The invitation arrived without ceremony.Adeline found it folded neatly on the small table beside her bed, the paper thick, expensive, her name written in precise ink.Dinner. Eight o'clock.No instructions.No threats.It was just clear that her presence was neededThat frightened her more than orders ever had.She had no idea what would happen if she refuse. And what she was going to see if she went.She stared at the card for a long time, wondering what mistake she was being punished for now. Or worse—what expectation she was about to fail.Ethan appeared at seven-thirty."Dress," he said, placing a garment bag on the chair. "And be punctual." He was about walking out when she stopped him with an uncertain voice"What happens if I'm not?" she asked.He looked at her, expression unreadable. "You don't want to learn that," he banged the door as he left not without warning her one last time about the consequences of disobedience When he left, her hands shook as she unzipped the bag.The dress inside was simple. Black. Long-sleeved. Elegant in a way that made her feel exposed despite the coverage. It was nothing like the clothes she wore at the club. Nothing like the dresses Rory used to lend her.This dress didn't ask for attention.It assumed it.She dressed slowly, carefully, as though the fabric itself carried consequences. When she was done, she barely recognized herself in the mirror.She looked… contained.---The dining room was vast and quiet, lit by a single chandelier that cast soft light across polished wood. Donovan sat at the head of the table, already there, a glass of wine untouched before him.He didn't look up when she entered.She stopped just inside the doorway, unsure whether to sit, speak, or leave."You're late," he said calmly.Her heart dropped. "I—Ethan said eight."He glanced at his watch. "It is eight."Her breath caught."Sit," he said.She did.For a moment, neither of them spoke. Cutlery rested beside untouched plates. The silence felt deliberate, stretched thin like a wire."You're wondering why you're here," Donovan said at last."Yes," she answered honestly and instantly "Good. Curiosity keeps people alive."He gestured, and a server appeared, placing food before her. Real food. Warm. Familiar.She hesitated."Eat," Donovan said. "I didn't bring you here to starve you."She obeyed, painfully aware of his eyes tracking every movement."You've adjusted well," he continued. "No screaming. No attempts to run.""I learned," she said quietly.He tilted his head. "What did you learn?"That question felt dangerous."That resistance costs more than it gives," she replied.A slow smile curved his mouth."Exactly."---He rose from his chair and began to walk the length of the table."Tonight isn't about punishment," Donovan said. "It's about trust."Her fork froze midair."Trust?""Yes." He stopped beside her. "I want to see what you'll choose when fear isn't guiding you."Her pulse quickened. "I don't understand.""You will."He leaned closer, his voice dropping. "After dinner, you'll be given access to the east wing. The doors will be unlocked."Her eyes widened."You can walk," he continued. "Explore. Even attempt to leave."Hope flared—reckless and bright."But," he added calmly, "if you cross the perimeter, consequences follow. Not for you."Her stomach twisted. "Then for who?"Donovan straightened. "For someone you care about."Rory's face flashed in her mind.He watched the realization settle."This is your test, Adeline," he said. "Not obedience. Loyalty."She swallowed hard. "And if I stay?"He kept quiet at first, staring intently. At her for like 30 seconds before he replied,"Then you prove something important.""What?""That you understand where you belong."---The doors were unlocked after dinner.She stood alone in the corridor, heart pounding, staring at the open passage leading toward freedom she didn't trust.She walked.Slowly at first. Then faster.Every step felt unreal. No alarms. No voices. No hands dragging her back.She reached a tall window overlooking the grounds. Beyond it lay darkness, trees, a road she imagined leading anywhere but here.Her hand hovered over the latch.She thought of her parents. Noah. Rory.She thought of Donovan's calm certainty.And she thought of the unspoken truth she hadn't allowed herself to name:Running would not save anyone.It would only teach him how much she was willing to lose.She stepped back.Turned.And walked away from the window.---Donovan was waiting when she returned.He didn't ask what she had seen."You chose correctly," he said.Her voice shook. "You never intended to let me go.""No," he agreed. "But I needed to know if you understood that."She looked at him then—not with fear, but something far more dangerous.Resignation.Understanding.Donovan reached out and lifted her chin, forcing her to meet his gaze."This," he said quietly, "is how people stay alive in my world."He released her."Go rest."As she walked away, Adeline realized something that chilled her more than captivity ever had.She had passed the test.And some part of her—small, traitorous, undeniable—was relieved.
