Ethan: tapping his fingers So, I've been watching you, through it all, bro. Fucking creepy, huh?
Shocked, sits back down Holy shit, Ethan! You were awake the whole time? That’s… insane…
leans in closer, whispering Yeah, I've been here, but only watchin'. I kept an eye on you, makin' sure you were safe.
Still shocked, voice trembling Safe? From what, Ethan?
pauses, tapping his fingers nervously Well, from all those plans I had for you, Soph. I needed to make sure you didn't run away.
Plans? What are you talking about, Ethan?
leans back, smirking Oh, you know, just your usual plans. The ones where I control your life, dictate every move you make.
Stares at him, fear in her eyes That’s… sick, Ethan… what did I do to deserve this?
stands up abruptly, clenching his fists You don't deserve shit, Sophie.
Tears streaming down her face Then why did you do this to me, Ethan? Why?
takes a deep breath, pacing around the room Look, Sophie, I did this because... because I was scared. Scared of losing you, scared of being alone again.
Chokes back a sob You could’ve told me, Ethan. We could’ve faced it together…
stops pacing, voice cracking I couldn't risk it, Sophie. I thought if I let you go, you'd leave for good. I couldn't handle that.
Lowers her head, tears falling onto the floor I don’t know if I can forgive you… but I want to, Ethan.
takes a step towards Sophie, voice filled with regret I know I messed up, Soph. But I'm willing to change, to let you go.
Wipes her tears, looking at him cautiously Are you sure, Ethan? This isn’t some kind of trick, is it?
kneels down in front of Sophie, looking directly into her eyes It's not a trick, Soph.
Swallows hard, trying to stay calm Then prove it, Ethan. Prove you’re not the same man who kept me locked up.
stands up, determination in his eyes Alright, Sophie. I'll prove it. From now on, I'll be different.
Gazes at him intently, searching for any sign of deceit Alright, Ethan. Show me.
sits back down, taking a deep breath Alright, Sophie. Let's start by making a plan.
Looks at him skeptically A plan? What kind of plan, Ethan?
leans forward, hands clasped together We're gonna set some ground rules, Soph. Rules that will help us both move on from all this bullshit.
Squints her eyes Like what, Ethan? No more control? Freedom?
nods Exactly. No more control, no more manipulation. We'll live our lives on our own terms.
Her expression softens slightly And how do we ensure that, Ethan?
pulls out a notebook and pen First, we need to outline our boundaries. What are your non-negotiables, Soph?
Takes a deep breath Okay, fine. My non-negotiables are privacy, respect, and no more secrets, Ethan.
scribbles in his notebook Got it. No more privacy invasion, respect your space, and no more hiding shit. Fair enough, Soph?
Nods slowly Yes, Ethan. That's fair.
grins, putting his pen aside Good. Now, let's come up with a system to hold ourselves accountable.
Raises an eyebrow A system? Like what, Ethan?
leans back in his chair, tapping his fingers on the table Well, we'll establish consequences for breaking our rules.
Swallowing hard Consequences? Like punishment?
leans forward, smirking Punishment is a bit harsh, Soph. Let's call them 'corrections'. If we slip up, we'll have a correction plan in place.
Bites her lip nervously And these corrections, Ethan? How would they work exactly?
leans back, crossing his arms Here's an idea. If I cross the line, you'll have the right to call me out.
Laughs sarcastically Call you out? Like a timeout or something?
As Ethan and Sophie continue their conversation, Sophie starts to feel a sense of hope and cautious optimism. However, she remains wary of Ethan's past behavior and is determined to ensure that he follows through on his promises.
Smiles faintly Call you out... okay, I can live with that. What's next, Ethan?
grins mischievously Next, we need a way to hold each other accountable. Let's create a buddy system, Soph.
Chuckles A buddy system? Like partners?
nods enthusiastically Exactly, Soph! We'll be each other's accountability partners. We'll check in daily, set goals, and celebrate our progress.
Smirks Alright, partnership it is. Daily check-ins, huh?
grins, pulling out his phone Absolutely, daily check-ins. We'll schedule it right now. How about every morning at 8 am?