A Haunting Beginning

Unknown POV

"The shadows are spreading,Lucia!X discovered Camille's daughter, and she's in grave danger.I doubt she's prepared for what's coming. What if she backs out like her mother did?" The voice echoed, drawing nearer as the figure entered.

"Camille wasn't strong enough. That's why she snatched Carmen away from her roots, denying her knowledge of her own powerful heritage in SanCasas. Carmen isn't weak; she's not like Camille," I declared, placing the feather into the inkwell and resuming my writing.

"You can take the girl out of SanCasas, but you can't erase SanCasas from her. She must finish what Jackson started, find his journal, and save our land. She'll find a way; if she stumbles, she'll rise and fight on," I added, tapping my feet anxiously while continuing to write.

"What if it's too late? What if she strays down the wrong path? She's too busy falling for that illegitimate son of Armando, the one he disowned. SanCasas needs saving, not romance," she said ,lowering her head .

"Calm down; I get your concern," I replied, completing my writing and sealing the document."Stop stalking her with that bizarre scarf and glasses. My men are safeguarding her, even in the beauty contest she entered, just like Camille did. Carmen is special, following in both her parents' footsteps."

"I don't want her to end up like her parents. Once X gets to her, he'll stop at nothing to end the bloodline. Lucia, she's too young for this. She's all the family I have left," she pleaded.

"I'll bring her here, train her myself. I promised my sister I'd protect her only daughter. She needs to focus on saving SanCasas, not beauty contests or love. Time is running out; I need your approval. I can't act without your consent, Lucia," she added ,weariness etched in her voice .

"Let her be,Cari; she'll find her own path," I asserted.

♡ Nia's POV ♡

The cold enveloped me, a chilling embrace in the lonely darkness that felt like abandonment. Seated in the black void, I trembled ,feeling the weight of isolation. Suddenly, a hand extended towards me, emerging from the shadows. I strained to discern the features in the pitch-black room, only registering the subtle movements of a silhouette. But then, a soft, familiar voice cut through the silence, speaking with a calmness that sent shivers down my spine.

Carmen," she whispered gently."Mom, Mom," I desperately uttered, trying to grasp onto the fleeting connection, but she slipped away like a ghost. The voice echoed, hauntingly persistent, reaching me from every concealed corner of the room.

Unease tightened its grip on me, and I couldn't bear it any longer. I screamed, pleading, "Mom! I'm tired of this torment. You shouldn't have abandoned me.."

"The journey your father began, you must continue. Save SanCasas. You are the key," the voice insisted, each word striking me like a bitter truth. "Why me?" I yelled into the enveloping darkness. "Why must it be me?" I, an ordinary girl, had my life upended when I entered SanCasas. The fate that now clung to me felt suffocating.

"What's so special about this journal that's about to ruin my life? Find the journal. I know nothing about it," I pleaded, the desperation in my voice echoing through the emptiness.

"The journal," she sighed, the voice carrying an undertone of fear. "It contains things of the past, things of the present, and future revelations that could alter destinies and bring justice," she explained ,adding to the enigma that surrounded me.

"Save SanCasas," she echoed persistently, the voice closing in around me. "Mom, Mom, Mom," I called out, desperation in my voice. Alone, I sat, hands clutching my head, pleading, "Please don't leave me alone. When are you coming home, Mom? I never even got to meet Papa."

Confusion engulfed me as I pondered the meaning of "Save SanCasas." Why me? The gazing, the pacing—it all intensified. Why had this fate chosen me?

Another voice pierced the air, whispering, "Nia, Nia, Nia." In a semi-conscious state, I called for Juan.

"Juan, Juan," I groaned in a semi-conscious haze, my eyes fluttering open to see Matthew.

"Omg, you're awake," he exclaimed, holding my hands and pulling me into a tight hug. Concern etched across his face, I interrupted his relief.

"Your face, what happened to you?" I inquired, then quickly shifted to my main concern, "Where's Juan?" My voice wavered with anxiety.

"He left, Nia. I've been with you ever since," Matt replied, his expression turning serious. "I told you I don't trust that guy. He did this to me and took off. He's violent. I even caught him flirting with the nurse who came with the doctor to check up on you. When I confronted him, he pulled a gun on me. Luckily, he missed the shot, or I'd be dead now."

"No, no, that doesn't sound like Juan. The violence, it's surely him. But him flirting with a nurse, he would never do that," I protested to Matt, my disbelief etched on my face.

"You really trust him, funny how you trust SanCasas men," he retorted.

"Well, it sounds like something you would do," I shot back, a strange chuckle escaping Matt's lips.

"I thought you said you were never coming back to SanCasas. When did we come to SanCasas, Nia? I need answers," Matt persistently questioned. Weak and lost in thought about the perplexing dream and Juan's abrupt departure, I struggled to respond. I knew Juan wouldn't behave like that; it was more in line with Matthew's unpredictable nature.

"Nia, answer me," Matt demanded. "Don't you dare pretend like you're innocent or you can reel back into my life."

I attempted to stand, determined to find Juan, ignoring Matt's pleas. "Nia, wait,I need to know everything" he urged, but I was swift in removing the drip syringe and plaster from my arm. As I moved, Matthew grabbed my hands, and we tumbled into an awkward position.

He crashed onto the bed, landing directly on top of me. "Matthew, get up," I groaned, his weight becoming almost unbearable as his grip tightened.

"I can't take your weight on me," I pleaded, gazing into his eyes. His eyes, so familiar, yet I found myself missing them unexpectedly. His lips, their taste long forgotten.

He stared back at me, his eyes captivating, but my thoughts drifted to Juan's green depths, the golden hue of his skin, and the fuller lips. Confusion clouded my senses.

"What's happening to me?" I wondered, fixated on thoughts of Juan.

"Remember our first kiss? When you took me to the hospital after I sprained my ankle?" Matt's smile revived that sweet memory. He leaned in, his warm breath enticing.

As he started to lean in, his face hovered directly above mine. I could feel his warm breath, and the anticipation of a kiss lingered in the air.

But just as the anticipation peaked, Juan walked in, "You enjoy your little game; I won't stick around for the show," escaping his lips as he swiftly exited.