Emma POV
Morning light hit my face. Sharp and white. I had not slept. Every sound in the house felt like a threat. Even the wind sounded like Ethan at the door.
I sat on the bed. My hands stayed tight. I thought I had escaped. I thought silence meant peace. But Ethan's pride would never rest.
Daniel's voice came from the kitchen. Calm. Measured. He was making tea. Trying to hold on to quiet.
Then a car door slammed. Fast steps followed. My body went cold.
Daniel looked up. His face changed. "Emma," he said.
The front door burst open.
Ethan's voice filled the house. "Where is she?"
I stopped breathing. His voice still pulled at something deep inside me.
Daniel stepped forward. "You shouldn't be here."
Ethan gave a short laugh. "You think you can hide my wife?"
That word hit hard. Wife.
A mug fell. Broke. The sound spread through the house like fire.
I stood still. Watching.
Ethan saw me. Everything froze. His face shifted. For a moment, he looked hurt. "You left," he said. His voice cracked. "You left me."
I said nothing.
Daniel spoke. "She had to. You left her no choice."
Ethan turned and hit him. One punch. Then another. Daniel crashed into the table.
"Stop!" I yelled. They didn't stop.
I grabbed Ethan's arm. "Please!"
He froze. His eyes locked on mine. "You think you can run from me? You think I'll let him take you?"
"He didn't take me," I said. "I left because you broke me."
Silence filled the room.
Ethan stared. His anger softened, then hardened again. He took my wrist. "You're mine."
Fear rushed in. But so did something else. The part of me that still felt him.
"I'm not yours," I said. My voice shook.
He didn't listen. He dragged me outside.
Cold air hit my face. The car engine ran. Waiting.
"You think you can hide in another man's house and I won't find you?" he said.
"This isn't love," I said. "You only care about control."
His jaw tightened. He grabbed my chin. "I don't lose what's mine."
He pulled me into the car. The door slammed.
Daniel stood in the doorway. Blood on his lip. His eyes followed us as we drove off. I wanted to say I was sorry.
The house faded behind us. The peace went with it.
Ethan wasn't bringing me home for love. He brought me back because he didn't know how to let go.
Ethan POV
The call came early.
"Boss, we found her."
The words hit hard. I looked up. Rico stood by the door, phone in hand. His eyes said he already knew what this meant.
"Say that again," I said.
"She's at a house outside the city. A man named Daniel owns it."
I repeated the name under my breath. Daniel. My hand tightened on the pen until it broke.
"Get the car."
Rico hesitated. "You sure you want to-"
"Now."
He left fast.
The drive blurred. My hands hit the steering wheel again and again. The car moved too fast, but not fast enough. My chest burned. My thoughts spun.
She left me.
She ran to him.
Each mile added fuel. Rage mixed with something I didn't want to name.
When the house came into view, I was already out of the car. Gravel cracked under my boots. The front door waited, small and calm. I kicked it open.
"Where is she?"
Daniel came from the hall. He looked ready to fight.
"She doesn't want to see you," he said.
"Don't test me. Where is she?"
He stepped closer. "You can't keep her. She made her choice."
"She's my wife."
The word filled the room.
Then I heard her voice.
"Ethan."
I turned.
She stood there, pale and small, in one of those sweaters she always wore when afraid. My chest tightened. I hadn't seen her in weeks. Still, she looked like everything I lost.
"You're really here," I said. "With him."
"Ethan, please. Don't do this."
"Don't what? Don't fight for my wife?"
"I'm not yours anymore."
The words hit deep.
Daniel stepped in front of her. "You need to leave."
I laughed. "You think you can hide her from me?"
"Stop!" she shouted. "Both of you, stop!"
I saw Daniel's hand near her arm. My control broke.
My fist hit his face. He fell, crashed into the table. A mug shattered.
"Ethan!" she screamed.
He swung back. His punch caught my side. I shoved him. We hit furniture. The room fell apart around us.
"Enough!" she cried. She stood between us, pushing my chest. "Stop this!"
I looked down at her. My breathing was rough. "He touched you."
"He helped me."
"He kept you from me."
"You drove me away!" she said, crying now. "Don't you see that?"
The room went quiet. My pulse was the only sound.
"I did this," I said.
She shook her head. "You chose this. You made it impossible for me to breathe."
My hands shook. "You're coming home."
"No."
"Yes."
I grabbed her wrist, not hard, but firm. "You don't run to another man and call that freedom."
Her eyes burned into mine. "You don't call me yours when you never treated me like a person."
Silence again. Daniel stood behind her, bleeding. I looked at him, then her. Everything I'd ruined sat in front of me.
"Get in the car," I said.
She didn't move.
"Please, Emma. Don't make this worse."
"You already did," she said.
She followed me outside anyway. Maybe fear. Maybe defeat.
The air was cold. She stood by the car, quiet. I opened the door.
"You think you can run, but I'll always find you."
She met my eyes. "You'll find me, yes. But you'll never have me."
Her words stayed as I drove away. Daniel's house shrank in the mirror.
I told myself I brought her back because she was mine.
But I knew better.
I didn't bring her back for love.
I brought her back because she was mine. Mine Only.