📖 Defying Destiny – Book 2, Episode 16
907 Words
A World That Feels Wrong
The first thing Claire felt was warmth.
A firm chest beneath her cheek. Strong arms wrapped around her waist.
Ethan.
She was safe.
But the second thing she felt?
Everything was wrong.
Her eyes fluttered open, and the moment she took in her surroundings, her breath caught.
They weren’t in the Ashwick Estate anymore.
The shattered mirror was gone.
The ruined walls had vanished.
Instead, they were lying in a bedroom.
But not just any bedroom.
A familiar one.
One she had never seen before… but somehow remembered.
Her heart pounded.
"Ethan?" she whispered.
A groggy hum rumbled against her ear.
His grip on her tightened, as if he had no intention of letting go.
"Mm?"
"I… I don’t think we’re in the same timeline anymore."
That woke him up.
Ethan’s body tensed beneath her, and within seconds, he was wide awake, scanning the room.
His jaw clenched.
"Shit."
Because he recognized it too.
And the worst part?
Claire didn’t know how or why—
But she knew exactly where they were.
This was their bedroom.
From a life they had never lived.
The Weight of a Life They Don’t Remember
Ethan sat on the edge of the bed, running a hand down his face.
"This isn’t possible."
Claire wrapped the blanket around herself, staring at the room in disbelief.
There were pictures of them on the dresser.
Wedding photos.
Memories of a life that shouldn’t exist.
A life they had never lived.
But here?
In this version of reality?
They had been married for years.
"Ethan, this… this isn’t just another vision." Claire swallowed hard. "We’re inside a different version of ourselves."
Ethan stood, moving to the dresser. He picked up one of the photos, his fingers tightening around the frame.
"This was never us," he said.
But Claire heard it in his voice.
The uncertainty.
The fear.
Because what if it had been?
What if, in another timeline, another version of their story—
They had actually gotten everything they wanted?
A life without fate chasing them.
A home.
A love without conditions.
A love without an expiration date.
Claire stepped behind Ethan, resting her hands on his back.
"Do you think we’re supposed to be here?" she whispered.
Ethan exhaled, turning to face her.
His eyes softened, his hands moving to her waist.
"I don’t care where we are, Claire." His voice was gentle, steady. "As long as I have you, I’ll make any world ours."
Claire’s chest tightened.
Because it wasn’t the answer she expected.
But it was the only answer she needed.
And in that moment—
It didn’t matter where they were.
It didn’t matter which version of reality they had stumbled into.
The only thing that mattered was them.
The Passion That Always Finds Them
Claire barely had time to react before Ethan pulled her into him.
His kiss was slow, deep, consuming.
Like he wasn’t just kissing her.
Like he was reclaiming her.
Her fingers curled into his shirt, pulling him closer, needing more.
Because no matter how many timelines, no matter how many versions of their love—
This was real.
This was theirs.
Ethan growled against her lips, lifting her effortlessly and setting her onto the dresser.
"You drive me insane," he whispered, his breath hot against her skin.
Claire shivered as his hands roamed, sliding beneath the blanket that barely covered her.
"Then lose your mind with me," she murmured.
Ethan groaned.
"Gladly."
His hands gripped her thighs, pulling her flush against him as he devoured her completely.
And in that moment—
The world could have shifted a thousand times, and neither of them would have cared.
Because all that mattered was this.
The way he touched her.
The way he made her feel.
The way his love for her felt unchanging, unstoppable, unbreakable.
No matter where they ended up.
No matter which version of their story they were forced into.
They would always find each other.
The Glitch in Reality
The moment their breathing slowed, reality shattered again.
The warmth of their bed faded.
The walls shifted.
And suddenly—
They weren’t in their home anymore.
They were standing in front of the mirror again.
The same mirror that had brought them here.
Only now?
It wasn’t just reflecting them.
It was reflecting Ryan.
Trapped inside.
His eyes frantic.
His hands slamming against the glass.
"Claire! Ethan!"
Claire’s breath hitched.
Ethan moved instinctively, reaching for the mirror—
But before he could touch it—
Ryan’s expression changed.
From relief… to horror.
"No! It’s not done with you yet—!"
And then—
The mirror rippled again.
The glass shattered.
And the world plunged into darkness.
The Warning That Came Too Late
Claire gasped as she hit the ground, the impact knocking the air from her lungs.
Ethan landed beside her, cursing under his breath.
The room around them wasn’t the same.
The mirror was gone.
Ryan was gone.
And now?
Now they were standing in another version of reality.
One where everything was wrong.
The walls were cracked.
The air was thick with something unseen.
And the whispers?
They were everywhere.
"You were never supposed to remember."
Claire’s blood ran cold.
Because this time?
It wasn’t fate speaking.
It was something else.
Something that had been watching them from the very beginning.
And now?
Now, it was done waiting.
To Be Continued…
- Writer
