Chapter 1: The Weight of the Door
The heavy oak door of the mansion clicked shut, echoing like a gunshot in the silent driveway. Sarah stood on the immaculate marble steps, the handle of her black suitcase in one hand, her six-year-old son Leo’s trembling fingers in the other. Behind them lay a life of crystal chandeliers, cold dinners, and conditional love. Before them lay the terrifying unknown.
"Mommy," Leo whispered, looking down at his scuffed sneakers. "Are we bad?"
Sarah knelt on the cold stone, ignoring the rain beginning to spot her denim jacket. She took his small face in her hands, forcing him to meet her eyes. "No, my sweet boy. You are the best thing that ever happened to me. We aren't leaving because we're bad. We're leaving to be free."
