The mansion was quiet.
Everyone had gone to bed. even the help.
Lucien tossed and turned in the massive bed that felt more like a cage than comfort. His sheets were tangled, the moonlight painting long shadows across the room.
But he couldn't sleep.
He hadn't been able to, ever since her.
Every time he closed his eyes, it was the same:
Her voice.
In the dream, he was standing in the middle of a rain-soaked road.
The world was dark. Thunder rolled overhead.
He couldn't see her face, but he could feel her presence, just beyond the fog.
Then… he heard it.
"Lucien… please… don't forget me."
Her voice cracked, thick with tears.
He turned toward it, heart pounding.
"Come back to me."
He moved forward blindly. Rain soaked through his shirt. His feet splashed through puddles, running toward the sound of her sobs.
"I need you."
Then,
A flash of lightning.
A woman, kneeling in the rain, her long hair plastered to her face. Clutching a photo against her chest.
His photo.
She looked up.
Her face blurred… then focused.
Ava.
His chest tightened. His breath stopped.
He reached for her.
But just as he touched her
"Lucien!"
He jolted awake, chest heaving.
His sheets were damp with sweat. His hands trembled.
He stared at the ceiling, heart pounding as if he'd just run a marathon.
That voice…
Those tears…
It wasn't a fantasy.
It felt real.
He swung his legs over the bed, rubbing his face.
"I'm losing my mind," he whispered.
But deep down, a part of him knew:
That wasn't a dream.
It was a memory.
Later that morning, Ava passed him in the hallway.
"Good morning, sir."
Lucien stared at her.
Same soft voice. Same tired eyes.
He almost stopped her. Almost told her everything.
But instead, he said quietly, "Did you cry for me?"
She froze mid-step.
Her breath caught in her throat. She turned, but he was already walking away.