NOVEL NEXT Chapter 1: Chapter - 1
Ring! Ring!
My eyes were half-open, struggling to fully awaken. Everything around me was a blur, as though I was peering through a fogged window. Slowly, my vision cleared, and I saw the ceiling above me. A fan spun lazily, its movement almost hypnotic.
Before I could process anything, a sharp flashback struck me like lightning. I was killed... by that devil. The memory burned vividly in my mind, but what happened after? My thoughts were a jumbled mess.
Suddenly, I sat up on the bed, my movements abrupt and panicked. My breath hitched as I scanned the room. There, beside me, sat a woman. Her presence startled me. Her expression shifted rapidly—shock, disbelief, and then... joy? Tears welled in her eyes, threatening to spill as a faint, almost trembling smile formed on her lips.
But who was she? I didn't recognize her face.
A wave of confusion swept over me. I ran my hands over my body, expecting to feel bandages or wounds—anything to explain what had happened to me. Yet there wasn't a single scar or mark on me. My skin was unblemished, as though nothing had ever happened.
"What is this? Am I dreaming?" I muttered under my breath, my voice shaking.
Questions swirled in my head like a storm. Who is this woman? Why does she seem so relieved to see me? And if I was killed... how am I here, alive and unscathed?
Could someone, anyone, tell me what's happening here?
"My son, you've recovered! How are you feeling now? Do you have any idea how worried I was seeing you in that condition?" the woman said, her voice trembling with relief and warmth.
Kaito narrowed his eyes, his expression hardening as he pushed himself to sit up. "Why are you calling me your son?" he asked, his tone sharp with suspicion. "I don't have a mother. My mother… she died when I was born."
He studied the woman carefully. Her face seemed kind, her gaze filled with an unfamiliar tenderness that made his chest tighten—but no memories surfaced, no recognition struck him. She wasn't his mother. She couldn't be. So, who was she, and what did she want from him?
Kaito sat in silence, his hands gripping his temples as he tried to piece together fragments of a life he couldn't remember. The harder he pushed, the more elusive the memories became, like smoke slipping through his fingers.
A sharp pain suddenly pierced his skull, growing stronger with each passing second. "Why can't I remember?!" he yelled, his voice filled with frustration and anguish. His body convulsed as the searing pain intensified, forcing him to clutch his head tightly.
Flashes of indistinct images flickered in his mind—faint silhouettes, muffled voices, and an overwhelming sense of déjà vu. But before he could make sense of them, they vanished, leaving an unbearable void in their wake.
The pain became unbearable. With one final scream, his vision blurred, and his body gave out. He collapsed onto the bed , unconscious, the mysteries of his past still locked away within him.
As Kaito's body slumped lifelessly onto the bed, his stepmother, who had been nearby, froze for a moment in shock. Her heart raced as she rushed to his side, her voice trembling. "Kaito! What happened? Wake up!" She shook him gently at first, then more urgently as panic took hold.
Her hands trembled as she held his face, searching for any sign of life. When no response came, her fear deepened. Without hesitation, she darted to the kitchen, fumbling with the glass as she filled it with water. Returning to his side, she leaned over him, her hands now steadier. "Please, Kaito, wake up!" she pleaded, splashing a few drops of water onto his pale face.
Kaito stirred faintly, his eyelids fluttering open. His stepmother let out a shaky sigh of relief, tears threatening to spill from her eyes. "Kaito…why are you doing this to yourself?" she whispered, her voice a mix of relief and worry.
"You just woke up from a coma," she continued, her tone soft but firm. "A whole month, Kaito. You were unconscious for an entire month. Don't stress your mind like this!" She stroked his hair gently, her maternal concern overriding any tension in their relationship.
Kaito blinked, his mind still clouded. "A…coma?" he murmured, his voice barely audible. The words hung in the air as the weight of her revelation settled over him, adding another layer of mystery to the fragments of memory he desperately sought.
His stepmom gently helped him lie back on the bed, fluffing the pillow under his head. "You should rest now," she said softly, brushing his hair away from his forehead. "I'll bring you some food from the kitchen. Eat first, and then we can talk more when you're feeling better."
Kaito nodded weakly, still processing the overwhelming information she had just revealed. As she stood and turned to leave, his gaze followed her absentmindedly. His eyes unintentionally fell to the sway of her hips as she walked away. Her curves moved rhythmically, her figure accentuated by the fitted dress she wore.
A strange heat rose within him, an instinctive reaction he couldn't entirely suppress. He immediately looked away, ashamed of himself. What am I doing? he thought, shaking his head lightly. He clenched his fists, trying to push the thoughts from his mind.
But the brief moment lingered, leaving him feeling both confused and unsettled as the door closed behind her.
"Kaito's eyes lingered longer than they should have. his heart pounding as he caught sight of his stepmother's alluring figure. Her presence exuded a confidence and sensuality that stirred something dark within him. His greed, already a consuming fire, flared even brighter, twisting his desires into something uncontrollable. For a moment, he hated himself for the thoughts invading his mind, but the devil within whispered promises of indulgence, pushing him closer to the edge. This wasn't about love or even lust-it was about possession, about taking everything he deemed too perfect for anyone else to have."