ka'

, polished floor. No laughter echoed through the room. No bridesmaids fussed over me with makeup brushes and final

to be the happiest mom

felt like a

ey said the house was over two hundred years old, passed down through generations. But what sent a chill d

itya's mother, Mrs. Sekar Damar, wore a black lace dress with

eyes in those paintings seemed to follow me-as if judging whether I was worthy of carrying the Damar bl

ies and old furniture. The marble floor was dulled with age. Deep crimson curtains hung heavily

in a strange acciden

called i

t, I knew some

k suit embroidered with barely visible symbols-ancient glyphs re

brief. Hollow.

k

ged beyond wha

c. Just

chill surged up my arm. My fingers trembl

vo

his

but

not hu

toward the soun

ined still. Fac

rted me to a room on the upper floo

e felt like fallin

n frame etched with serpents and roses. In the corner, an old wardrobe loomed like a sea

ne like a warning. "Do not leave this room until he ar

h my instincts

-

cra

t at the edge of the bed, breath

llway. Heavy breath

an's sobs-soft, br

But the voice pre

too... Don't open the door...

, ready to flee. But be

robe cre

back. Inside hung another wedding dres

fell to the flo

I couldn't explain, and saw-

yes blackened and holl

at me...

nging the glass

hing v

The blood-gone. The r

lock struc

r creak

a stoo

't the man

skin was pale, like marble.

voice deep and echoing, like something

my legs wouldn't move. The

You should be. But you've been cho

I asked, bare

brushing my cheek w

an of the curse. Each generation must wed a pure soul under this roo

my cheeks. "So I'm j

pecial, Citra. You're st

broken mirror and

who you r

ith golden eyes and a strange birthmark on her ne

that?" I

woman, Citra. You come from a bloodline older than mine. That's why you can hear

with fear anymore-b

ever believed

ot just a

yourself... you must choose:

a blood-curdling scream

ned at

s when I

g was far

s... were no

d open down

teps

. Too

wasn't just

eginning of a war be