Episode 3

📑 Episode 3: The First Escape

The clock in the central hallway of the penthouse chimed softly, marking exactly 3:00 AM.For the past four hours, Ji-ah had been lying completely still in the massive king-sized bed, her eyes wide open, staring at the dark ceiling. She had feigned compliance during dinner, eating quietly while Lee Joon watched her every move like a hawk analyzing its prey. She had worn the white silk dress he commanded, spoken only when spoken to, and retired to her room early. She had deliberately fed his ego, making him believe that his threats had successfully tamed her.But it was all a calculated lie.Ji-ah slipped out from under the heavy silk blankets, her movements as silent as a ghost. She hadn't changed into her pajamas; instead, she was wearing a dark, simple tracksuit she had found hidden in the depths of the guest closet. Her heart was hammering so violently against her ribs that she was terrified the sound alone would wake the guards outside.She walked on her tip-toes toward the massive double doors of her bedroom. Pressing her ear against the cold wood, she listened intently. Silence. Slowly, with agonizing caution, she turned the brass handle. Click. The sound felt deafening in the quiet night, but the door swung open smoothly.She peeked out. The long, minimalist hallway was dimly lit by recessed floor lights. To her absolute shock, the two guards who usually stood directly outside her door were gone. Ji-ah’s eyes widened with a sudden, desperate surge of hope. Earlier that afternoon, she had overheard a maid mentioning that the penthouse security system underwent a routine five-minute main-server reboot every Monday at 3:00 AM. This was her only window. The cameras would be blind, and the guards would be rotating shifts.Moving swiftly, Ji-ah sprinted down the hallway, her bare feet making absolutely no sound against the thick, expensive Persian rugs. She bypassed the main living room and slipped into the private elevator lobby. Her fingers trembled violently as she pressed the down button.Ding.The elevator doors slid open with a soft hiss. Ji-ah stepped inside, frantically pressing the button for the ground-floor garage. As the doors began to close, she let out a breath she didn't realize she was holding. I'm doing it. I'm actually escaping, she thought, tears of relief stinging her eyes.The elevator descended rapidly, the numbers ticking down on the digital screen. 20... 15... 10... 5... G.With a soft chime, the doors slid open to reveal the dimly lit, cavernous underground garage. Rows of multi-million dollar luxury sports cars and armored SUVs sat parked in perfect symmetry. Ji-ah stepped out, looking left and right. The main exit gate, a massive iron shutter, was currently open just halfway, allowing a security patrol vehicle to exit.Ji-ah didn't hesitate. She threw caution to the wind and bolted toward the closing iron gate. The cool night air of the city hit her face, a beautiful, intoxicating taste of freedom. She was only ten yards away. Five yards. She could see the rainy streets of Mumbai just past the concrete threshold."Stop right there."The cold, baritone voice didn't come from behind her. It came from the shadows directly next to the exit gate.Ji-ah froze instantly, her boots skidding against the slick concrete floor. Her heart dropped straight into her stomach, and a suffocating wave of dread paralyzed her entire body.From the darkness behind a massive concrete pillar, a figure stepped into the dim light. It was Lee Joon.He wasn't wearing his formal three-piece suit. Instead, he wore a black silk button-down shirt with the top three buttons undone, exposing his collarbones, and his sleeves rolled up to his elbows, revealing the sharp, powerful muscles of his forearms. In his right hand, he held a glass of dark amber whiskey, swirling it lazily. His jet-black hair fell messily over his forehead, and his obsidian eyes were fixed on her with a terrifyingly calm, amused expression.He looked like he had been expecting her all night."You're five seconds late, Ji-ah," Joon murmured, taking a slow, elegant sip of his drink. "The security reboot takes exactly five minutes. You spent too much time standing in the elevator lobby. I expected better from a top-tier medical student."Ji-ah’s trembling lips parted, but no sound came out. The sheer realization that he had known about her plan all along completely crushed her spirit. "Y-You... you planned this," she whispered, her voice cracking as tears finally spilled over her cheeks. "You left the doors unlocked. You removed the guards.""I wanted to see how far my little bird would fly before she realized her wings were clipped," Joon said, his voice dropping into a deep, dangerous purr. He tossed the remaining whiskey onto the concrete floor, the glass shattering into a hundred glittering pieces.The sound broke Ji-ah’s paralysis. In a final, desperate act of adrenaline, she turned around and tried to run back toward the elevator

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