The cold air of the night seeped through the cracks in the windows, the faint sound of crickets chirping outside barely registering in the back of your mind. But the tension in the room was suffocating, like something alive, crawling through your veins. You blinked, struggling to shake off the fog that clung to you. You had no idea how long you had been out. All you knew was that you were here, in the very place you never thought you'd return to—the place you thought you had left behind.

You were in Katherine's house.

Your heart skipped a beat as you turned your head, eyes squinting in the dim light. The walls were adorned with dark paintings, the furniture grand and elegant, as always, but there was nothing comforting about this place. The air was thick with the ghosts of memories, and Katherine had always been the one to haunt you the most.

You sat up slowly, your head still spinning. There was a bitter taste in your mouth, metallic and strange, and you immediately knew she had done something—again.

Before you could even make sense of your surroundings, you heard her voice, sweet and sharp, like a knife wrapped in velvet.

“Good to see you awake,” Katherine’s voice purred from the shadows, her silhouette framed by the doorway. She was standing there, watching you, her dark eyes gleaming with something far darker than amusement. "Did you sleep well?"

You froze, your muscles tense, your breath catching in your throat. The familiarity of her presence hit you harder than you expected. The last time you saw her, you swore you would never fall back into whatever twisted game she was playing. Yet, here you were. Her victim again, though this time, you were determined to fight back.

“What did you do to me?” you managed to rasp, your voice thick with anger, and maybe something else—something you hated yourself for.

Katherine stepped into the room, her heels clicking against the floor like the ticking of a clock. *“What I had to. You always make me do things I don’t want to do,” she said, her tone soft, almost mocking. “But it’s really your fault, isn’t it? You just couldn’t stay away from her, could you?”

Her words cut deep. Her—Elena. The girl you had once called your sister. The girl who, for some reason, Katherine couldn’t stand. The girl who Katherine saw as an obstacle in a game you were too blind to see until now.

You blinked, trying to focus, trying to find the strength to stand. “You’re insane,” you hissed, though the words felt weak on your tongue. “You can’t control me anymore.”

Katherine smiled, a smile that had the ability to make anyone quake. She took a step closer, her heels clicking louder now. "Oh, sweet girl. You’re wrong. I’ve always controlled you. You just never knew it."

She stood at the edge of the bed now, leaning down with a predatory grace, her fingers brushing lightly across your cheek. You flinched at the touch, but she was faster, her hand catching my chin, forcing you to meet her gaze.

“I saw the way you looked at her,” Katherine murmured, her breath warm against your lips. “You think I didn’t notice? The way you talked to Elena. The way you touched her.”

Her lips curled, eyes darkening with something possessive, almost sickly. "I don’t share. Not with her. And not with anyone. Not even you."

You felt a chill ripple through you, but you weren’t sure if it was from the words or the way she was looking at you. As if she could devour you whole if she wanted to.