand."

Elias sighed on the other end of the line. "Alright. But don’t push me out, okay? You don’t have to carry this alone."

"I won’t," she said, though she wasn’t entirely sure she believed that either.

Before she could respond further, a knock sounded at her door. "I’ve got to go," she said quickly, ending the call as she looked up to see Lestrade standing in the doorway, her expression unreadable.

"Got a minute?" Lestrade asked, stepping inside without waiting for an answer. She tossed a file onto Emilia’s desk, the papers within splaying out. "New developments on Lucian."

Emilia opened the folder, her eyes scanning the contents. It was a series of profiles—men and women, all of them young, all of them missing. There were police reports attached to each, all of them unresolved, the trail growing cold within weeks of their disappearances.

"These are all tied to Lucian?" Emilia asked, her voice low as she flipped through the documents.

Lestrade nodded, her arms crossed. "These are the people who were closest to him—some were associates, others rivals, a few even family. But they all have one thing in common: they got too close, and then they vanished."

Emilia swallowed hard. "Why show me this now?"

Lestrade hesitated, her usual stoic demeanor faltering for just a moment. "Because I need you to understand what’s at stake. You’re not just treating some patient, Emilia. You’re dealing with a predator, someone who thrives on control. These people didn’t just disappear—they were erased. And I don’t want to see your name added to that list."

Emilia set the file down, her fingers trembling slightly as she closed the folder. "I’m being careful."

"Are you?" Lestrade challenged, stepping closer. "Because I saw the way you looked when you came out of that room last night. He’s getting to you, Emilia. That’s what he does. He finds your weaknesses, exploits them, and before you know it, you’re trapped."

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Emilia met Lestrade’s gaze, trying to muster as much resolve as she could. "I’m not one of his victims, Inspector."

Lestrade’s eyes softened slightly, but there was still an edge of warning in her tone. "Maybe not yet. But the deeper you go, the harder it’s going to be to pull yourself out. You think you’re in control, but Lucian... he always makes sure he has the upper hand."

Emilia took a deep breath, trying to steady herself. "I need to talk to him again. If I can get him to open up, maybe we can find out why these people disappeared, what his endgame really is."

Lestrade shook her head. "You’re walking into dangerous territory. He’s not going to give you answers, Emilia. He’s going to give you just enough to keep you coming back."

"And what would you have me do?" Emilia shot back, frustration bubbling to the surface. "Walk away? Let him win?"

Lestrade’s face hardened. "This isn’t about winning or losing. It’s about survival. You don’t owe him anything."

"I know that," Emilia said, her voice firm, though the unease still gnawed at her. "But I can’t just ignore him. If he’s a threat, I need to know why he’s so interested in me. And if there’s something in his past that can explain that, I need to find it."

Lestrade studied her for a long moment, then sighed. "I can’t stop you. But I’ll be close by. You don’t go in there without me nearby."

"Agreed," Emilia said, feeling a strange mix of relief and dread.

Emilia stood outside Lucian’s room once again, her heart pounding as she prepared herself for whatever twisted game he was about to play. Lestrade stood just down the hall, her arms crossed as she watched Emilia with a sharp, protective gaze.

She stepped inside, and once again, Lucian was waiting. He sat up straighter in the hospital bed, his hands resting in his lap, that familiar smile playing on his lips. He looked more alert, more present, as if each time they met, he grew stronger, more in control.

"Emilia," Lucian said, his voice smooth as silk. "Back so soon?"

"I need answers," Emilia replied, trying to keep her voice steady.

Lucian tilted his head, his eyes gleaming with amusement. "And what makes you think I’ll give them to you?"

"Because if I don’t get them from you, someone else will," Emilia said, stepping closer to his bed. "The police are closing in on your past, Lucian. It’s only a matter of time before they piece it all together. You can either tell me what I want to know, or I’ll find out another way."

Lucian’s smile widened. "Ah, the old threat of exposure. But you see, Emilia, I have nothing to hide from you. Not anymore."

"Then tell me about them," Emilia pressed, pulling out the photos Lestrade had shown her earlier. She laid them out on the table next to his bed. "These people. The ones who disappeared. What happened to them?"

Lucian’s eyes flicked over the photos, his expression unreadable for a moment. Then he leaned back, a soft chuckle escaping his lips. "You think I made them vanish? That I simply waved my hand and—poof—they were gone?"

"You were connected to all of them," Emilia said, her voice cold. "And now they’re gone. What am I supposed to think?"

Lucian’s smile faded slightly, his gaze sharpening. "You’re supposed to think, Doctor, that sometimes people disappear because they want to. Because the world isn’t as simple as you’d like it to be."

"Stop dodging the question," Emilia snapped, her frustration boiling over. "What did you do to them?"

Lucian’s expression shifted, becoming darker, more dangerous. He leaned forward, his eyes locking onto hers with a predatory intensity. "What did I do to them? I gave them a choice. Just like I’m giving you."

Emilia felt a shiver run down her spine. "What choice?"

Lucian’s smile returned, but it was colder now, devoid of the charm he had displayed earlier. "The choice to see the world for what it really is. To step beyond the illusions you’ve built around yourself. You think you’re in control, that you’re different from them. But you’re not. You’re just like them, Emilia. And sooner or later, you’ll realize that."

Emilia’s heart raced, but she forced herself to stand her ground. "I’m not like them."

Lucian leaned back, his gaze never leaving hers. "We’ll see."

As Emilia left the room, her mind buzzed with Lucian’s words. She wanted to dismiss them as the ramblings of a madman, but deep down, she couldn’t shake the feeling that there was something more. Something she wasn’t seeing.

Lestrade approached her, her eyes scanning Emilia’s face for any sign of weakness. "You alright?"

Emilia nodded, though her stomach twisted in knots. "He’s playing with me. But there’s something... something he’s not saying."

"He’ll keep playing until he has you exactly where he wants you," Lestrade warned. "Don’t fall into his trap."

Emilia clenched her fists. "I’m not going to let him win."

Lestrade’s expression softened, but there was still a wary edge in her voice. "Just be careful, Emilia. Sometimes, the more you push, the deeper you get pulled in."

Emilia looked back at the closed door of Lucian’s room, her thoughts a tangled web of fear and curiosity. Lucian had offered her a choice, but she didn’t fully understand what that choice was—or what it would cost her.

But one thing was becoming clear: whatever game Lucian was playing, she was already part of it.

And the stakes were higher than she had ever imagined.