(Liana’s point of view)

Am I dead? The surroundings are so dark. I can’t see a thing. Mom? Dad? I looked down to myself. I’m standing in the middle of nowhere, where the surroundings are endlessly in darkness. I’m all alone. Is this where dead people stay? I can’t believe my life has ended just like that.  How can life be so unfair? What did I do to deserve this? I sighed trying to calm myself. Realizing there’s nothing I can do now, I need to put my mind in peace so I can rest in peace. I sat down and closed my eyes like I was meditating. A lot of my loved ones died too. Are they going to pick me up like how they believe when people die? I am really hoping I won't go to hell. I wanted to be in a place where there is peace. God will judge me for who I am. 

“Milady…” 

I suddenly heard a whisper, calling out to me. 

“Milady.” 

I heard it again. It was a gentle female voice. Am I going to be taken now? I tried to locate where the voice is coming from. 

“Milady, wake up. Please, open your eyes.” 

What? Just when I realized, I started opening my eyes slowly. My eyes were too heavy until I managed. Everything was blurry for a second then I rubbed my eyes. I see a lady, staring at me. I sat up and I realized I was on the bed. My head feels heavy. Where am I? 

“Thank goodness, you’re awake. My prayer has been answered.” She smiled with relief. 

“What happened to me? Why do I feel a bit dizzy?” I asked as I held onto my forehead. She suddenly held both my hands and knelt. 

“Forgive me, Milady! This is all my fault! I shouldn’t have left the mansion! I just went out for a while and---” 

“T-The M-Mans-ion?” My eyes widen as I remember that horrifying moment. It flashbacked to my mind. Right, that monster! I touched my neck and trembled. My neck where I was bitten is now covered with bandages. I quickly backed away and leaned my back to the front part of the bed. “Get away from me!” I couldn’t get it off my mind. I was terrified. How did I manage to be alive right now? This can’t be! “Where is that monster? Are you a monster too? Curse you! What have you done to me?!” I can’t calm myself down. This is too much to take. 

“Calm down Milady. We are not monsters. I am a pure human.” She told me. “He is not a monster.” she added as she looked down. 

How can you say that? Look what he did to me! He was sucking the life out of me!” I cried with terror. 

“He didn’t mean it to happen. He just lost control.” She tried to explain, but I couldn’t take it. Lost control?

“Damn it! That’s bullshit! He almost killed me! I am going to call the police for this! He’s going to be put in jail, and you! If you keep defending this bad behavior, I am going to report you too! I cannot just let this slide!” I yelled at her. I have the right. I almost died and I’m afraid he could have another victim for this. I tried to get up from the bed but my body was too weak and I held on to the bed to support myself. 

“Please, listen to what I say. I have no intention of harming you. Let me explain.” 

“There’s no need to explain. I remember exactly what happened! That monster bit me like some kind of a vampire?.. but he couldn’t possibly be a vampire, right, I mean that’s just a myth. He’s a psychopath who eats people!” I shouted. 

Suddenly, I felt a slap on my left cheek. I was shocked and held onto my cheek. It burns. 

“Why’d you do that?!” She just slapped me and slapped me on my other cheek again. I was silenced. It hurts. I didn’t see that coming.

“There… Now, you are calm.” She sat down on a chair behind the bed. She took a deep breath. I looked at her with tears in my eyes. “I believe you are sent to receive information about the son of Lady Lucy Ventura.”

I did not answer. I couldn’t say a word. 

“He is the real son of Lady Lucy. Sadly, the fate of this boy was not to enjoy the luxury of his family, but was to endure the agony his family gave him.”

To endure? What is she talking about? 

“They never gave him a chance to feel love and acceptance. I have watched him grow all these years. He was abandoned and was sent to this old mansion instead, knowing that he received a curse.” She sighed as she tried to explain the situation. “Are you still interested in knowing what actually happened? I know you have a lost confusion of what I am trying to say. I need you to understand.” 

“How can I believe that what you are saying is true, after what happened to me? This is insane!” I glared at her. Abandoned? Curse? This is too hard to believe, but remembering what happened that night, this could be the answer to the mystery. 

“That will be your choice. I don’t need to prove anything to you. What happened that night  is enough to prove that what you think may be impossible is indeed possible. Let me clear it up for you. He is neither a psychopath nor a monster. Life is just too cruel for him to give him in such a condition. He doesn’t deserve this. He has suffered enough.” She took a deep breath and looked at me straight to my eyes. 

I can see right through her sad eyes, genuine eyes. That is the eyes of being honest and loving. What if she’s right? What if I could trust her words? But I still need to be careful. I’ve had enough being betrayed by people. 

“What happened to him? Why did he turn to… uhm that…?” Silly me. Now, I don’t even know how to call someone like him. 

“I believe her mother was impregnated by a non-human creature.” She looked straight into my eyes. 

“A non-human? What are you talking about?” I feel shivers down my spine. What does she mean by that? How could such creatures exist nowadays? 

 “Her mother was a very beautiful woman and she has always loved modeling. She became successful. Many directors and managers support her. Advertisements, fashions and many more. People thought she was perfect, but aside from her happiness in her careers, there are other people or creatures that attempt to do bad things for her. They were obsessed. A tragedy happened that no one could ever forget. She was abused.”

“I thought she was raped by Jericho Luther, one of her close friends. I mean we all do believe that happened.” I interrupted. 

“Of course, what would they make people believe? Who would even dare tell the media that her mother was actually raped by a monster or a demon.? People are too ignorant to believe in such.” She said with sarcasm, but my eyes widened for the information. That can’t be. That’s not possible. “This may be hard to understand right now, but later on, you will realize that things may be too impossible to believe, could actually happen and what I said is true.” 

I couldn’t even give a single word. I came here for an interview. Never thought this would happen to me. Noone gave me a warning. I never would have come to this place, but it's useless to complain now, I am here. I am now in this situation.

She then stood up from her seat. “If you’re wondering where you are, you are in a guest room of the mansion. This information is probably too much for you to take. If you’re hungry or in need of any help, you just pull this rope and it will give me a signal downstairs. I will be in the kitchen.” 

I saw her starting to walk away as she said these words. I suddenly stopped her. “Wait!” My stomach started rumbling. Well, that is a sign. She faced me, waiting for me to say something. “I-I am h-hungry.” I told her not to look straight to her. I don’t know how long I have been sleeping. 

“Very Well. Come with me. I will serve you breakfast.” She smiled. I obeyed her words. I am trying to survive here. I followed her on the way to the dining hall, maybe. Don’t even know where exactly. I’m new to the place. “I deeply apologize for what happened. We didn’t expect a visitor that day. Things would have been handled well. I mean, we never expected a visitor.” 

“I actually do not know how to respond to this.” I answered. 

“I understand. It is definitely a shock for you and could cause trauma, but I can assure you, we will not make the same mistake twice.” 

I am definitely hoping for that. 

“How long have I been unconscious?” I asked her.

“You’ve been unconscious for two days. Luckily, we were able to find a doctor for you. One of our guards was able to donate blood for you. ”

“I see. By the way, you haven’t told me your name.” 

“It’s Rona.” She answered. 

“I’m Liana.” 

“I know.”

“How did you know?!” I stopped and I started to feel trembling again. How does she know? Are they planning to fool me? Kill me? Set me into a trap? I probably became a target. A dark web? No way!!

“Whatever bad things you’re thinking, that’s not it. With your things, we found your Identification card. Do not overreact.” She rolled her eyes. 

Oh, I’m thinking too much. Stop overthinking now. Being stuck in here, what should I do now? I still don’t have the energy. I can’t pressure myself yet. Can someone help me?