The Spare's Second Chance in Apocalypse-Chapter 101: Ch : I am fine- Part 3

Selene’s breath came in ragged, uneven gasps, her chest tightening as if a vice had wrapped around her ribs.

The man’s grip on her waist grew stronger, his body pressing against hers with an intensity that bordered on desperation.

His arms coiled around her, caging her in, and every attempt she made to push him away only seemed to draw him closer.

"I love you."

He whispered, his voice a soft, insistent murmur against her ear.

"I’m the only one who truly does. The only one who can accept every part of you—especially the parts you try to hide."

Selene shuddered, a chill skittering down her spine.

His words felt like spider legs crawling over her skin, invasive and unwelcome. She twisted in his hold, her hands pushing against the unyielding warmth of his chest.

"Let me go."

Her voice was low, edged with steel.

The man only tightened his embrace, his face pressing into the curve of her neck. His breath was warm, a stark contrast to the cold terror gripping her.

"You’re lost, Selene. You’ve convinced yourself of a reality that doesn’t exist anymore. Your delusions will only lead to more pain. I’m the truth—the only truth."

His lips brushed against her ear, each syllable a soft poison.

"No, I’ve already found my place. And this is not it!"

Selene growled, finally planting her feet firmly in the ground.

His hold faltered, a flicker of doubt crossing his expression. But it was brief, replaced by a hardened resolve.

"You say that, but I can feel your fear. You’re trembling. Please, allow me to make you feel better."

She was, but not for the reasons he thought. Fear had mixed with a simmering rage, igniting a flame in her belly. This wasn’t real—it couldn’t be. She had to find a way out.

Her fingers tightened around his arm, nails digging into his skin. His skin was too warm, too human, but that only strengthened her resolve.

She shifted her weight, using the leverage to twist and finally break free of his hold.

She spun to face him, her breath hitching as she took in his face.

"Rose Grayson?"

The name slipped from her lips, disbelief heavy on her tongue.

He stood before her, the familiar features of Rose Grayson staring back at her.

But this wasn’t the same man she remembered.

His face was older, lines etched into his skin that hadn’t been there before. The man had aged a lot.

"This isn’t funny. What kind of twisted joke is this?"

She said, her voice wavering.

Rose’s brows knitted together, confusion bleeding into his expression.

"Selene, what are you talking about? Are you still under the influence of the system? Did it not let go of you fully?"

Selene stumbled back, her legs feeling weak.

The world around her seemed to ripple, the vibrant flowers at their feet wilting, the sky darkening with storm clouds.

Her heel caught on uneven ground, and she felt the earth give way beneath her.

Her body lurched as she fell, a scream clawing up her throat.

The cliff had appeared out of nowhere, a sudden and violent descent into the abyss.

Rose’s hand shot out, fingers brushing against hers, but he didn’t catch her.

His face twisted with horror, his mouth moving, but the sound of her own scream drowned him out.

The world shattered into darkness.

Selene bolted upright, her chest heaving as if she had been drowning.

Cold sweat soaked through her clothes, her hair plastered to her skin. She sat on the couch, the blanket Zara had draped over her tangled around her legs.

Her surroundings came into focus—the soft morning light filtering through the window, the muffled sounds of life beyond her closed door.

She pressed a hand against her heart, feeling the rapid thud beneath her palm.

"What... what was that? A bad dream?"

She muttered to herself, her voice hoarse.

Selene reached for the system, her mental fingers brushing against the familiar interface.

She expected an error, a warning, something to indicate that the dream had been more than just a trick of her mind.

But nothing was out of place. No status changes, no alerts, no hidden messages.

It was just a dream.

But a part of her knew better.

Selene pushed herself to her feet, steadying herself against the arm of the couch.

Her legs felt like jelly, and her head throbbed with the remnants of a nightmare that had sunk its claws deep.

She needed to appear normal—calm, collected—if only to keep the others from worrying.

______

During breakfast, she sat between Zara and Ethan, the kitchen filled with the smell of fresh bread and warm tea.

She forced herself to eat, each bite tasting like ash in her mouth.

"I had a weird dream."

She said, keeping her tone light.

Orion, who had been buttering his toast, looked up.

"A weird dream? Like a nightmare?"

Selene hesitated.

"Something like that."

He hummed, thoughtful.

"The system didn’t give you a new skill or anything, did it? Maybe the dream was a way for the world to tell you something?"

"No! I mean, it’s surely not that. I must be more stressed than I thought."

The denial shot out of her too quickly, and she forced herself to take a breath.

Orion’s shoulders relaxed, and he took a bite of his toast.

"That’s good. I’d rather not deal with any more surprises from the system."

But Selene’s mind was racing.

Could it have been a vision of the future?

Was that why it felt so real?

Rose Grayson’s face lingered in her thoughts, the weight of his arms around her, the haunted look in his eyes.

Seeing her lost in thought, Ethan reached over and lightly poked her forehead.

"You’re frowning too much."

Selene blinked, drawn out of her spiral.

"Huh?"

"Stop overthinking. Whatever that dream was, it’s over. It’s better to focus on the present, not the future"

Ethan’s voice was gentle, but there was a firmness beneath it.

She managed a small smile, grateful for his steadiness.

"Yeah. You’re right."

But as breakfast continued, Selene couldn’t shake the feeling that the dream had been more than just her subconscious playing tricks on her.

She couldn’t ignore the echo of Rose’s voice, his desperate hold, and the unsettling sense that somewhere, someone had reached into her mind and planted a seed.

And as much as she wanted to believe Ethan’s words—to focus on the present—she knew that shadows of the future had a way of creeping in, whether she was ready or not.

’Future? As if! I already know what the future holds for me anyway.’