Chapter Five: "The Trap Tightens".
719 Words
The sedan tailed them through three intersections, never falling back, never overtaking. Its tinted windows reflected the neon glow of the city like cold eyes watching them. Ivy gripped the edge of her seat, her breath shallow.
“They’re still following us,” she whispered.
“I see them.” Ethan’s tone was flat, focused, his knuckles pale on the steering wheel. “Buckle up.”
“Ethan—”
“Now, Ivy.”
She snapped the seatbelt into place just as he swung the car sharply into a narrow side street. Tires screeched, the sound slicing through the storm. The sedan followed, its headlights bouncing wildly on wet pavement.
---
The Unexpected Escape
Ethan’s car roared up an incline, the tires struggling for grip on the rain-slicked road. At the top, he cut sharply into an underground parking garage. He killed the headlights, the car coasting into a shadowed corner.
“Stay low,” he ordered, turning off the engine.
Ivy ducked instinctively. Her heart pounded so loud it drowned out everything else.
For a moment, silence hung heavy. Then the sedan glided past the garage entrance, its engine fading into the distance. Only when it was gone did Ivy breathe again.
“That… was insane,” she said, voice trembling.
“That was necessary,” Ethan corrected, scanning the mirrors. He looked at her then, eyes softening. “Are you okay?”
“I’m—” She stopped, realizing her hands were shaking. “I don’t know.”
Ethan reached over, his hand covering hers. “You’re safe now. I promise.”
It was the way he said it—quiet but absolute—that made her chest tighten. She wasn’t used to people keeping promises, let alone making them.
---
Back at the Penthouse
They drove in silence to Ethan’s penthouse, the tension slowly unraveling as the city stretched below them. Ivy barely noticed the luxury when they stepped inside—the polished marble floors, the floor-to-ceiling windows showcasing a breathtaking skyline.
“You live here?” she murmured.
“Yeah.” He loosened his tie, watching her with that same unreadable expression. “You can stay here for the night.”
Her brows knitted. “Ethan, I don’t think—”
“You’re not safe at the cabin, and I’m not letting you go back there alone,” he interrupted. “Just… trust me this once.”
She hesitated, then nodded. “Okay.”
---
He led her to the guest room, but before leaving, he paused in the doorway. “I meant what I said earlier, Ivy. About you mattering to me.”
Her throat tightened. “Ethan, you don’t have to—”
“I’m not saying it because I have to,” he said, voice low, sincere. “I’m saying it because it’s true.”
The air between them thickened, something unspoken passing like static. Ivy looked away first, brushing a strand of hair behind her ear. “Goodnight, Ethan.”
He gave a small smile. “Goodnight, Ivy.”
---
Sometime past midnight, Ivy woke to the soft hum of the penthouse security system. She padded to the kitchen for water, but something stopped her—a faint light coming from Ethan’s office.
Curious, she walked closer. The door was slightly ajar, and she heard his voice, low and tense.
“She’s here,” Ethan said. “Yes, I found her first. No, she doesn’t know yet… and I’d prefer it to stay that way until I handle Oliver.”
Ivy froze. She doesn’t know yet? Know what?
“I said I’ll take care of it,” Ethan continued. “You just make sure the money’s ready when I call.”
Money? Handle Oliver?
Her heart pounded as she carefully backed away, returning to her room before he could see her. She climbed into bed, staring at the ceiling, a sick feeling swirling in her stomach.
What didn’t she know? Why was Ethan talking about her like she was part of some… deal?
---
By morning, Ethan was his usual calm, unreadable self, making coffee like nothing had happened. Ivy forced a smile, but questions gnawed at her.
What secret was Ethan hiding from her? And why did it feel like trusting him might be the biggest mistake of her life?
- Writer
