The Escape Plan
630 Words
Lena lay in bed that night, staring at the ceiling, her mind racing. Every muscle in her body was tense, every nerve on edge. She had uncovered the truth—Damien had been watching her, tracking her, controlling her in ways she had never imagined. But now that she knew, she had an advantage.
She had to get out.
The problem was, Damien was always ahead of her. He anticipated her every move. If she slipped up even once, he would know. And if he knew…
She couldn’t let herself think about that.
Instead, she had to plan. Carefully. Quietly.
She couldn’t just run. She had no doubt that Damien would find her, drag her back. She needed to disappear—to make it look like she had no intention of leaving at all. If she played this right, he wouldn’t realize she was gone until it was too late.
---
The next morning, she acted normal.
She kissed Damien when she left for work, laughing at his jokes, holding his hand just a little tighter to sell the illusion. But inside, she was calculating every step.
She needed cash. If she used her credit cards, Damien would track her. She withdrew small amounts from different ATMs, making sure not to raise suspicion. She packed a bag with essentials and hid it at Claire’s apartment. She researched bus schedules, train routes—anything that would get her out of the city fast.
Every move was slow, deliberate. She had to be patient.
Claire was her only lifeline.
“You can stay with me,” Claire had whispered the night before, gripping Lena’s hands. “We’ll figure something out.”
But Lena knew that wasn’t an option. Damien would look for her there first. No, she had to go somewhere he’d never expect. Somewhere she could disappear.
The problem was getting to that point.
She just had to make it one more day.
---
That evening, Damien had dinner waiting when she got home.
Lena smiled like nothing was wrong, let him wrap his arms around her, let him kiss her. But every touch felt suffocating now, every glance another reminder that she was trapped in a gilded cage.
“You seem tense,” he murmured, brushing a strand of hair behind her ear. His fingers lingered just a second too long. “Something wrong?”
She forced a laugh. “Just work stress.”
Damien studied her, his gaze sharp. Then he smiled. “You work too hard, sweetheart.”
His hand slid down her arm, possessive. “But you don’t have to worry about anything. I take care of you, don’t I?”
Lena nodded, forcing herself to relax against him. “You do.”
His lips pressed against her forehead. “Good girl.”
A shiver ran down her spine.
---
She waited until he was asleep.
Her heart pounded as she slid out of bed, barely daring to breathe. She had timed everything perfectly. If she could just make it to the door, down the street—
A hand closed around her wrist.
Cold terror shot through her as Damien’s grip tightened. She turned, meeting his eyes in the darkness.
“Where are you going?” he asked softly.
Lena’s mind raced. Her pulse thundered in her ears. “Bathroom,” she whispered, forcing a sleepy voice. “Go back to sleep.”
Damien’s gaze held hers for what felt like an eternity. Then, slowly, his grip loosened. “Hurry back,” he murmured, rolling over.
Lena barely made it to the bathroom before she collapsed against the sink, gasping for breath. Her entire body was trembling.
She had underestimated him.
He was watching her more closely than ever.
And he knew she was planning something.
---
- Writer
