11:35 AM – A Step into the Unknown
Isabella stared at the open door.
Wind howled through the gap, sending chills down her spine.
Beyond the doorway, the world stretched out in front of her—an invitation.
The trees swayed in the distance. The sky was open and vast.
She could leave. Right now.
But why did her feet refuse to move?
Why did this feel… wrong?
Her pulse quickened.
Was she overthinking?
Or was this exactly what Ethan wanted?
A test.
A trap.
A choice that wasn't really a choice at all.
Her fingers twitched.
She could run.
But where would she go?
Did she have a plan? A destination?
Or was this just an impulse—one she'd regret later?
---
11:38 AM – The Man Who Watched Too Closely
Ethan leaned against the doorframe, his arms crossed.
His expression was unreadable.
He wasn't stopping her.
But he wasn't looking away either.
That was the real problem, wasn't it?
He always watched.
He knew her better than she knew herself.
And right now, he was waiting.
For her to fail?
For her to hesitate?
For her to prove something—either to him or to herself?
She hated that she didn't know.
She hated that he knew.
Her jaw tightened.
This was it.
This was the moment she had been waiting for.
So why did it feel like she was walking straight into another cage?
---
11:40 AM – The Decision That Changed Everything
She took a breath.
Then another.
Her heart pounded so loudly it drowned out the wind.
And then—
She stepped forward.
One foot.
Then the other.
And just like that—
She was outside.
The sun was too bright.
The air was too fresh.
It felt unreal.
Like she had been locked in a dream, and now she was waking up to something too real, too raw.
Her body trembled.
But she had done it.
She had stepped through the door.
So why did it still feel like a trap?
---
11:42 AM – The Moment He Let Her Go
Behind her, Ethan didn't move.
Didn't speak.
Didn't call her back.
No warnings. No threats.
Just silence.
And somehow, that was worse.
She turned her head slightly, just enough to catch his gaze.
He was still watching.
Still waiting.
Why?
Did he think she wouldn't leave?
Did he believe she would stop herself before he ever had to?
The thought sent a fresh wave of anger through her.
She wasn't weak.
She wasn't a puppet.
She could walk away.
Right now.
So why was she still standing here?
Why was she waiting?
What was she waiting for?
His approval?
His reaction?
His permission?
Her throat tightened.
No.
No.
She wouldn't let him control her like this.
She turned her back on him completely.
And then she walked.
---
11:50 AM – The Empty Road Ahead
Each step felt heavier than the last.
The estate gates loomed ahead, just a hundred feet away.
She just had to reach them.
Just had to step through.
And then what?
Where would she go?
She had no money.
No phone.
No contacts outside these walls.
She had no plan.
Panic clawed at her chest.
Had she really thought this through?
Had she really escaped?
Or had she just walked into another kind of prison—one made of uncertainty and fear?
The thought hit her like a slap.
She stopped walking.
Was this really what she wanted?
Or had she let Ethan manipulate her again?
Was she making this choice… or was he?
---
11:55 AM – The Road to Nowhere
The wind was colder now.
The sky darker.
She stood just ten feet from the gates.
So close.
But her hands were shaking.
She turned, just a little.
Ethan was still standing at the doorway.
Still watching.
His face unreadable.
Had he known this would happen?
Had he known she would freeze before she could leave?
Had he counted on it?
Her nails dug into her palms.
She hated him.
Hated that he could read her so well.
Hated that even now, she still didn't know if she had won or lost.
Was this what freedom felt like?
Doubt?
Fear?
The crushing weight of not knowing who you are anymore?
Was she even ready for this?
Was she strong enough?
Did she even want to leave?
---
12:00 PM – The Truth She Couldn't Escape
The seconds stretched.
Her breathing was uneven.
Her heart pounded.
This was wrong.
All of it.
Not because she wanted to stay.
Not because she was afraid to go.
But because she wasn't ready.
Because freedom wasn't just about walking away.
It was about having something to walk toward.
And right now—
She had nothing.
No plan.
No future.
No real escape.
Just an open door and a road leading to nowhere.
Her fingers twitched.
And then—
She turned around.
Slowly.
Deliberately.
And she walked back.
Back toward the house.
Back toward him.
---
12:05 PM – The Moment He Won
Ethan didn't move as she approached.
Didn't smirk.
Didn't gloat.
He just watched.
Waiting.
She stopped in front of him, her heart still racing.
"I hate you," she whispered.
His lips twitched.
"Good," he said softly. "That means you're finally thinking for yourself."
Her breath caught.
He had known.
Of course, he had.
He had known that if he let her go, she would realize the truth on her own.
She wasn't trapped here.
She was lost here.
And leaving wouldn't fix that.
Only she could.
Ethan stepped aside, holding the door open.
An invitation.
Not a command.
Not a trick.
Her choice.
Truly, finally—her choice.
She walked inside.
This time, without hesitation.