Just a day prior...

As I watched Taehyung struggle against the spectral figure looming behind him, I felt his frantic hands searching for mine beneath the table. In that desperate moment, he pressed a note into my palm, his gaze locking onto mine, filled with an urgency that spoke volumes.

Then, as if the air itself had shifted, the ghost dissipated, leaving Taehyung gasping for breath. Kim sprang to his feet, his voice booming as he accused the staff of attempting to poison his son, demanding the police be called without hesitation.

After the turmoil had settled and I returned home, curiosity gnawed at me, compelling me to unfold the note Taehyung had given me.

"When the clock strikes twelve, I'll meet you at your apartment with your mother. Rebecca." The words pierced through me, a mix of longing and trepidation swirling within. I yearned to see my mother, yet a shadow of doubt lingered over my trust in Taehyung.

After all, he was an ally of my father. I crumpled the note tightly in my fist, tucking it away in my pocket. Jungkook, ever observant, caught my eye and asked if I was okay. I offered him a reassuring nod, though my heart was anything but calm.

Once we arrived back at the apartment, Jungkook revealed a startling truth: he was aware of the ghost that had haunted Taehyung, and to my shock, he disclosed that she was, in fact, my mother.

The moment I burst through the door, I was met with a sight that sent my heart racing—my mother stood there, her presence both familiar and surreal.

"Elliot!" she exclaimed, enveloping me in a warm embrace. I longed to return the gesture, but my arms passed right through her, leaving me feeling hollow and lost.

Tears streamed down my face, a wave of despair crashing over me, when a sound from the kitchen broke my reverie. I turned to see Taehyung emerging, a glass of water in hand.

"You! How did you—" I began, but he raised his hands in a gesture of peace, signaling that he meant no harm.

"Listen to him, Elli," my mother urged from behind me. If it weren't for her, I might have thrown Taehyung out without a second thought.

We settled into a circle, the air thick with tension as I awaited Taehyung's words.

"Elliot, I know our history isn't the best, but you need to trust me on this. Jungkook isn't trying to protect you. He has other intentions," he said, his gaze steady. I shot him a glare, anger flaring at the accusation against Jungkook. I glanced at my mother, who offered a reassuring nod, prompting me to take a deep breath and listen.

"What could he possibly want from me?" I asked, curiosity piqued. Jungkook was a man of immense power and wealth; what could he possibly gain from me?

"Your blood. He needs it to awaken his parents' spirits, Elliot. From the very start, when we were meant to be wed, I wanted to tell you this, but you fled the ceremony and ended up in that accident. But it wasn’t an accident at all. Jungkook orchestrated it. He intended to kill you and claim your body, but you sought help from a police officer beforehand, thwarting his plan. So, when he held you in his arms, he cast a spell, granting you the ability to see the dead. This power didn’t come from the accident; it was all his doing." My mind reeled, struggling to grasp the weight of Taehyung's revelations. Nothing seemed to fit, and disbelief clouded my thoughts.

"How can you be so sure that he cast a spell on me?" I asked, my bewilderment deepening with each word.

"Elli, we were once close friends. My parents traveled to India for a business venture, and while there, my father married an Indian woman to secure a deal. Little did he know, she was a witch who practiced dark magic. She was responsible for my mother’s death. To protect myself, I played the role of her puppet, and in time, she taught me the ways of black magic. I learned how to weave spells and cast them. Jungkook and I attended the same school, and he became my refuge from the harshness of reality. I even shared some of the spells I had learned with him. Eventually, my stepmother succumbed to the weakening effects of her own magic.

It was at your mother’s funeral that our paths crossed. Jungkook was there too. As the years passed, Jungkook’s family moved away, but I remained in the same town as you. I would often sneak into your classroom, checking to see if you were alright. The other kids treated you like an outcast, all because of your mother’s tragic end. I felt compelled to shield you from their cruelty. It was my idea to marry you, believing that once we were united, I could finally reveal the truth. But you saw me as the villain in your tale."

The world around me faded into a blur, my thoughts ensnared in a fog that rendered Taehyung's words almost inaudible.

"How can I trust you?" I managed to ask, my voice barely above a whisper.

"If I'm correct, Jungkook will escort you to his family's mansion tomorrow," he replied, a hint of certainty lacing his tone.