The sounds of water crashing around her filled Sarah's ears. Panic clawed at her chest as she realized her voice carried through the vast, endless ocean.
"Where am I? What… happened?" she whispered, her words swallowed by the darkness.
Memories returned slowly, fragmented and jagged. Oh right… I got hit by a truck… right after leaving Emily's house.
Her stomach sank. Does that mean I'm… dead? A chill ran through her as she thought of Emily. She'll be so sad… I'm all she has left.
A faint sound of crying echoed through the void, pulling her attention to a figure materializing before her. A young woman stood there, her long black hair flowing like ink in water. Her eyes glowed red, sharp, and burning like a blood moon.
"Who's there? What's wrong?" Sarah asked, her voice trembling.
The woman's lips quivered. "I loved him," she said softly, her voice full of sorrow. "And in the end… my love for him became my death. All I ever wanted… was to be loved as deeply as I loved. But… that was too much."
Sarah's heart ached, and a weight settled on her chest.
"I can't do it anymore," the woman continued, staring directly into Sarah's eyes. "But maybe… You could. After all, you said you could do better. Do it… for both of us."
Suddenly, a warm, blinding light began to surround Sarah. She opened her mouth to speak, but her voice caught in her throat. Panic surged as the light enveloped her completely, pulling her into nothingness. Black, endless, silent.
Time passed—or maybe it didn't. Hours or seconds; she had no way of knowing.
"My lady… " It's time to wake up," a gentle voice called.
"Wake up? From what… aren't they dead?" Sarah murmured to herself.
A soft, golden light bathed her face. She blinked and opened her eyes, and everything around her was unfamiliar. This was no hospital. The room gleamed with lavish furnishings, every detail impossibly elegant.
"Where… am I? Dead?" she whispered.
"My lady, it's almost noon. We've been waiting for you," the voice repeated.
She tried to move, her body sinking into the soft, luxurious bed. As she turned her head, her eyes fell on a young woman with sharp hazel eyes and green hair, dressed in a maid's outfit. There was something familiar about her, yet Sarah couldn't place it.
Before she could ask, a sudden, sharp pain shot through her skull, accompanied by a flood of memories that were not her own.
"What… what is happening?" she whispered, clutching her head.
Then the memories stopped as abruptly as they had come. The young woman before her bowed.
"Marie," Sarah said aloud.
"Yes, my lady. Shall I prepare your bath?" Marie asked politely, returning her gaze to Sarah.
"Why… why do you keep calling me 'my lady'?" Sarah asked, her voice tight.
Marie looked confused. "Because… you are the noble daughter of Duke Theodore Valmont, milady Seraphina Valmont."
The words hit her like a blow.
"What…?" she breathed. The maid stepped back, slightly frightened by her reaction.
"Are you unwell, my lady?" Marie asked softly. "Shall I call the physician?"
"No… no, it's fine. I just need a moment alone," Sarah said, her voice shaking. Marie bowed again and left, still confused.
Alone, Sarah rose and moved toward the mirror. Her reflection was… unrecognizable.
Gone was the face she knew. In its place stood a tall, striking woman, her long black hair cascading over her shoulders. Her eyes glowed a deep crimson, like a blood moon or a ruby in the night.
Sarah's breath caught in her throat. She had become the villainess. The same villainess Emily had written about… and somehow, she was now living that life.