Saphina stood in front of her mirror, adjusting the collar of her cream blouse and brushing a few stubborn strands of hair behind her ear. She checked her watch—she was still on time. Her desk was cluttered with files and her black tote bag lay half-zipped, waiting for the last few essentials before she dashed out for work.
Just as she reached for her planner, a knock echoed through the apartment.
She groaned under her breath. "Who is it now?"
Dragging her feet to the door, she opened it to find a man in a brown uniform holding a box, neatly wrapped in glossy black paper and tied with a gold ribbon.
"Good morning, miss. Delivery for Saphina Hadley," he said, handing her a clipboard to sign.
Saphina furrowed her brows. "Delivery? I didn't order anything."
The man shrugged politely. "I'm just the messenger, ma'am. This is the right address." He gave a small nod and walked away briskly.
Saphina looked down at the box in her hands, then back at the deliveryman who had already disappeared around the corner.
Her curiosity was piqued—but so was her caution.
She placed the package on the dining table and stared at it like it might explode. Then she picked up her phone and quickly dialed Liana's number.
After a few rings, Liana answered, her voice tired and faint. "Hello?"
"Liana? Are you okay? You don't sound like yourself."
"I'm fine," she replied softly. "Just… didn't sleep well. What's going on?"
"I got a package this morning," Saphina said, eyes still glued to the mysterious box. "I thought maybe you sent it."
"Nope. Wasn't me," Liana replied. "What's in it?"
"Haven't opened it yet," Saphina murmured. "But I don't have a good feeling."
"Well, keep your pepper spray close," Liana joked weakly.
Saphina chuckled. "Noted. Alright, have a good day, baby."
"You too, Saphy. Call me if anything weird happens."
The call ended. Taking a breath, Saphina untied the ribbon and opened the box. Inside was a breathtaking sequin evening dress in shimmering silver—a designer piece that screamed expensive. Carefully folded beneath it was a black envelope with a handwritten note in silver ink.
*"Anything for my bride-to-be."*
Saphina didn't need to guess.
She rolled her eyes. "Elias Black…"
Without another thought, she closed the box, walked outside to the dumpster behind her apartment building, and tossed it in.
"Useless," she muttered.
Back inside, she grabbed her bag and keys and left for work.
Unbeknownst to her, a man dressed in a sleek black coat stood across the street, partially hidden by a parked car. He lifted his phone to his ear.
"She trashed it," he said in a low voice.
A cold, deep voice responded from the other end. "You know what to do."
The man nodded. "Yes, sir."
"Good," the voice said, before the line went dead.
The man pocketed his phone, turned, and disappeared into the crowd—his steps steady and full of purpose.
---
The morning air was crisp, and the city hummed with its usual rhythm. Saphina adjusted her blazer and walked briskly down the street, clutching her handbag and a folder of important documents. Her heels clicked steadily on the pavement, but a strange sensation crept over her — the distinct feeling of being watched.
She paused for a second, glancing over her shoulder. Empty street. Nothing unusual. Just a couple of people walking in the distance and a parked car. She shook her head. "Get a grip, Saphina," she muttered to herself, trying to shrug off the eerie feeling.
As she approached the main road, a sleek black van pulled up ahead, its doors sliding open with a soft *click*. She stopped, narrowing her eyes in confusion. *Why would a random van open like that in front of her?*
Before she could step back, a firm hand clamped over her mouth and nose with a white cloth.
Her eyes widened. She thrashed, kicking, twisting — but the scent on the cloth overwhelmed her senses. Her vision blurred, her limbs weakened, and everything turned dark. Saphina lay unconscious on the leather seat, her head resting against the window, hair falling loosely over her face. The man in the black coat sat opposite her, pulling out his phone. He dialed a number.
"She's secured, sir. We're en route to the safehouse."
The voice on the other end was cold and composed. "Make sure she doesn't wake up before you arrive. And keep her unharmed. She's valuable."
The man nodded. "Understood."
He glanced at Saphina's sleeping form.
"You have no idea what game you've been pulled into, sweetheart
The doors shut, and the van drove off into traffic, blending into the city like nothing ever happened.
***
*At Velvet Corp Headquarters*
Tristan sat behind his glass desk, fingers drumming impatiently. The time on the sleek digital clock read *10:42 AM*.
She was never this late. Not once.
He picked up his phone and dialed Saphina's number. Straight to voicemail.
He tried again.
And again.
Nothing.
His jaw clenched.
He stood, pacing to the floor-to-ceiling window, staring out at the skyline. Something wasn't right. He could feel it in his gut — the same gut instinct that had saved him countless times during risky business deals.
"Where are you?" he mumbled. But he couldn't. His mind kept going back to her. Her laugh. The way she always triple-checks her files. She wouldn't just disappear.
He picked up the phone and called reception. "Has Miss Hadley checked in today?"
"No, sir. We haven't seen her."
Tristan's face darkened. He ended the call and grabbed his keys.
*Something is not right*
---
Saphina's eyes sprang open, but darkness engulfed her. A throbbing pain radiated through her skull, and her vision swam with shadows. As she tried to pull herself together, a piercing sting gripped her wrists, and reality crashed down on her like a wave — she was tied to a chair. Panic clawed at her throat.
"Hello?" Her voice trembled, barely cutting through the heavy silence. "Is anyone there? Please, help me!"
Each shaky breath only intensified her fear, and tears of desperation threatened to spill over. She twisted against the restraints, but the ropes bit deeper, refusing to yield. Her heartbeat echoed loudly in her ears, a frantic drum summoning her will to fight.
Suddenly, footsteps echoed through the void — slow, purposeful, and unnervingly calm. A figure emerged from the darkness, cloaked in shadows, until he finally stepped into a dim, flickering light.
Elias Black.
Dressed in a tailored dark suit, he exuded an unsettling aura of control. A twisted smile spread across his face, a chilling welcome.
"Oh, my beautiful bride-to-be…" His voice was silk, smooth and disconcerting. "Don't be frightened. I'm here now."
Rage shot through Saphina, fueling her voice. "What do you want, you sick son of a bitch?! Let me go!"
Elias merely chuckled, an unsettling sound that sent shivers down her spine. "Ouch. That was rude. But fiery. I like that."
She shook her head, frustration spilling forth in tears. "Just let me go! I don't know anything about this. I'm not a Moretti — I was just a guest that night! You're dragging me into something I don't understand."
Elias knelt beside her, his eyes gleaming with intensity as he leaned in closer. "I don't care who you were to them. What matters is what you are to me, Saphina. And trust me, I always get what I want."
Her voice cracked under the weight of despair. "You're a monster…"
His laughter rang out, eerily joyful, a sound that echoed in the confines of her mind.
"A monster?" he repeated, amusement dancing in his eyes. "How amusing that you call *me* that while working for the true devil himself."
Saphina searched his face, confusion mixing with the lingering fear. "What are you talking about?"
He stood and began to pace, each step deliberate as he built a chilling narrative. "Your precious Tristan. Doesn't something seem… off? The fear he instills? The secrets he hoards? Come on, Saphina — open your eyes."
She remained silent, stubbornly resisting his manipulation.
Then, without warning, he delivered the truth like a blade.
"That same Tristan, your gentle CEO, murdered over twenty men — burned them alive in a warehouse. And walked away like it was nothing."
The air thickened as Saphina's jaw dropped in disbelief. The tears stopped; she could hardly breathe. "What?"
"You heard me," Elias hissed, his words sharp as daggers. "He's not just a businessman. He runs a criminal empire — a mafia. He's one of the most feared men in the underground."
"No…" Saphina whispered, shaking her head as if to dispel the accusation.
"Yes," Elias pressed, his gaze unwavering. "Our families were entwined in that darkness. He shattered my plans to claim my bride, and now I'm returning the favor. You—" he moved closer, his voice a dark lullaby, "—are caught in the middle of a war you don't even understand."
Tears streamed down her cheeks, silent witnesses to her unraveling.
"You can't trust him," Elias continued, his voice coated in venom. "He'll use you, break you, kill anyone who stands in his way — and that could very well be *you* one day."
"I don't believe you," she found the strength to say, though her conviction felt thinner with each word.
"You don't have to believe me — not yet," he smirked, satisfaction sparking in his dark eyes. "But soon, you'll see the truth. And when that moment comes, you'll find your way back to me."
Saphina stared at him, her mind whirling and her heart sinking. The man she had thought she loved had transformed into a creature of nightmares. And the worst part… a whisper of dread took root in her heart, suggesting there might be a truth to his ugly claims.
Elias straightened, a predator satisfied by the hunt, and turned toward the door. "You're tangled in this world now, Saphina. There's no escape. So be wise. Embrace me… and I'll protect you. Or remain loyal to your demon and see how long you last."
With that, he disappeared into the shadows, leaving her alone in the oppressive darkness.
And Saphina, bound to the chair, succumbed to silent tears — not just from fear but from the doubt that clawed at her heart.
Was everything she believed in a beautiful lie?
---