CHAPTER 8

Christine had barely managed to stop crying as she walked in through the doors of the Chateau. Her shoulders still hurt from where the Phantom had gripped her and her back was aching a little from when he had pushed her into the wall. Devastation gripped her heart as she wondered what had possessed the Phantom to want to hurt her so badly. Wanting to head straight for her bedchamber, she was halted by Raoul's voice.

"Did you get one?"

"W..what?" Christine frowned

"A wedding dress" Raoul smiled broadly

Remembering what she was carrying in her arms, she froze

"Ah yes, I can see you found one" Raoul smiled broadly and turned away "You mustn't let me see it, its bad luck"

Christine heard Raoul call a maid over and listened as he requested her to take the dress and put it away in Christine's wardrobe.

"Raoul, I am capable of putting the dress away myself" she protested as the maid took it from her

Raoul walked slowly up to Christine, the smile fading from his face

"My love, have you been crying?" his face was now full of concern as he gently touched her face "What is wrong?"

"I am feeling unwell" Christine lied, surprised at how easily deceit came naturally to her lately "Please Raoul, don't fuss. I just need to lie down"

Without waiting to hear his response, she turned and walked towards her room and gently, bolting the door behind her. In despair, she lay on the bed and cried for what seemed like hours. When the hysteria had finally subsided, she got up, walked over to her dressing table and sat down, gazing at her tear stained face in the mirror

"My angel of music hates me" she sadly mumbled to herself "I have lost my guardian, my friend and ……my love"

The scene in the Phantom's lair kept replaying in her mind, over and over again, as she ran her fingers, gently, through her matted hair. The look in his eyes, that cold, distant, hateful look chilled her to her very soul. What had she done to deserve such contempt from a man who had once loved her.

She couldn't understand why he had suddenly stopped loving her and what's more, she couldn't understand why it hurt her so much. She was marrying Raoul! She loved Raoul, he was so much better for her than the Phantom could be. Raoul wanted to fill her life with sunshine, happiness and love whereas the Phantom's world could be nothing but dark. Infinite darkness.

So why, why did she feel such emptiness in her heart at losing him?

Everytime his face appeared in her mind, she felt like bursting into tears and screaming and she felt such pain in her heart.