Eternal Echoes of Love

Chapter 7 – The Line in the Sand

Serena didn't sleep that night.

Every time she closed her eyes, she saw Elias's gaze—intense, searching, like he could see right through her. The way his touch lingered on her skin, the way his voice had lowered when he said, "This isn't over, Serena."

She wanted to shake it off. She wanted to tell herself it didn't matter.

But it did.

And that terrified her.

The next morning, she found herself sitting at her kitchen table, staring at the untouched coffee in front of her. Her phone sat next to it, taunting her. Elias hadn't reached out yet, but she knew he would. He always did.

She should've blocked his number. Should've walked away, left everything behind.

But a part of her was addicted to the thrill of the game.

Her phone buzzed, breaking her from her thoughts. It was a text from Elias.

Elias: You left too soon last night.

Serena's fingers hovered over the keys, hesitating.

She should ignore him. Should tell him to stay the hell out of her life.

But something inside her clicked.

Serena: I didn't leave soon enough.

She hit send before she could second-guess herself. And just like that, the trap was set.

---

The Unraveling

Later that day, she found herself walking through the glass doors of Carter Enterprises once more.

It was like a magnetic pull she couldn't resist. Her feet moved on their own, leading her up to the elevator where Elias had once again summoned her.

The ride to the top was silent. The tension in the air was thick enough to cut with a knife.

When the doors finally opened, Elias was waiting for her, his back to her as he gazed out over the city. His posture was relaxed, but she could sense the undercurrent of something else—something dangerous.

"You came." His voice was low, but there was no mistaking the edge to it this time.

Serena crossed the threshold, stepping toward him, but she didn't answer immediately.

Instead, she watched him for a long moment, studying the way the light caught the sharp angles of his face, the way his broad shoulders shifted slightly as if he was aware of her every movement.

"I almost didn't," she finally said, her voice barely a whisper.

Elias turned to face her then, his eyes locking with hers. There was a fire in them now—a flicker of something raw and untamed.

"You should've stayed away," he murmured, stepping closer.

Serena's pulse quickened, but she refused to back down.

"And yet," she said, lifting her chin slightly, "here I am."

---

Caught in the Web

Without another word, Elias closed the distance between them, his presence overwhelming.

"I've told you before, Serena," he said, his voice barely a breath between them. "I'm not letting you walk away."

Serena's heart thudded loudly in her chest. She felt the heat radiating off his body, the magnetic pull that threatened to undo her.

She could still walk away. She could still leave.

But this time, when she turned to go, he caught her wrist, spinning her back toward him.

"No running, Serena," he growled, his fingers tightening around her wrist.

For a moment, she thought he might pull her in for another kiss. She could almost taste the tension between them, thick and suffocating.

But he didn't.

Instead, he let go of her wrist and took a step back, his jaw clenched.

"Why do you keep doing this?" she whispered, her voice shaking.

Elias's gaze softened for the briefest of moments, and then the walls slammed back down.

"Because I don't know how to stop," he said quietly.

---

The Choice

Serena took a step back, her breath shallow. She needed space. She needed clarity.

But everything about this man, this pull between them, was so intoxicating. So impossible to ignore.

"I'm not the woman you think I am," she said, her voice cracking.

Elias looked at her, his expression unreadable. "I never thought you were."

There it was—the admission. The truth that he had seen through her from the very beginning.

"Then what are you waiting for?" she whispered.

His lips curled into a smile that didn't quite reach his eyes. "I'm waiting for you to make a choice."

Serena's world tilted. She knew what he meant.

This wasn't just about the games anymore.

She could walk away now. Cut ties, and never look back. Or she could step into the fire and see where it took her.

But there was no going back once she made that choice.

The question was: Did she have the courage to make it?

To be continued....