Chapter 6 – Elena Remembers
Recovery came slowly.
Some mornings Elena woke believing she was still locked underground.
Other mornings she apologized for breathing too loudly.
A therapist encouraged Alejandro not to rush her memories.
One rainy afternoon, Elena walked into the mansion's art studio.
Dust covered every canvas.
She picked up a paintbrush.
Without realizing it, she painted the same lighthouse she had finished the week before her disappearance.
Then another memory surfaced.
Vivian had offered her tea that afternoon.
The tea had tasted bitter.
The room had spun.
A white medical coat.
Cold concrete.
Locked doors.
Everything returned at once.
Elena dropped the brush and burst into tears.
Alejandro simply held her until the shaking stopped.
May you like
He didn't ask questions.
He just stayed.
