The sweet venom Chapter 19: 18

Read chapter 19 of The sweet venom by aspa201 on NovelPedia.

Night wrapped Helia in a dark nightmare. She was returning from a long day at the laboratory. The moment she crossed the threshold of the house, a sickening unease gripped her chest. The air was heavy, saturated with a suffocating tension. In the entrance hall, a few servants froze at the sight of her. Their evasive gazes and strained expressions said everything: something was terribly wrong. A sharp sound echoed from upstairs, followed by the crash of something breaking. Then a rough, furious cry tore through the silence. "Nahh! This can’t be happening!" Heart pounding, she climbed the stairs. Her footsteps rang through the corridor, echoing her rising fear. In front of the study door, a harsh smell of alcohol stung her throat. She drew in a steadying breath and pushed the door open. The room was a wreck. Fallen books, scattered papers, shards of crystal strewn across the carpet. The candlelight flickered against walls stained by splashes of wine. Adrian sat on the couch, his head buried in his hands, his blond hair hanging in disordered strands across his brow. His wrinkled coat, open at the collar, revealed the tension rigid in his shoulders. A nearly empty bottle dangled from his fingers. "Adrian…? Are you alright?" Helia asked softly, her voice cautious. No answer. She stepped closer, hesitant, and laid a hand on his shoulder. He shoved her away in a sudden, violent gesture and sprang to his feet. His red, glassy eyes locked onto hers. "No, everything is not alright!" he thundered, his voice cracking like a thunderclap. Before she could react, he hurled the bottle. It flew past her face by mere inches and shattered against the wall behind her, exploding into a shower of glass. Helia flinched, eyes wide. "This is all your fault!" he roared, taking a heavy step toward her. "Adrian… please, calm down…" she begged, her voice shaking as she approached him. The blow struck sharp and clean. The slap sent her stumbling to the side, a burning sting spreading across her cheek. She raised a trembling hand to her face, unable to comprehend it. "Don’t you dare tell me to calm down!" he screamed, his features twisted with rage. His glare locked onto her, wild and unrecognizable, and a cold wave of fear swept through her. Instinctively, Helia took a step back. Then another. Adrian followed. Slowly at first, then with heavy, deliberate footsteps that filled the room like a warning. And then, without warning, he lunged forward, seized her by the throat, and slammed her against the wall. "If you had found that damned antidote, my business wouldn’t be falling apart like this!" he snarled, his alcohol-laced breath scorching her skin. His fingers tightened. Air vanished from her lungs. She choked, her nails scraping helplessly at his wrist. Her vision blurred, her chest burning, every second more unbearable. She tried to scream, but no sound escaped. Her legs buckled, her hands slipping down his arms and darkness swallowed her whole. Helia awoke with a violent gasp, heart pounding wildly, drenched in cold sweat. Her breath came shallow and fast as she struggled to steady her racing pulse. She had not had one of these nightmares in weeks, and this one left her drained, as though she had truly come face to face with death. She forced the image away with difficulty, yet Adrian’s acidic words still echoed in her mind, lingering like a poisonous stain. She rang the bell to call Lucille and waited, her eyes fixed on the ceiling, trying to make sense of what had just happened, but failing. The pain of the previous day remained fresh, anchored in her mind. She saw Adrian again, the man she loved, covering her in insults after betraying her in the most humiliating way. Elysia's triumphant gaze behind him... and all of this, in front of an assembly eager for scandal. Her maid entered a few minutes later and gently closed the door behind her. Used to opening the curtains to let in the morning light, she hesitated upon seeing Helia lying down, her eyes s