The heavy oak door of the estate closed behind us, shutting out the rest of the world. The click of the lock sounded like the final boundary falling into place. For months, this house had been a beautiful cage, a place of polite smiles, hushed secrets, and the heavy weight of expectations. But tonight, as Ethan’s fingers remained tightly laced with mine, the grand hallway felt different. It felt like a pathway to something real.
We didn’t speak as we walked up the stairs. The quiet of the house was absolute, but it wasn’t a lonely silence anymore. It was a holding of breath, a waiting. Ethan’s grip on my hand was firm, his thumb sweeping back and forth over the back of my knuckles, keeping me grounded.
When we reached my bedroom door, I paused. I looked up at him, my heart hammering agai
