I've never been the type to show weakness. As a Draven heir, I was taught to be strong, to lead, and to never let anyone see me falter. But lately, my obsession with Elliot has made me weaker than I wanted to admit. I couldn't stop thinking about him, and that made me vulnerable. And Thorne Alaric, my rival, was the first to notice.
Thorne has always been trouble. He's smart and always looking for a way to bring me down. We've been rivals since we were kids. I've always tried to stay ahead of him, but lately, I felt like I was slipping. And Thorne, he was ready to take advantage of it.
It all started one afternoon when I was in the study, going through some reports. I was trying to focus, get back on track. That's when Thorne said something that made my heart race.
"I heard you brought someone back from the dead," he said casually. "A human? That's a pretty desperate move."
I tried not to show how much his words hit me. "What are you talking about?" I asked, my voice shaking just a little.
"Oh, come on, Asher," he smirked. "It's all over the estate. You brought a human back. Someone who doesn't even remember you. That's not just strange, it's a mess."
I hated how he always knew what to say to get under my skin. I had worked so hard to keep this a secret, but now Thorne was getting too close to the truth. He leaned back in his chair, watching me like he was enjoying this.
"I don't know why you're so obsessed with him," Thorne continued, his voice full of mockery. "You've got everything you could want. But instead of stepping up and taking your place as the Draven heir, you're chasing a ghost."
His words stung. I tried to keep calm, but it was hard. "This is none of your business, Thorne," I said, my voice tight. "I don't care what you think."
But Thorne didn't stop. Over the next few weeks, he kept bringing up Elliot's name. He'd say it just loud enough for other people to hear. I could see the way they looked at me, wondering what was going on. It felt like he was trying to make everyone question me, make them wonder if I was losing focus.
"You're really distracted, aren't you?" he'd say with a grin. "All this for a human who doesn't even remember you? You're letting emotions take over."
Every time he said something like that, I could feel myself falling apart a little more. Thorne was pushing my buttons, making me doubt myself. Was I really losing control? Was I really letting Elliot's absence make me weak?
One evening, I found Thorne standing by the fountain in the garden. That same smug smile was on his face. I knew he had been waiting for me.
"You look like you've got a lot on your mind," he said, not even looking at me.
I didn't answer at first. I knew what he was doing—trying to get under my skin again. But I had to show him I wasn't weak. I had to fight back.
"I'm not playing your games, Thorne," I said, my voice steady.
He turned to face me, still smiling. "Oh, I'm not playing games, Asher," he said, his voice low. "I'm just telling you the truth. You're losing it. You're obsessed with Elliot, and it's ruining everything."
I clenched my jaw. "You don't know anything about me," I snapped. "This is about me and my decisions. Not you."
Thorne took a step closer, his face right in front of mine. "It's always been about me, Asher. You know that. Right now, it's about showing everyone that you're not the man they think you are. You're too focused on a human to lead. It's pathetic."
His words hit me harder than I wanted to admit. But I couldn't let him see that. "I don't need your approval, Thorne," I said, my voice strong. "I'll fix this. You don't know me."
He laughed softly, but it wasn't funny. "Oh, I know you, Asher. You're too proud to admit when you're falling apart. And I'm going to make sure everyone knows it."
A cold feeling ran through me. Thorne wasn't going to stop. He was going to keep pushing, trying to tear me down. But there was one thing I couldn't let him take away. No matter what, I couldn't lose Elliot again. I had already given too much to bring him back.
As I walked away from Thorne, my mind was racing. He was right about one thing—I had become distracted. My obsession with Elliot had taken over everything else. I was losing my focus, my strength.
But Thorne wasn't going to break me. No matter how hard he tried, I wasn't going to give up on Elliot. I couldn't. Not after everything I had already done to bring him back.
I knew I had to fight. And this time, the fight wasn't just against Thorne—it was against myself. I needed to get my mind back on track and prove that I could still lead. No matter what it cost me.
And if Thorne thought he could tear me down with his words, he was wrong. I wasn't going to fall. Not yet. Not when I still had so much to fight for.
I walked away from Thorne, trying to steady my breath, but my mind was already spinning. It wasn't just his words that had gotten to me. It was how they made me feel. Weak. Vulnerable. He was right about one thing—my focus had shifted. I couldn't stop thinking about Elliot, and every time I did, it felt like I was losing control. But I couldn't stop. I wouldn't stop. Not after everything I'd done.
As I made my way back to the estate, my thoughts tangled together. Thorne was relentless, but I couldn't afford to let him get under my skin. I had to keep it together. I had to show everyone—especially him—that I was still the one in charge. But the more I tried to push the thoughts of Elliot out of my head, the more they crept back in.
I stepped through the door of the mansion, the familiar scent of the old wood and polished stone filling my lungs. But something felt wrong. I could sense it before I even saw the guard rushing toward me, his face pale, his hands trembling.
"Asher," he panted, barely able to catch his breath. "You need to come quickly."
My pulse quickened. "What's happened?"
"There's… there's a problem," he stammered. "Elliot… he's gone."
My heart stuttered. Gone? No, not again. I clenched my fists, trying to hold back the wave of panic threatening to take over. "What do you mean, gone?" I asked, my voice tight.
"We can't find him," the guard said, his voice shaking now. "We searched the house. He's not here. But…" His eyes dropped to a crumpled piece of paper in his hand. "We found this."
I reached for it, and as soon as I unwrapped it, my breath caught in my throat. There, in jagged handwriting, were the words I had never thought I'd see:
"I remember you."
My pulse thudded in my ears. He remembers? How.. how could he.. How could that be possible? I stared at the paper, my thoughts spinning, my entire world tilting off its axis. Had Elliot really remembered? Or was this just another game—another trick I was too late to understand?
Before I could process it, I heard the sound of hurried footsteps behind me.