Chapter 001: Ophelia's Doom

Ophelia's point of view

The words danced across my phone screen like a bolt of lightning, filling me with a whirlwind of emotions. “Ophelia, your husband is cheating on you!” I couldn’t believe my eyes, when a message from my best friend, Anne, popped into my screen.

Those words felt heavy and bitter, sinking into my heart with a sharp sting. My beat faster as my mind fought against the horrible thought, but then, like a cruel twist of fate, a picture popped up.

It showed Berry, the man I loved, the man I trusted, with another woman. My breath caught in my throat as shock washed over me.

For three whole years, I thought we were happy together, blissfully wrapped in our own little world.

Never in my wildest dreams did I picture him betraying me like this. The message, accompanied by the undeniable image, felt like a slap to my face.

Suddenly, all the joyful moments we shared seemed like a distant memory, overshadowed by this painful reality.

Then I saw a location tag on my phone, and it sent me into a frenzy. I rushed out of my home, my heart beating faster in my chest, filled with confusion and dread.

In only a short amount of time, I suddenly found myself standing in front of a fallen-down building.

The structure appeared to be in ruins, and my heart sank as I noticed how cold and uninviting it seemed. I felt a rush of confusion and fear washing over me like a cold wave for a moment.

"Berry, you really shouldn't come to a place like this," I whispered to myself quietly as I took slow, hesitant steps toward the broken door that hung loosely from its hinges. It looked old and worn, and the surrounding area was covered in dust and debris.

The building seemed rough and neglected, almost like it held dark secrets meant to trap me or break me even more. I couldn't shake off the feeling that entering this place would lead to something scary or painful.

Berry was known as one of the wealthiest men in New York City. I had been known as his secret wife, a title that had always filled me with a mix of pride and pain.

But why was he hiding me? Why didn’t he want the world to know about us? As I thought about these unanswered questions, my stomach twisted into knots, and the worry in my heart deepened.

With a racing heart, I hurried inside the house, wearing a troubled expression. My mind was frazzled, desperately trying to keep my composure.

I looked around in confusion, my gaze sweeping the empty space, not spotting a single person or anything that seemed familiar. A wave of irritation washed over me.

"Is Anne trying to pull a prank on me?" I thought, feeling my face heat up with anger at the possibility.

With a swift movement, I dialed her number, my fingers trembling with a mix of frustration and rising anxiety. On the third ring, she finally picked up.

"Anne, is this some kind of joke?!" I shouted, my voice filled with anger.

Instead of a simple answer, her mocking laughter echoed in my ear, and my heart sank as my eyes widened in disbelief.

"I really can’t believe you fell for that, you fool!" she spat out, and I felt a wave of humiliation wash over me. Speechless and fuming, I turned to leave.

But at that moment, I locked eyes with two large men standing nearby, their expressions full of smug satisfaction. My heart beat faster, and I stumbled backward, feeling as if it might leap right out of my chest.

"Caroline did well this time," one of them said, making my eyes go wide in shock.

"Caroline? She’s behind all this? What kind of trouble is she causing now?" I thought angrily, my mind racing as I looked for a way to escape. Before I could react, one of the men grabbed my hair with rough hands, pulling me back.

A single tear rolled down my cheek, my heart beating in fear and despair.

"Don’t be so stubborn, little Ophelia. We’ll go easy on you," they laughed cruelly, and their laughter filled the dark room, sending chills down my spine. Suddenly, I felt a sharp jab in my neck, and everything began to blur.

"What did you do to me?" I managed to ask weakly, feeling a wave of helplessness wash over me as my vision faded.

A wave of darkness swept over me as my vision blurred, and just like that, everything went black.

When I opened my eyes, the first thing I saw were these bright, red lights filling the room all around me.

Everything was so confusing, and I felt like my head was spinning wildly, like a top that just wouldn't stop. The feeling was overwhelming, and I struggled to make sense of what was happening.

Suddenly, my attention snapped back to reality when I heard a ripping sound, my dress was being torn. In that moment, my eyes locked onto the men in the too., and a surge of fear rushed through me.

I was completely taken aback when I realized that I was completely naked. My heart beat faster as I desperately tried to scream, but then I noticed that my mouth was covered, silencing me. Panic flooded my veins.

"I can't wait to have what I've been craving for, for seven long years now, Ophelia," the man said, and his voice sent a shiver down my spine.

It sounded so familiar, yet so terrifying, and I couldn’t see his face clearly because he was wearing a mask that hid his identity, the two hefty men standing by his side.

Then, I heard a voice that cut through the noise, my sister's voice, Caroline. "I can prove to you, she's cheating on you, Berry," she said. At that moment, my eyes widened in horror as everything began to click into place.

My heart sank as I realized what was happening. "Caroline was going to accuse me of being unfaithful to Berry!" The mere thought made me feel like I was losing my mind, and I could hardly breathe.

"Let the show begin!" the man in front of me said with a smirk that made my skin crawl, and then he pulled off his mask. The sight of his face left me in utter disbelief; it was none other than Andrew, my toxic ex-boyfriend, and the very enemy of Berry.

Before I could wrap my head around what was unfolding, Andrew stepped closer to me, his breath brushing against my skin like a taunting whisper. It felt both terrifying and intrusive, sending chills throughout my entire body.

"Ophelia would never cheat on me!" Berry screamed in anger at Caroline, and I could feel more tears streaming down my face, drowning me in despair. I couldn’t comprehend how this nightmare was happening to me right now.

"Why don’t you find out for yourself, or are you just afraid that it might turn out to be true?" Caroline mocked, her words cutting like a knife.

I started to feel flushed, strangely hot as I continued to stare at the door that had opened, as if hoping for an escape.

Meanwhile, I realized that I was inexplicably responding to Andrew’s touch, even though everything felt so wrong. It was a whirlwind of emotions, fear, confusion, betrayal, and an unexpected electrical feeling coursing through me that I couldn't understand. I felt completely trapped.