Decision

Chapter 2

The first sound Jessica heard was her own heartbeat.

It pounded so loudly in her ears that for a moment she thought someone else might hear it,might wake up, might come searching, might drag her back before she even made it out.

But the house remained silent.

Too silent.

She lay still on the edge of the bed, eyes wide open in the dimness, staring at the faint line of light creeping in through the heavy curtains. Somewhere in the distance, a clock ticked with unbearable slowness.

Tick,

Tick,

Tick.

Every second felt like a countdown.

Now or never.

Jessica slid off the bed, her bare feet barely making a sound against the polished floor. Her hands trembled as she reached for her small bag,the only thing she had managed to gather in the short time she’d been in that place.

The place Abigail had brought her to.

The place that looked like luxury but smelled like a trap.

She paused at the door, her breath caught halfway in her chest.

What if someone was outside?

What if Abigail had guards?

What if,

A faint sound echoed down the hallway.

Footsteps.

Jessica froze.

Her pulse skyrocketed.

The footsteps passed.

Faded.

Gone.

She didn’t wait any longer.

Slowly, carefully, she opened the door. The hinges creaked just slightly, and she winced, holding her breath. No one came.

The corridor stretched endlessly before her, dimly lit, lined with identical doors that felt more like cages than rooms.

Jessica stepped out.

One step.

Two.

Three.

Every movement felt too loud, too risky.

At the far end of the hallway, a shadow shifted.

Jessica’s heart nearly stopped.

But it was just the curtain swaying from an open window.

Or so she hoped.

She quickened her pace.

By the time she reached the back exit,one she had noticed the night before but hadn’t dared to approach,her chest burned from holding in her fear.

Her fingers shook as she turned the handle.

Locked.

A surge of panic hit her.

“No… no, no…” she whispered under her breath.

She pulled harder.

Nothing.

Then,

A click.

The door opened.

Jessica didn’t stop to question it.

She ran.

The cold morning air hit her like a slap as she burst onto the empty street. The sky was just beginning to lighten, the world caught in that fragile moment between night and day.

She ran without direction.

Without a plan.

Just away.

Away from Abigail.

Away from whatever nightmare she had almost become a part of.

Her lungs screamed, her legs threatened to give out, but she didn’t stop.

Not until she reached the main road.

Cars sped past, indifferent to her desperation.

Jessica stumbled forward, waving her arms frantically.

“Help! Please, help me!”

One car passed.

Then another.

And another.

Panic clawed at her throat.

No one is stopping.

Her voice broke as she screamed again, louder this time.

“Please!”

Then,

A black car slowed.

Jessica’s breath hitched.

The car came to a stop a few meters ahead of her.

The window rolled down slowly.

“What is the problem, young girl?” a deep voice asked.

Jessica ran to the car, tears already streaming down her face.

“Sir, please… I need help,” she said, her voice shaking.

The man studied her for a moment.

A long moment.

Too long.

Then he unlocked the door.

“Get in.”

Jessica hesitated,just for a second.

Then desperation overpowered caution.

She got in.

The ride was quiet.

Uncomfortably quiet.

Jessica kept her eyes fixed on the window, watching the city blur past. Her reflection stared back at her,tired, frightened, and uncertain.

She stole a glance at the man driving.

Now that she could see him clearly, something about him unsettled her.

He looked to be in his mid-forties, maybe early fifties. His dark complexion was smooth, almost too smooth. His shoulders were broad, his posture rigid, and his hands gripped the steering wheel with controlled precision.

Everything about him screamed power.

And control.

“What happened?” he asked suddenly.

Jessica flinched slightly before answering.

“I… I came to the city with someone I trusted,” she began. “But things weren’t what I thought they were. I had to leave.”

“That’s all?” he asked, his tone unreadable.

Jessica swallowed.

“No… but it’s enough.”

Silence fell again.

But this time, it felt heavier.

When the car finally stopped, Jessica looked up and her breath caught.

The house in front of her was massive.

Not just big.

Intimidating.

Tall gates. High walls. Security cameras positioned at every angle.

It looked less like a home and more like a fortress.

Jessica’s unease returned, stronger this time.

“You live here?” she asked quietly.

The man stepped out of the car.

“Yes.”

Jessica hesitated before following.

As soon as she stepped inside, she felt it again.

That same feeling she had at Abigail’s place.

Luxury,

Perfection,

And beneath it…

Something dark.

Something hidden.

“Sit,” the man instructed, gesturing to a large couch.

Jessica obeyed.

Her hands rested tightly in her lap as she watched him walk to the other side of the room.

“Tell me everything,” he said.

And so she did.

She told him about the shop,

About her sick mother,

About Abigail,

About the city.

She left nothing out except the part where something deep inside her warned her not to trust too easily again.

When she finished, the man nodded slowly.

“How old are you?” he asked.

“Twenty-one,” Jessica replied.

He studied her again.

That same long, unsettling gaze.

Then he smiled.

A slow, deliberate smile that didn’t quite reach his eyes.

“You don’t have to worry anymore,” he said. “I’ll send you to school.”

Jessica’s heart leapt.

“And I’ll also open a shop for you,” he added.

“No,” Jessica said quickly, almost too quickly. “I don’t want a shop. I just want to go to school.”

The man’s smile faltered,just slightly.

“Only school?” he repeated.

“Yes,” Jessica said firmly. “That’s all I want.”

For a moment, something flickered in his eyes.

Amusement?

Disappointment?

Or something darker?

“Very well,” he said at last. “If that’s what you want.”

Relief flooded Jessica’s chest.

“Thank you, sir. I”

“But,” he interrupted.

The word hung in the air like a warning.

Jessica’s stomach tightened.

His eyes said something else entirely.

“No one will hurt you.”

Jessica’s throat went dry.

The man took a step closer.

Then another.

Until he stood directly in front of her.

“I told you,” he said softly. “I’ll give you everything you want.”

You can stay here till school resumes.