Midnight Rescue

ISABELLA'S POINT OF VIEW

I clutched the blanket tighter around my shoulders, my eyes darting between Felix and Vanessa. She was sitting up in his bed like she owned the place, her voice dripping with smugness as she called out, “Felix, get back to bedddd.”

My chest burned with rage. I wanted to scream, to claw, to break everything in this room, but all I could do was stare at him. His eyes flicked to me, calm in that terrifying way of his.

Then, with the kind of ease that sent chills crawling up my spine, he said, “You’re free to go. The contract is over. You can leave.”

I froze. The words didn’t make sense. I blinked, searching his face for the trap, the twist, the cruel catch that always came with him. “What?” I whispered, my voice trembling. “What did you just say?”

“You heard me,” Felix said, his tone flat, unreadable. He leaned back in his chair, as if the conversation bored him. “The contract ended. You’re no longer mine. Pack your things and go.”

My stomach lurched. Just like that? No fight? No threats? No smirk carved into his lips? I searched his face, desperate for a crack, some sign that he was playing me. But his expression was a mask, cold and solid.

Vanessa yawned dramatically and stretched, like this was all some kind of joke. “Finally,” she murmured, pulling the sheet higher over her chest. “Now, Felix, stop wasting your time. Come back to bed.”

I wanted to slap her. My blood boiled, but I forced myself to look away from her and focus on him. “You’re… letting me go,” I repeated slowly, my voice barely above a whisper.

“Yes.” His answer came too quick, too sharp.

I tightened my grip on the blanket. My heart was hammering against my ribs. “Why now? Why suddenly?”

He tilted his head, eyes narrowing ever so slightly. “Do you want to stay, Isabella? Is that what this hesitation is about?”

“No!” I snapped, louder than I intended. My hands were shaking. “I just don’t understand you. You trap me for years, you threaten me, you—” My words cut short. My throat tightened. “And now you’re saying I can just… leave?”

Felix gave a small shrug, as if it meant nothing. “You’re free. Take your suitcase and go.”

I stared at him, every nerve in my body screaming that this was too easy. Too clean. He had never been predictable, never been merciful. Why would he start now?

Still, I couldn’t stop myself. I turned, walked toward my suitcase that was half-packed from earlier, and zipped it shut. The sound echoed like thunder in the silence. My hands trembled as I grabbed the handle.

Vanessa laughed softly. “Look at her, Felix. She doesn’t even know if she should be happy or scared.”

“Enough,” Felix said quietly. His gaze never left me.

I swallowed hard, forcing myself to stand tall even though fear was tightening around my chest. My steps toward the door felt heavier with each move. My heart whispered run, but my mind screamed wait, it’s a trick.

I paused at the threshold, glancing back at him. His face was unreadable, carved from stone, eyes dark and sharp but giving nothing away.

This was it. My freedom or another trap I hadn’t yet seen.

I tightened my grip on the suitcase handle and whispered, almost to myself, “I don’t trust you, Felix. Not for a second.”

His lips twitched, almost like a smile, but he said nothing.

And with my heart in my throat, I took the first step out of the room.

I dragged my suitcase down the quiet street, my heart hammering in my chest. The night air felt heavy, pressing against my lungs with every breath I took. Midnight. The city was silent, and all I could hear was the sound of my shoes scraping against the pavement and the occasional rustle of leaves. Fear clung to me like a second skin, but I kept walking. One more minute in Felix’s prison would break me.

Headlights cut through the darkness, and I froze. A sleek black car slowed down until it stopped right in front of me. My throat tightened. What if Felix had changed his mind? What if he sent someone after me?

The back window rolled down, and relief washed over me the moment I saw who it was. Stefan Laurent. The man everyone in town seemed to know, the one Morgan wouldn’t stop talking about.

“Well, that’s interesting,” I whispered under my breath, forcing a small smile.

“Isabella?” Stefan’s voice was calm but sharp, like he was already piecing things together. “What are you doing out here at this time?”

I tightened my grip on my suitcase and tried to act casual, even though my knees were trembling. “Hi,” I said softly, stepping closer. “Just… leaving. I had to get out before I lost my mind.”

His eyes narrowed slightly, studying me like I was a puzzle he needed to solve. He leaned back and motioned toward the car. “Get in. Quickly. It’s not safe for you to be wandering around like this.”

I hesitated for only a second before pulling the door open. The driver didn’t wait for me to settle in properly; the car moved almost instantly, gliding through the empty streets.

I slipped into the backseat beside Stefan, clutching my bag against me like a shield. My breathing was uneven, and I hated how obvious my fear was.

“Relax,” Stefan said, his gaze flicking to me. “You look like you’ve seen a ghost.”

“I might as well have,” I muttered, staring out the window. Every shadow looked alive, every sound sharper than it should have been. My imagination betrayed me. What if something jumped out? A dog. A wolf. Anything. I swallowed hard and shook my head. “I just… I don’t feel safe out there. Not anymore.”

Stefan studied me in silence, his hand resting loosely on his knee. “You’re running from him, aren’t you?”

The question caught me off guard. My lips parted, but no words came. I looked at him, really looked at him, and there was no mockery in his expression, no judgment. Just quiet certainty.

I exhaled shakily. “Yes. I’m running. And I don’t know where I’ll end up. I just know I can’t go back.”

His eyes softened, almost imperceptibly. “Then don’t.”

I turned my gaze to him, startled by how simple he made it sound. “It’s not that easy. He won’t let me go.”

“Felix doesn’t own you,” Stefan replied firmly. “Whatever he told you, whatever power he thinks he has… it’s nothing compared to your will to walk away. Remember that.”

My chest tightened at his words, both comforting and terrifying. I wanted to believe him. I wanted to cling to the idea that I could finally start over.

But deep down, I knew Felix wasn’t done with me. Not yet.