As Carrie freed herself from a weight she had been carrying, Liam decided it was time to explain what he planned to do. He watched her for a few more seconds: her shoulders still trembled, but she was no longer curled in on herself. She breathed more steadily, though her fingers still twisted together as if afraid this relief might shatter.
Liam leaned slightly forward, resting his forearms on his knees, serious and determined.
"Carrie, you realize that what your mother does to you does more harm than good," he began firmly, without beating around the bush. "She's projecting her fears onto you. She won't let you do anything because of her fear."
Carrie lifted her gaze slowly. Her eyes were still wet, but no longer evasive. She nodded gently, a small, almost timid movement, yet filled with painful acceptance.
Liam studied her, waiting for that confirmation… and when he got it, he continued without hesitation.
"From what you've told me, your mother will never, under any circumstances, let you out of her circle of control."
His tone wasn't cruel; it was simply realistic.
The naked truth.
Carrie swallowed. Her hands clenched her knees, gripping the fabric as if she needed to hold onto something.
"I can't find another solution…" Liam took a deep breath, and then said it, his voice unwavering:
"…other than removing her from your life."
The words weren't loud, but they fell between them like a blow.
Carrie's eyes widened.
Air caught in her throat.
"R-removing… my mother from my life?" she whispered, broken.
She recoiled slightly in her chair, as if the idea were too enormous to hold. Her fingers began trembling again, clenching against her chest.
"No… I… I can't…" she murmured, her voice uncertain.
It sounded scared. And sad. And confused.
Her breathing quickened.
"She's my mother…" she said, unsure whether to justify her… or herself for staying there.
"If… if I leave her… what will happen to her? And to me?" Her lips quivered. "God… what if… I'm doing something wrong?"
Then, unwillingly, her eyes welled up again. She lowered her head.
"But… but I don't want to keep… living like this either," she whispered, almost inaudible. "I don't want… to live in fear every day…"
She raised her gaze toward Liam, trembling, searching for something.
No permission.
No instructions.
Seeing the fear and doubt in Carrie's eyes, Liam reached out and gently placed his hand over hers. His touch wasn't invasive; it was slow, steady, as if saying, breathe, you're not alone—without a word.
He left her in silence for a few minutes.
Waiting for her breathing to settle, for her shoulders to drop slightly, for her fingers to relax under his hand.
Then he spoke, with a seriousness meant not to frighten, but to clarify.
"Carrie, listen."
His voice was low but firm.
"There's no other option if you want to be safe."
She looked at him, tears still glistening at the corners of her eyes.
"Your mother isn't someone who will surrender to a conversation. She won't change just because you do. She won't let you go just because you're scared. She… can't. Not while she's trapped in her own ideas."
Carrie looked down, biting her lip hard.
Liam squeezed her hand gently, careful not to startle her.
"I'm not talking about hurting her," he added, making sure every word was clear.
"I would never ask you to do something like that. And I know you don't want to either."
Carrie's eyes opened slightly, surprised by the clarification.
"What I'm saying," he continued, "is that there are times in life when we have to step away from someone… even someone we love… because they're destroying us."
Carrie swallowed, her chest trembling.
"Your mother won't give you freedom on her own. She won't let you grow, breathe, or be yourself. I can't pretend otherwise. It wouldn't be honest with you."
He leaned forward just a little, without invading her space, only making sure she heard him.
"But separating from her doesn't mean abandoning her to her fate, nor hurting her. It means keeping yourself safe. It means someone else has to step in. You can't carry this weight alone anymore."
Carrie blinked, and for the first time, she looked at him not just with fear… but with painful understanding.
"Being away from her," Liam said slowly, "is the only way you'll have a real chance at living without fear."
She squeezed his hand lightly, unsure whether to hold on or let go.
"I…" Her voice cracked. "I'm scared."
"I know," he said without hesitation. "And still, you don't have to do it alone."
Liam continued without hesitating, explaining his plan.
"You'll go home. Your mother will probably question you about where you've been," Liam said, his voice firm but measured. "You'll tell her part of the truth: that you made a friend, and that he wants to help you. Then you'll understand, Carrie, how she doesn't care about your life… she only wants to keep you scared and controlled forever."
Liam watched her closely. Carrie shrank back slightly, shoulders hunched, fingers interlaced tightly in front of her, as if that gesture helped contain all the fear coursing through her body. Her eyes were wide, full of doubt and terror, but he didn't flinch. Liam could not afford to. Not now.
"What you need to do," he continued, softening his tone slightly but not losing firmness, "is stand up for yourself. Don't let her control you, no matter the fear you feel. Try to escape, and if you succeed… I'll be waiting for you here."
He paused, letting the words sink in. He looked at her directly as she absorbed each syllable. Carrie lowered her head, clenching her fists over her knees, fighting the panic swirling inside. After a few seconds, she lifted her gaze and nodded slightly, a small gesture acknowledging the inner battle she waged against her fear.
Liam took a deep breath, then continued with the same unwavering seriousness:
"And now comes my part. I'll get a video camera to secretly record your mother at her worst. We'll do this for an entire month, gathering enough evidence to have the authorities remove her control over your life… and to ensure my mother gains it."
Carrie listened to every word, her heart pounding so hard she feared it might leap out of her chest. Her throat tightened, and her mind became a whirlwind of thoughts too heavy to process all at once: going home, lying, observing, escaping if she could… and Liam… secretly recording her mother's worst moments.
A shiver ran down her spine. Still, she couldn't look away from him. Everything seemed so real, so possible… and terrifying all at once. And yet… she couldn't look away.
Carrie stayed silent for a few seconds. Not because she didn't understand the plan, but because each part of it seemed to open a new door inside her… and all of them were frightening.
She took a deep breath, though it caught slightly in her throat. Her legs trembled, but she didn't try to hide it. Liam had already seen her cry, break, tremble… and still, he remained.
"I… going home…" she whispered, her voice so small it almost disappeared in the cold air.
She rubbed her arms, as if the sudden thought of returning to that suffocating environment chilled her skin.
Liam leaned forward slightly, watching every gesture. He didn't pressure her, didn't come closer. He simply remained present, solid.
Carrie lowered her gaze, looking at her own feet.
"My mother… if she sees me come back like this… she's going to ask questions. And if she notices I'm… different…"
Her voice cracked.
"I don't know if I can lie to her…"
Liam responded calmly, yet with a certainty that could almost be touched.
"You can. You already are. You're thinking for yourself for the first time."
Carrie looked up, surprised. No one had ever said that about her. Ever.
The simple acknowledgment made her eyes fill with tears again, but this time not with pain… but because it was new.
Strange.
And warm.
"But… what if she finds out?" she asked in a thread of a voice. "What if… if she lock—?"
The word caught in her throat.
She couldn't say it.
She couldn't go back to that place in her mind.
Liam interrupted gently, not letting her drown in her own thoughts.
"It's okay to be afraid," Liam said, softer now.
"Fear isn't a sign of weakness, Carrie. Everyone feels it. What matters is what you do despite it."
Carrie pressed her lips together.
Then, slowly, she nodded.
Once.
Then again, more firmly.
"I want… to try," she murmured.
She didn't say it loudly.
But she said it from a deep place, one where for the first time there was more than fear: there was will.
Liam looked at her with a strange mixture of firmness and recognition. As if he had been waiting for exactly this moment.
"Then start today."
Carrie swallowed. The weight of the plan landed on her shoulders all at once.
Go home.
Lie.
Act as if nothing had changed.
Listen to her mother.
Answer without trembling.
Find a moment, however small, to try to escape.
She felt anxiety running through her body like electricity.
But she also felt something else.
Something weak but real: a spark of courage.
"Liam…" she called, looking directly at him this time.
It was strange to see her like this, holding his gaze without hiding.
"Do you really think I can do it?"
Liam didn't hesitate for a second.
"Yes," he said simply.
As if it were a fact, not a gamble.
As if he had already seen the version of her that didn't exist yet.
Carrie's heart thudded hard, almost painfully.
A mix of fear and hope.
A mix of what had been… and what she wanted to be.
She closed her eyes briefly, took a deep breath… and stood up.
Still trembling.
Still afraid.
But no longer paralyzed.
"I'm going home," she said softly, but determined.
And for the first time, those words didn't sound like resignation…
But the beginning of a plan.
Liam exhaled, watching Carrie rise slowly, each movement tense yet resolute.
He stepped closer, enough to meet her height, softening his gaze.
"Carrie," he said quietly but firmly, almost a whisper only she could hear, "I want you to remember something before you go."
He leaned slightly, but didn't invade her space.
"What you're about to face won't be easy. Your fear will try to control you… and your mother will push you to give up."
He paused, ensuring each word sank in.
"But you're not alone. Not anymore. No matter what happens, I'll be here, waiting. I won't abandon you."
Carrie looked at him, her eyes still wet but shining in a new way.
Liam extended his hand toward her, and this time it wasn't just a gesture of comfort: it was a silent reminder that someone trusted her, that someone believed she could be stronger than she'd ever imagined.
"Trust yourself, Carrie," Liam said, his voice calm and certain.
"Trust that you are more than your fear. Trust that you deserve to live your life and be happy. And remember…"
He gently tapped her chest, where Carrie's heart beat, small and frightened, but alive.
"There is always a spark no one can extinguish, not even those who claim to have all control."
Liam stepped back, keeping his gaze fixed on her.
"Don't rush anything, but don't hesitate too much either. Today you start reclaiming your life… and I'll be waiting for every step you take."
Carrie nodded, a faint, trembling smile.
Liam watched her for a few more seconds, mentally capturing the image of this girl who, for the first time, seemed ready to face the world.
Then, without another word, he remained still, firm, confident… waiting for Carrie to return home, knowing that every second would count in this new battle they were about to begin.
Carrie opened the door carefully, trying not to make a sound. The moment she stepped inside, the presence of her mother hit her like an invisible wall: the woman stood in the living room, arms crossed, eyes coldly assessing her.
"Where have you been?" Her voice was short, commanding, leaving no room for explanation. Every word seemed to weigh a ton.
Carrie swallowed, her heart hammering, and barely managed to stammer:
"I-I went… to a friend… he was helping me with school."
Her mother frowned, staring at her sharply, as if merely mentioning it were a sin.
"You cannot have friends! They will harm you, lead you away from God, and take away your purity. No one will protect you as I do. None of those friendships are safe for you."
Carrie felt fear freeze her for a moment, but she remembered Liam's words: Fear is something everyone feels. What matters is what you do despite it. She forced herself to keep her head up.
"Just… studying," she whispered, voice shaking, "I didn't do anything wrong."
"I don't care what you say," her mother replied, tone leaving no room for argument.
"Today you'll learn what it means to be pure and obedient."
Before Carrie could react, her mother grabbed her arm and led her to the small adjoining space, a cramped room filled with religious symbols, extinguished candles, crucifixes, and prayer books. The door creaked as it closed behind her.
Carrie, voice breaking from fear and despair, began pounding on the door with her palms:
"Please… let me out! I don't want to be here alone!"
Her knocks echoed through the small room, mingling with ragged breaths and stifled sobs.
But her mother didn't answer. She remained in the living room, motionless, as if she hadn't even heard. The silence that followed was heavy, oppressive, and Carrie realized that any plea was useless.
She stood in the confined space, breathing hard, surrounded by objects that had always made her feel more watched than protected. The air smelled of rancid incense and old paper. Her heart raced, but inside her was a thread of determination, a spark of resistance Liam had ignited.
Even though her mother remained rigid and cruel as always, Carrie knew there was something within her that no gaze or space could control: her will to escape and reclaim her life.