Rhea's body felt heavy, as if the air itself had weight.
The shadows of the hallway twisted around her, stretching and recoiling, forming faces she recognized from the portraits—the previous brides.
Their eyes were hollow, pleading, and desperate.
Rhea shivered. "Adrian… it's too much. I can't—"
"Yes, you can," Adrian said firmly.
He placed a hand over the glowing mark on her wrist.
"You have to focus. Remember who you are. Not just the mansion's chosen… you."
The shadows surged, swirling faster, whispering in hundreds of voices:
"You will break… You will join… You will fail…"
Rhea clenched her fists.
"No!" she shouted.
"I am me! Not yours! I refuse!"
The mansion reacted.
The walls groaned.
The floor beneath them vibrated.
But suddenly, the whispers stilled, replaced by something else—soft memories.
Rhea blinked, and the hallway faded. She was inside one of the mansion's grand ballrooms—but it was empty, covered in dust and cobwebs.
She could see a woman in a flowing gown dancing alone, spinning slowly.
Lilith.
Her eyes glimmered with malice, but there was fear hidden beneath the surface.
The vision shifted—Rhea saw flashes of the previous brides, each attempting to confront Lilith.
All failed.
All fell to despair.
Rhea's heart raced.
"So that's why the mansion traps them…" she whispered.
"They can't face her… not without breaking first."
Adrian's voice came from behind her, grounding her.
"Look closely, Rhea. This is your advantage. The mansion is showing you everything Lilith fears."
Rhea blinked, taking a deep breath.
"And what does she fear?"
The vision shifted again.
Lilith stood in the center of the ballroom, alone, her expression tense.
The shadows of the brides surrounded her, not threatening—but silent. Watching.
Rhea realized something.
Lilith wasn't unbreakable.
She feared connection—love, trust, and courage.
Every bride who failed… failed because they were isolated.
Rhea turned to Adrian.
"Then that's it, isn't it?"
He tilted his head. "What is it?"
"She's only strong because no one fights her together. Because the brides were alone… and she thrived on fear. But I have you. And the mansion gave me the mark—it wants me to fight back."
Adrian's eyes softened with awe and something more… pride.
"You're beginning to understand it," he said quietly.
"This is why you survived the first wave. The mansion is testing your resolve. Stage Two isn't just to terrify you—it's to strengthen you."
Rhea swallowed, determination settling like fire in her chest.
"Then I won't just survive, Adrian. I'll use this. I'll learn from the memories. I'll face Lilith, and I'll—"
A sudden chill swept over the ballroom.
Lilith's laughter echoed, low and dangerous:
"Bold little bride… but the mansion doesn't forgive arrogance."
The shadows swirled violently.
The golden mark on Rhea's wrist flared so brightly she had to shield her eyes.
Adrian stepped forward, placing his hand over hers.
"Stay with me," he said firmly.
"Focus on us. Focus on your strength. Not her."
Rhea nodded, heart hammering.
She felt the mansion push, but instead of fear, she fed it determination.
She let the memories of the brides wash over her—not to terrify her—but to teach her.
Every misstep they made, every fear they surrendered to, she memorized.
Every courage they had—even in the end—became a lesson.
Slowly, the shadows around her began to waver.
Lilith's form flickered, momentarily uncertain.
Rhea realized—the mansion was showing her Lilith's cracks.
And for the first time, Rhea smiled—not with relief, but with resolve.
"I see you, Lilith," she whispered.
"And I'm not afraid of you."
The ballroom's walls trembled.
The shadows hissed.
But the golden mark on her wrist pulsed steadily—stronger, warmer, a heartbeat in sync with her own.
Adrian's hand squeezed hers.
"You're ready for Stage Three," he said softly, awe in his voice.
"But… only if you survive the next test. And Lilith… she will strike harder than ever."
Rhea inhaled sharply.
"Then let her come."
The mansion seemed to respond—shadows spiraling faster, walls creaking, and Lilith's laughter slicing through the air.
But Rhea was no longer trembling.
No longer afraid.
She was ready.
And this time, she wouldn't just survive.
She would fight.