Bound by fate

The night air was thick with tension as Elena ran alongside Ethan, her pulse pounding in her ears. The estate's towering walls loomed behind them, but even as they left Noah's world behind, she couldn't shake the feeling that he was still with her. Watching. Waiting.

Freedom. It was what she had been desperate for. Yet, with every step she took away from Noah, an invisible tether seemed to pull her back.

"Stay with me, Elena," Ethan said, his grip on her wrist firm yet gentle. "We're almost there."

Almost where? She had no idea. Ethan had planned their escape, had assured her that he had a safe house, but she hadn't asked questions. All she had cared about was getting away.

Yet now, doubt gnawed at the edges of her mind. Was she truly escaping Noah, or just stepping into another cage?

They reached a sleek black car parked in the shadows of an abandoned road. Ethan yanked the door open and gestured for her to get in.

"Elena, now."

She hesitated for the briefest moment, her fingers curling into fists. Then, without another word, she slipped inside. Ethan climbed in after her, slamming the door shut before turning the ignition. The engine purred to life, and within seconds, they were speeding down the darkened streets.

She exhaled sharply, pressing her forehead against the cool window. "Where are we going?"

"A safe house outside the city," Ethan answered, his voice tight with tension. "You'll be safe there. Noah won't find you."

Elena closed her eyes. That was the problem. A part of her wasn't sure she wanted to be found.

---

Meanwhile…

Noah stood in the darkness of his estate, his fingers curling into his palms. Elena was gone.

He had let her go.

Or at least, that's what he had allowed them to believe.

"Sir," a voice interrupted his thoughts.

Noah turned his head slightly to acknowledge his right-hand man, Lucas, who stood at the edge of the garden, his expression unreadable.

"We have eyes on them," Lucas continued. "They're heading west."

Noah smirked, though there was no humor in his eyes. "Good."

Lucas hesitated. "You're not going after her?"

Noah exhaled slowly. "Not yet."

Because despite everything, he knew one thing: Elena wasn't truly free. Not from him. Not from what they were to each other.

And soon, she would realize it too.

---

At the Safe House…

Hours later, Elena stood by the window of the small cabin, her arms wrapped around herself as she gazed out into the moonlit forest. The quiet should have been comforting, but it wasn't.

Ethan walked up behind her, offering a cup of coffee. She took it wordlessly, feeling his concerned gaze on her.

"You're safe now," he murmured. "Noah can't hurt you anymore."

She took a sip, letting the warmth seep into her cold fingers. "You don't understand, Ethan."

"Then help me understand," he said, stepping closer. "Tell me why you're still thinking about him."

She turned to face him, her expression torn. "Because he's not just a monster."

Ethan's jaw clenched. "Elena, he—"

"He let me go," she cut him off. "If he truly wanted to, he could've stopped me. But he didn't."

Ethan ran a frustrated hand through his hair. "That doesn't mean he's good for you."

"I know that."

"Then why does it seem like you're still his?"

The words hit her harder than she expected. She didn't have an answer.

---

Back at Noah's Estate…

Noah sat in his study, a glass of whiskey in his hand. He had thought letting her go would make things easier. It didn't.

Every fiber of his being screamed at him to go after her, to drag her back where she belonged. But he needed her to understand first. She needed to come back to him on her own.

His phone buzzed. Lucas' voice came through the line. "We found their location."

Noah downed the rest of his drink and stood. "Let's pay them a visit."

---

Elena's Safe House – The Breaking Point

A crash. The front door burst open, splintering into pieces.

Elena's heart leaped into her throat as she spun around, and there he was.

Noah.

A storm in his eyes. A predator who had finally cornered his prey.

Ethan moved in front of her, gun in hand. "Stay back, Noah."

Noah's lips curled into a dark smile. "Or what?"

Ethan cocked the gun, but before he could react, Noah lunged. A swift, brutal movement. The gun clattered to the floor, and in a heartbeat, Ethan was on his knees, Noah's grip tight around his throat.

Elena's breath hitched. "Noah, stop!"

His gaze flickered to hers. Slowly, his fingers loosened, and Ethan gasped for air, collapsing onto the floor.

Noah turned to her fully now, stepping closer. "Tell me to leave, Elena."

She swallowed hard. "I…"

He reached out, brushing a strand of hair from her face. "Say it."

She couldn't.

Because deep down, she knew the truth.

She didn't want him to leave.

And he knew it too.

---

The air inside the dimly lit study was thick with tension. Elena's breath was shallow as she stood between the two men who had upended her world. Noah leaned against the massive oak desk, his fingers drumming lightly against its polished surface, his expression unreadable. Across from him, Ethan stood rigid, his jaw clenched, a storm brewing in his eyes.

Elena's pulse roared in her ears. The gunshot from the previous night still echoed in her mind. The way Ethan had stepped in, the way Noah had barely reacted—it had all been a dangerous game of control and defiance.

"I should put a bullet in you," Noah finally spoke, his voice dangerously calm. "For what you tried to pull."

Ethan smirked, though there was no humor in it. "You won't. Because if you could, you already would have."

Elena's fingers curled into fists. "Stop it, both of you." Her voice shook with frustration. "This isn't about winning or losing. This is my life you're both toying with."

Noah's gaze snapped to her, sharp and unyielding. "You think this is a game to me?" He pushed off the desk, closing the distance between them in a few slow strides. "You ran, Elena. You put yourself in danger."

"I put myself in danger?" she snapped back, stepping closer, refusing to back down. "Or did you trap me in a life where I have no choice but to run?"

Ethan exhaled sharply. "She's not wrong, Noah. You can't keep her like this."

Noah's lips curled into a cold smile. "And you think you can save her?" His gaze flicked to Ethan, something dark and knowing in his expression. "You were never meant to be her hero."

Elena looked between them, confusion flickering in her eyes. "What the hell does that mean?"

Silence stretched before Noah turned away, pouring himself a glass of whiskey. The amber liquid sloshed slightly as he lifted the glass to his lips. "Tell her, Ethan. Tell her why you're really here."

Ethan stiffened. "Don't."

Elena's heart stuttered. "Ethan?"

Noah chuckled, the sound devoid of amusement. "Go on. Tell her who sent you."

Ethan's hands clenched at his sides. "It's not what you think, Elena."

Her stomach twisted. "Then tell me what it is."

A muscle ticked in Ethan's jaw. He met her eyes, and for the first time, she saw hesitation. Regret. "I was sent to watch you."

The words felt like a slap. "Sent by who?"

Noah answered for him. "Your father."

The room tilted. Elena staggered back a step. "That's not possible. My father is dead."

Noah's gaze darkened. "Is he?"

The weight of the revelation settled over her like a crushing force. Her father had died years ago—or at least, that's what she had believed. But if Ethan had been working for him all this time, then everything she knew had been a lie.

Her voice was barely a whisper. "You knew?"

Noah nodded once. "For a while."

She turned to Ethan, betrayal burning in her chest. "And you? How long have you been lying to me?"

He swallowed hard. "Since the beginning."

Rage and heartbreak warred inside her. She took another step back, shaking her head. "I trusted you."

Ethan's eyes softened. "It wasn't supposed to be like this. I never wanted to hurt you."

Noah set his glass down with a soft clink. "And yet, here we are."

Elena exhaled sharply, her hands trembling. "I need time."

Noah's jaw tightened, but he nodded. "Take it. But don't think for a second that I'm letting you go."

Ethan ran a hand through his hair. "Elena—"

She held up a hand. "I can't do this right now."

Without another word, she turned and walked out, the walls of the mansion closing in around her. Everything she had believed in was crumbling, and she had no idea where to run anymore.

Because no matter where she went, the shadows of her past followed.

And she wasn't sure she could escape them this time.

--

See you in the next chapter.....