Prologue
The rain fell in steady sheets over Forks, the small town nestled among Washington's ancient evergreens. The clouds hung low, pressing down on the earth, wrapping everything in a shroud of mist and shadow. It was the kind of day that matched Edward Masen's mood—heavy, oppressive, and inescapably melancholic. He stood at the edge of the clearing where they had once spent so much time together, his heart aching with the weight of memories he could neither escape nor fully embrace.
Seven years. It had been seven long years since Bella Swan had vanished without a trace, leaving nothing behind but a trail of heartache and unanswered questions. The search parties had scoured the forests, the rivers, the cliffs—but all in vain. Eventually, the town of Forks had accepted the inevitable: Bella was gone, lost to them forever. A memorial had been held, a stone placed in the cemetery, but for Edward, there had been no closure. Only an endless, gnawing void where she had once been.
Unable to bear the pain, Edward had left Forks, trying to outrun his sorrow and the memories of the life he had almost had with her. He had traveled the world, seeking distraction, solace, anything to fill the emptiness. But nothing had worked. Bella was a part of him, an echo in his soul that would not fade.
Now, after all this time, something had drawn him back to Forks. Perhaps it was the unshakable need for closure, or the desperate hope that returning to the place where their love had blossomed might finally bring him peace. As he walked through the familiar streets, past the places they had once walked together, Edward felt a strange, uneasy sensation in the pit of his stomach—like the world was holding its breath, waiting for something to happen.
It was in that clearing, where they had shared so many whispered secrets and stolen kisses, that Edward first sensed it. A presence. Subtle at first, like a faint whisper on the wind, but growing stronger with each passing second. He froze, every sense alert, his eyes scanning the shadows between the trees. And then, just for a moment, he thought he saw her—a figure, pale and ghostly, moving through the forest, almost too fast to be real.
His heart stuttered in his chest. Could it be? No, it was impossible. Bella was gone. Dead. And yet, something deep within him refused to accept it, refused to let go of the hope that had kept him going all these years.
Without another thought, Edward took a step forward, his eyes locked on the place where the figure had disappeared. He would find her, or at least find out what haunted this forest—what had haunted him for so long. And maybe, just maybe, he would discover that some secrets are buried deeper than anyone could ever imagine.