Episode 19: Love That Should Have Died
737 Words
Waking Up to a Nightmare
The hospital room was too quiet.
The air thick, suffocating.
Claire could feel the weight of his gaze.
Ethan.
Sitting beside her.
Holding her hand like a lifeline.
Like he was afraid she would disappear again.
Her throat felt raw.
Her body weak.
But she forced herself to speak.
"Ethan…"
His fingers tightened around hers.
"Sweetheart," he breathed.
His voice was shaking.
His eyes—
His eyes were wild with relief.
Like he had won.
But Claire?
Claire wasn’t sure if she had escaped at all.
Ryan Arrives—And the War Isn’t Over
The door burst open.
Ryan.
His chest heaving.
His eyes blazing.
"Claire."
Her heart skipped.
Because now?
Now, she wasn’t in the dream world.
Ryan was real.
She had finally made it back.
But before she could breathe—
Ethan stood up.
Blocking her.
His presence dominant. Threatening.
Ryan’s jaw tightened.
"Get away from her, Ethan."
Ethan laughed.
Soft. Cold. Deadly.
"Why?" he murmured.
His fingers brushed Claire’s wrist.
"I was here first."
Ryan’s hands curled into fists.
"You were supposed to let her go."
Ethan tilted his head.
"But she didn’t want to go, did she?"
His eyes flickered to Claire.
"Tell him, sweetheart."
Her breath shook.
Because the worst part?
The part she couldn’t ignore?
Ethan was right.
Even now—
Even after choosing to wake up—
Some part of her still wanted him.
And Ethan knew it.
Claire’s Heart and Mind Are at War
Ryan stepped closer.
"Claire," he said, softer now.
"Look at me."
She did.
And suddenly—
Memories rushed back.
Laughter. Love. A life before Ethan.
A life that Ethan had stolen.
Tears burned her eyes.
She had loved Ryan.
She had been his.
But then—
Ethan’s hand curled around her wrist.
And a new wave of memories crashed over her.
His lips.
His touch.
His whispered "You’re mine."
Two loves.
Two worlds.
Two men who refused to let her go.
And Claire?
She didn’t know who she was anymore.
Ethan’s Desperation—And Ryan’s Final Stand
Ethan turned back to Ryan.
His smile was mocking.
"She still feels me," he said.
Ryan’s fists tightened.
But Ethan wasn’t finished.
"You thought bringing her back would change things?"
His voice dropped, deadly.
"You don’t understand, Ryan. You can wake her up. You can try to erase me. But I’m still inside her."
He leaned down, his lips brushing Claire’s ear.
"I will always be inside her."
Ryan snapped.
He lunged.
Fist slamming into Ethan’s jaw.
Ethan staggered, laughing.
"Finally," he muttered, wiping blood from his lip.
Ryan grabbed his collar.
"I don’t care what you did to her in your sick, twisted world," he growled.
"You. Don’t. Own. Her."
Ethan’s smirk vanished.
For the first time—
For the first time ever—
Ethan looked afraid.
Because Claire?
Claire wasn’t stopping Ryan.
She wasn’t protecting Ethan.
She was just watching.
And for the first time—
Ethan realized he might actually lose her.
The Escape Plan—And the Clock Is Ticking
Ryan turned to Claire.
"Come with me," he said.
Her breath shook.
She wanted to.
She had already chosen reality.
She had already left Ethan behind.
Hadn’t she?
But Ethan grabbed her wrist.
His voice was hoarse.
"Claire, please."
Her heart twisted.
Because he wasn’t commanding her this time.
He was begging.
She looked at him—
And for the first time, Ethan looked broken.
His voice barely a whisper.
"Don’t leave me again."
Claire’s chest ached.
Because she had.
She had left him.
And yet—
She still felt him everywhere.
Ryan reached for her hand.
"Claire," he said softly.
"You don’t have to be afraid."
She swallowed.
But the truth?
She wasn’t afraid of Ethan.
She was afraid of who she was without him.
The Final Decision—And the One Who Won’t Accept It
Claire exhaled.
Stepped forward.
And chose.
Ryan.
She took his hand.
Her voice barely above a whisper.
"I need to go."
Ethan staggered back.
Like she had just stabbed him through the chest.
For a moment—
Just a moment—
He looked lost.
But then—
His expression darkened.
And Claire realized her mistake.
Because Ethan wasn’t giving up.
If she left—
If she walked away now—
He would follow.
And this time?
This time, Ethan wouldn’t stop until he had her back.
At any cost.
(To Be Continued…)
- Writer
