Episode 18: Escape Fate, If You Can
624 Words
The Job Offer That Changes Everything
Claire stared at the message.
Adrian: I have an offer for you. A job after graduation. In another city. Think about it.
Her chest tightened.
A way out.
A chance to leave everything behind.
To escape Ethan’s grip.
To finally be free.
She needed to say yes.
She needed to run.
But then—
A shadow loomed behind her.
A voice, low and dangerous.
"Leaving me, sweetheart?"
Claire froze.
Because Ethan was right there.
Watching.
Waiting.
And his eyes burned with something dark.
Something final.
Ethan’s Final Warning
Ethan took a step forward.
Claire’s pulse pounded.
"You were going to leave," he murmured.
His voice was calm.
Too calm.
Like the silence before a storm.
Claire swallowed.
"I—"
Ethan’s fingers brushed against her waist.
"Tell me," he whispered.
His grip tightened.
"Tell me you don’t want me anymore."
Her breath caught.
Because she couldn’t say it.
Not when his touch still set her on fire.
Not when her body still ached for him.
Ethan smirked.
"That’s what I thought."
But then—
Claire stepped back.
For the first time, she pushed him away.
"I’m not yours, Ethan."
His smile vanished.
Claire’s voice was quiet.
"I don’t belong to you anymore."
For a moment—
Just a moment—
Ethan looked wrecked.
Like she had stabbed him straight through the heart.
But then—
His expression hardened.
And Claire realized her mistake.
Because Ethan was done playing games.
Ryan’s Last Attempt to Save Her
Ryan felt it.
The way reality was collapsing.
The way Ethan’s hold on Claire was breaking.
But if he didn’t pull her out now—
Ethan would trap her forever.
Ryan closed his eyes.
Pushed.
Forced his way into the illusion.
And suddenly—
He was there.
Standing in front of Claire.
Her eyes widened.
"Ryan?"
He grabbed her hand.
"You have to come with me. Now."
Ethan tensed.
"Not this time," he growled.
Ryan’s jaw clenched.
"I’m not letting you steal her again."
Ethan laughed.
Low. Cruel.
"Funny," he murmured.
Then—
Everything shifted.
The World Shatters—And The Truth Is Revealed
Claire gasped.
Because suddenly—
She wasn’t in her dorm.
She wasn’t in the school.
She was back in the hospital.
Her real body was lying in a bed.
Machines beeping.
And beside her—
The real Ethan.
Older.
More broken.
Holding her hand like he would die without her.
Claire staggered back.
"No," she whispered.
Ethan’s voice—**the real Ethan’s voice—**was a quiet plea.
"Claire, please… don’t leave me."
Her heart cracked.
Because now she understood.
This world—
This wasn’t just an illusion.
It was a coma.
A dream Ethan created to keep her from waking up.
So she would never leave him.
Ryan’s voice was urgent.
"You have to wake up, Claire."
Her head spun.
"Wake up?" she echoed.
Ryan nodded.
"Open your eyes. Come back."
But then—
Ethan’s voice.
Low. Broken.
"Stay with me, sweetheart."
Claire looked at him.
At the boy she had loved for lifetimes.
The man who had risked everything to keep her.
Ethan took her hand.
"Stay," he whispered.
And Claire?
Claire had one second to decide.
One second to choose.
Ryan. Reality.
Or Ethan. The dream.
And then—
She made her choice.
The Aftermath—And the Price of Her Decision
Claire’s eyes snapped open.
A hospital ceiling.
The scent of antiseptic and death.
Her body felt weak.
But she was awake.
And then—
A hand tightened around hers.
Her heart stopped.
Because Ethan was still there.
Watching her.
Waiting.
And his eyes were shattered.
Because he knew.
She had left him behind.
And Ethan Lancaster had finally lost.
(To Be Continued…)
- Writer
