"You look like trash, my child." Mariah said without missing a beat after she opened the door. She was an old woman in her eighties, and used to be a nanny in the Sinclair household till Selene was eleven years old.
"I have missed you too, nanny," Selene said with a low laugh.
Maria led her inside the house.
Despite all the Sinclair staff getting a shimmering pension after their retirement, Maria preferred living a simpler life. The house was small with only one bedroom, one kitchen, one hall.
The walls were a painted with flamboyant bright pink flowers, and decorated with an collection of vintage rifles and crocheted tapestries.
"You've been far too late," Mariah grumbled as she took the box of kittens from Selene's hands, "Didn't I tell you to move with me four years ago? But no, you had to do that nonsense redemption quest for Mister Sinclair!
"And what now? You meet me one day before your wedding, what do I do with that? Knit you a wedding gown?"
Selene sighed, "Chill, nanny. I have left it all behind."
Mariah froze mid-step. She slowly turned and looked at Selene as if she was looking at someone who has lost their mind, "Everything? You're leaving everything now that you're one day away from a much better life?"
Selene simply shrugged.
Mariah blinked. Once. Twice. She looked at Selene as if debating whether to say something wise or perhaps start a fight. Instead, she sighed and sat on the couch.
"Good," she said finally.
Selene blinked, startled.
Maria gently patted her on the back, "You may be four years late but at least you've finally grown a spine, sweetheart."
"Mariah…"
"I'm proud of you," the old woman muttered, "Now sit here and tell me everything. There's leftover pizza I can warm up if you're hungry. Start with the names of these kittens."
Selene let out an exhausted laugh and collapsed on the ancient floral-print couch.
She was not sure where to begin. But she did tell Mariah everything. The wedding, the stranger, the murder. Selene knew Mariah would not believe her. Who could?
The story was far too bizarre.
But for some weird reason, Mariah only listened quietly.
And somewhere between ranting about everyone who hurt her and eating the leftover pepperoni pizza, Selene fell asleep—and she woke up to the black kitten licking her hair.
The white kitten was burrowing inside her fallen duffle bag, and the grey kitten was napping on her face.
But more importantly—it was dark outside.
Selene quickly shooed away the kittens, grabbed her phone, and turned it on. Her heart beats picked up when it opened.
Time: 08:11 PM, 15 August
You have 100+ Missed Calls from Unknown Numbers!
"What the hell," Selene whispered, "How did I sleep for so long…?"
A monotonous voice chimed in her head as a golden screen popped up.
[Your soul requires sleep to recover. It has not healed from the strain of returning back in time. Mandatory Recovery Period: 24 Hours.]
Selene raised a surprised brow, "What about the quest?"
[Quest Status: Ongoing. Mission: Survive.]
Selene blinked, feeling more confused.
Shouldn't the quest be completed now? She was away from the wedding, away from everything that could possible harm her…
"Why is the quest not completed?" Selene asked, "What am I supposed to survive? For how long? This doesn't make any sense!"
[Error! System Activation Incomplete! Host Interaction Restricted!]
[Complete the First Quest to unlock access!]
Selene barely had time to process the situation when a sharp pop-pop-pop split the air outside—gunshots.
Her blood ran cold.
She shot to her feet and rushed to the door, heart pounding.
Outside, under the pale orange glow of the lawn lights, stood Mariah—eighty years old, half-blind, and holding a bolt-action rifle like a retired assassin. Her granny dress fluttered in the wind.
Across from her, standing awkwardly near his luxury sportscar, was Adrian Hale—tall, tense, and absolutely on the verge of a breakdown. The muzzle of Mariah's rifle hovered just inches from his perfectly symmetrical jawline.
"I said get lost! Nobody's here!" Mariah barked, "I have nothing to do with your runaway bride!"
Adrian attempted a shaky, polite smile. "With all due respect, ma'am… I think Selene is standing right behind you."
Mariah froze. Then turned her head slowly—very slowly.
"Seriously, Selene?" she hissed. "You couldn't have slept for another hour?"
Adrian stared at Selene in disbelief, "You overslept on our wedding day?"
She stared at him blankly, "Yeah. What gave it away?"
His jaw dropped, "What are you talking about?"
Selene crossed her arms and stated calmly, "I don't want to marry."
Adrian smiled. The kind of smile people wore at funerals. "You're really going to throw away everything?"
"I had nothing," she responded coldly.
Something about that made Adrian's expression turn bitter. It had always been like that, whenever they mentioned Selene's lost wealth, he insisted that wouldn't last. He always had more hope for her than she did.
Selene thought it was sweet.
Now, she wondered if he was being delusional. If he was too desperate to get a slice of the shining Sinclair assets. And the only way Adrian could ever do that was through her.
Adrian stepped closer, his voice suddenly serious. "You are still a Sinclair, Selene. All you need to do is play your cards right and everything will fall in place."
Selene scoffed. She no longer wanted to speak with him. She no longer trusted him. But just as she turned to walk away, he stopped her.
"Atlantis is sealed." Adrian said grimly, "Mister Sinclair thought you were kidnapped. Even if nothing has happened to you, they want to ensure you stay here. The airports, sea routes, everything is locked."
Selene froze.
Mariah glared at Adrian as if he had done everything wrong.
He shifted uncomfortably and added, "Did you know they have access to your phone? They already know your location. If I don't return with you in half an hour, they will sent guards here."
Selene's hands curled into fists.
And seeing her hesitate, a strange smile lifted on Adrian's lips, "This isn't just about love, Selene. Your family and mine have already invited elite guests for our wedding. The news had been everywhere since months. What do you think will happen to the Sinclair reputation if you suddenly run away? Do you honestly think they will allow this?"
Her glare could've burned steel as she looked at him. "You're threatening me."
"No. I'm reminding you." He said calmly.
Mariah's grip tightened around the rifle as she exchanged a glance with Selene. But what could they do? With great money comes great power.
And the Sinclairs always got what they wanted.
"If you want," Mariah said sternly, "Stay here, Selene. I have already lived enough, and I doubt even your father will dare to be harsh to me."
Mariah had also been his nanny. A very strict one at that.
Selene sighed, shaking her head, "No. I should deal with this on my own. Thank you for everything, Mariah. Do not forget to feed the kittens."
An hour later, Selene and Adrian were in the Sinclair Family Estate.
Just as Bianca was about to go upstairs, she noticed Selene.
She stopped and turned around, wrapped in a silk kimono, holding a glass of purple wine.
"Selene," she smiled warmly, "You look so tired. Where have you been all day?"
"Sleeping," Selene responded coldly.
Bianca laughed, a sound so beautiful Selene would have had a crush on her if the woman had not made her life a living hell.
"Well, you missed dinner," Bianca shrugged, "There's nothing left now so I would suggest you go to bed early. We have already scheduled the wedding for tomorrow. It's taken a lot to please the upset guests so please don't run away again."
"Good thing I wasn't hungry," Selene lied as she walked straight towards 'her' room.
"Fasting will suit you," Bianca responded.
Adrian stiffled a laugh.
Selene's fists clenched together. But she did not want to bother with the two of them anymore. Her mind was already a mess, and the last thing she wanted was to sour her mood.
But just as she passed Bianca on the staircase, the latter lightly grabbed her wrist.
"Don't do anything reckless," she said with a sad smile, "The Sinclairs are still taking care of Mariah's cancer treatment. It will be shame if something were to happen."
The words were like needles.
"Why are you so desperate for this wedding?" Selene whispered, "You, nor father has ever cared about my life before."
Heck, her father had even stopped responding to her calls and messages. They only ever saw each other on rare events they attended together, and even then, he was always so cold.
Bianca sighed, "It's business, sweetheart. Please don't take it to heart. You don't even have to live with Adrian. But Victor insists on this marriage."
Selene scoffed. She wanted to curse Bianca and her honeyed tongue, vent out all her frustrations, but the words Adrian had said earlier made her hesitate.
Once her father became serious about something, nothing could change his mind.
And so, she said nothing and went upstairs. Down the hall. To the bedroom she hadn't seen in years. Everything there now was so different. So white, so untouched.
Selene slumped on the dreamily soft mattress and stared at the ceiling.
That night was unnaturally silent.
And Selene could not sleep.
After one hour of twisting and turning, she got down from the bed. 'I have to marry the man who left me to die. The least I can do is tell him to screw himself!'
With an annoyed face, Selene grabbed her wedding ring and marched to Adrian's room. It was at the end of the hallaway, close to the staircase and Selene froze just as her hand reached on the slightly ajar door's knob.
There were unexpected coming from the bedroom.
"You said he only has a few days left," Adrian whispered, panting.
And then, there was Bianca. Her voice soft and sugary, "Victor only looks fine, darling. He will be gone soon, and when he does, Selene will get inheritance—"
"We can kill her," Adrian interrupted.
There was a pause.
And then Bianca laughed, "I want it all, yes. But if she dies, her inheritence will go to charity."
Selene stopped breathing.
There was a soft moan from the room, the rustle of sheets that made her stomach twist in disgust. Selene was fine with the love of her life being a coward. It was easy to leave a coward. But to know that he had been betraying her trust since God knows when—
"This fucking bastard…" she whispered, her eyes tearing up as she staggered back.
They have been friends since forever. How dare Adrian do this to her?
Selene flinched as she collided with something hard. Large, and unmoving. She turned around to see a hulking man packed with muscles.
It was Bianca's personal guard.
"You shouldn't be snooping," he said calmly, like pointing out a parking violation.
Selene's heart raced. She hastily backed up, "You're right—"
He sighed before she could finish her words, "Too late."
And then, he casually, almost gently placed his big hand on her shoulder and shoved. Selene's breath caught up in her throat. She tumbled backward, her body collided with the marble staircase.
There were sickening crunch of cracking bones.
Blood spilled, the pain was sharp. Loud. Selene gasped, curling as darkness cracked her vision. And for a moment, all she could think about was her father.
'What if he was not ghosting me?'
'He is dying… what if…'
One tear fell down from her eyes, mixing with the blood as her mind raced with dying thoughts. 'He had been so kind once.'
'What if I failed to know him?'
'What if I never get to see him again?'
'Maybe if I had come sooner… maybe if I was more stubborn, maybe if I returned home in time, he would have had more time…'
DING!
The clock echoed loudly as the hand struck twelve.
Selene's vision was dark and crimson. She faintly heard a scream from afar, saw hazy figures of Bianca and Adrian stumbling out of the room.
Bianca ran down the stairs, almost falling herself as she rushed to Selene's side, cradling her in arms as if holding a billion dollar lottery ticket.
"Oh dear," Bianca whispered in horror, "Can't you see where you walk?!"
Selene chocked on her own bitter laugh.
She wanted flip her middle finger but her finger barely moved. Her body was limp. The next moment—her heart stopped beating.
And then, through the darkness, a familiar voice chimed.
Ding!
[Quest Completed! You have survived!]
[Congratulations! You have fulfilled the condition for System Activation!]
[System Integration Started!]
The absurdity of the situation hit Selene harder than the stairs.