Aliyah's Pov
The next morning, Margaret came to my room earlier than usual. Her face looked different, it was stretched tight like someone pulled her skin back.
"Mr Westbrooke wants to see you," she said.
I went downstairs. Hayden was in his office with two men I had never seen before. They wore black clothes and looked like serious security guards, the kind who have seen things most people never should.
"Aliyah," Hayden said. "Come here."
I walked to his desk. The two men didn't move.
"These men are part of my security," Hayden said. "From now on, they will watch everything closely, for your safety and mine."
"What do you mean?" I asked.
"We will add more security at the house," he said. "More cameras and new rules. If you want to go somewhere, they come too, if you use a phone, they know. If you talk to someone, they know. It's for both our safety."
"Why?" I asked.
"Because," he said, "I don't believe you're telling the truth about that journalist."
There it was. He did not trust my lie.
"I told you," I said. "He was just someone from school."
"You're lying," Hayden said. He wasn't angry, it was like telling me the sky is blue.
"I'm not," I said.
"Yes, you are," he said. "I don't know why yet but we will find out together with their help."
He pointed to the two men.
"Am I a prisoner?" I asked.
"No," Hayden said. "You're my wife, prisoners need to be kept. Wives need to be protected, that's different."
But it didn't feel different. It felt the same with a new name.
That day, they put in new cameras. I saw them going up in every corner of the house. More cameras, more eyes and more proof I had nowhere left to hide.
The two security men were named Marcus and David. Marcus was older, maybe fifty, with a scar on his face. David was younger and never smiled, they were always in the house, in hallways, near my door, in the kitchen. Like ghosts who you could see.
I couldn't use the bathroom phone anymore. Someone was always nearby, someone always watching.
For three days, I couldn't call Alex.
I thought about him all the time, what he wanted to tell me, what his plan was, if he was still trying to help or if he forgot me, if what he said on the phone was even true.
On the fourth day, I got a chance.
Margaret was sick. She called someone new to help at the house. A temporary helper, someone who didn't know the routines yet. The new person didn't watch me carefully, there were gaps.
I took one gap.
I went to the bathroom. Locked the door. Called Alex.
He answered right away as if he was waiting by the phone for me.
"Aliyah," he said. "Are you okay?"
"I can't talk long," I said. "He knows something, he put security everywhere."
"I know," Alex said. "I know what's happening."
"How do you know?" I asked.
"I've been watching," he said. "I'm keeping track of what he does. I have people helping me, We're working to get you out."
"Why?" I asked. "Why help me?"
"Because," Alex said. His voice got softer, like when he looked at me and I felt special before. "Because I never forgot you, because what he's doing is wrong and because I love you. I never stopped."
My chest broke open. I felt something shatter inside me.
"You can't love me," I said. "You don't even know me now."
"I know you," he said. "I know you're stronger than you think. I know you're angry but hiding it, I know you're scared but still fighting. That's the girl I knew, the one I fell in love with. She's still in you."
I couldn't say anything. I was afraid if I did, I'd cry, and someone might hear.
"Aliyah?" he said. "Are you there?"
"Yes," I whispered.
"Listen," he said. "I need you to be ready. I'm making a chance for you. When it comes, you take it. No matter what, no matter how scared. Understand?"
"What kind of chance?" I asked.
"I can't say yet," he said. "He watches the house and everything. If he knows, it won't work. But trust me. Can you?"
"Yes," I said. Even though I shouldn't have, even though trusting anyone now felt very risky. I meant it.
"Good," he said. "I'll call in two days. Same time, same place if you can. I'll tell you what to do. Until then, act normal. Like you don't know me and aren't planning anything. Can you do that?"
"Yes," I said.
"I love you," Alex said. "I know it sounds crazy. I know it's been years but I love you. I'm going to get you out."
I hung up before I could say anything back.
I came out of the bathroom. David was in the hallway, just standing there, waiting.
"Everything okay?" he asked.
"Fine," I said. "Just using the bathroom."
He nodded, didn't say more. But I saw in his eyes. He knew I just called, he knew I was planning something.
I went to my room and sat on the bed. I tried to understand what I agreed to.
Alex was going to help me escape. He was making a chance for me to run. I had to take it, but then what? Where would I go? What about Mom and Ethan? What would Hayden do if he caught me trying to leave?
Under all that fear was something else. Hope, maybe I wasn't trapped forever. Maybe there was a way out.
For two days I did exactly what Alex said. I acted normal, smiled when I should, was nice to the guards. Didn't do anything suspicious.
It was hard. Pretending everything was fine when I felt broken inside.
On the second day, Elena came for her lessons.
"You seem different," she said. "Are you happy? You look happy."
"I'm trying," I said. "Like you taught me."
"Well, it's working," she said. "Keep doing it. Hayden seems pleased."
That night at dinner, Hayden spoke to me. He aked how I was and If I felt well. Like he wanted to prove he wasn't a monster.
I wondered if he believed his own lies.
The next day, I got to the bathroom again. Marcus was downstairs, david was in the kitchen. I had only a few minutes.
I called Alex.
"I'm here," I said right away.
"Okay," Alex said. "Listen carefully. Tomorrow, a delivery will come. Food, supplies. The delivery person will be one of my people. When they come, I need you at the front door. Act like you're greeting them."
"Hayden won't let me," I said.
"Make him," Alex said. "Tell him you want to help. Say it looks good in front of staff, say what you need but be at that door."
"Then what?" I asked.
"Then get in the car with them. Don't look back, don't stop, just go."
"What about Mom? Ethan?"
"They'll be safe," Alex said. "I promise but you need to save yourself first."
"If I run, Hayden will come after me," I said.
"I'll worry about that," he said. "Be ready tomorrow, front door, when the delivery arrives. Can you do that?"
"Yes," I said. "Yes, I can."
"I'll get you out," Alex said. "I'll fix this, I'll fix everything."
He hung up.
I stood holding the phone, thinking about everything Alex said.
Tomorrow I would escape.
Tomorrow everything would change.
I didn't know if Alex was telling the truth or lying.
But I would find out.