THE RISE OF THE BROKEN TEENAGE GIRL

ESCAPE PLAN

Leah crouched beside the storeroom door, her hands trembling as she worked on the lock with a piece of wire she’d found under the cot. Her heart raced with every sound from the hallway, each muffled laugh or distant footstep making her pause. She didn’t have much time. If they caught her trying to escape, she didn’t know what they’d do.

She bit her lip, focusing on the lock. “Come on,” she whispered under her breath. She could hear the faint murmur of wedding vows being recited in the garden, and the thought of her father marrying that woman only made her work faster. Her fingers ached, but she didn’t stop.

Finally, she heard a faint click. Her breath caught, and for a moment, hope flared in her chest. She turned the doorknob slowly, but before she could push it open, the door was yanked outward from the other side.

Jane stood there, her arms crossed and a knowing smile on her face. “You didn’t think it would be that easy, did you?” she said, her voice dripping with mock sympathy.

Leah’s heart sank as two burly men—hired for “security,” no doubt—stepped forward from behind Jane. They grabbed her arms before she could react, dragging her back into the room. She kicked and screamed, but it was no use.

“Let me go!” Leah shouted. “You can’t do this to me!”

Jane stepped inside and gestured for the men to hold Leah in place. She leaned in close, her expression cold now, all pretense of kindness gone. “Listen to me, Leah,” she hissed. “This is happening whether you like it or not. My mother is marrying your father, and there’s nothing you can do about it. So stop embarrassing yourself.”

Leah glared at her, tears stinging her eyes. “You’re a liar,” she spat. “You pretended to be on my side, but you’re just as awful as they are.”

Jane smirked. “I never said I was on your side. I said I wanted to help, and I am—helping myself. Now, be a good little girl and stay put.”

She turned to the men. “Make sure she doesn’t get out again,” she said. “And take this.” She snatched the wire from Leah’s hand, twirling it between her fingers before tossing it into the hallway.

The men shoved Leah back onto the cot and left the room, locking the door behind them. Leah sat there, trembling with rage and despair. She could hear Jane’s footsteps fading away, followed by her cheerful voice as she greeted the wedding guests.

Leah’s chest heaved as she struggled to catch her breath. She had failed, and now she was truly alone. The walls of the storeroom felt even smaller now, closing in around her as the sound of applause drifted in from the garden. Her father had just said “I do,” and there was nothing she could do to stop it.

But even as tears streamed down her face, Leah clenched her fists. If Jane, her father, and that woman thought they had won, they were wrong. She would find another way. They might have beaten her this time, but she wasn’t giving up. Not yet.