The night was quiet, drenched in the silver glow of the moon. Belle stood near the tall window of her room, gazing at the endless sky. Her heart was restless, beating with a strange pull—as if someone, somewhere, was silently calling her soul.
And then, like a whisper carried on the wind, she heard it.
"Belle…"
She froze. Slowly turning around, she saw him. Thomas. His faint, ethereal form shimmered in the dim light, like mist holding a heartbeat.
Belle's lips trembled. "You came again…?"
Thomas stepped closer, his presence cold yet strangely comforting. His eyes glowed with centuries of longing and a warmth that no death could extinguish.
"I can't stay away from you," he said softly. "You're the dream I kept even after life was stolen from me."
Belle's chest tightened. Her steps carried her toward him without hesitation. She reached out her hand, and though her touch could not truly meet his, the closeness made her heart ache with peace.
"You know, Thomas," Belle whispered, her voice trembling, "when you're here, I feel whole. Without you, everything feels… empty."
Thomas leaned closer, his ghostly fingers brushing against strands of her hair. "And you," he whispered back, "give me a reason to exist even beyond death. You're the one I waited for, Belle."
Time seemed to stop in that fragile, forbidden moment.
🌙 Parents' Unease
Downstairs, Belle's parents sat in the drawing room, worry etched into their faces.
Her mother spoke first. "I've seen Belle too often… speaking to herself. Smiling at nothing. It feels as if she's hiding something."
Her father's brows furrowed. "This mansion has a past. Strange things linger here. I fear she's caught in some dangerous illusion—or worse. We need to keep her away from that attic room."
Her mother nodded. "We should protect her before it's too late."
❤️ The Stubborn Heart
The next morning, Belle's mother entered her room gently. "Belle, darling, we've noticed… you've been distracted lately. We don't want you to spend so much time alone in that room. Promise me you'll stay away from it."
Belle's eyes widened, her chest tightening. For a moment, she wanted to confess everything—but instead, she forced a smile.
"Yes, Mother… I'll be careful."
But inside, her heart whispered fiercely:
"I can never leave Thomas. He is my secret, my dream… and now, my love."
That night, when the mansion was silent and the world was asleep, Belle crept back into the room.
Thomas was already there, waiting. His eyes lit up at the sight of her.
"I knew you would come," he said.
Belle walked closer, her smile soft and brave. "No one can stop me from seeing you, Thomas. Even if the world turns against us, I'll still come. You are my heart."
His form shimmered, almost trembling with the weight of his emotion.
"And you," Thomas whispered, "are the peace of my soul. No force can tear us apart."
And in that silence, heavy with longing and tenderness, their love grew deeper _ secret 'dangerous ' yet unstoppable۔