Held by his will

It was dark. Outside, the wind howled, as relentless and strong as ever, yet the moon shined through Carolyn Lee’s bedroom window with a piercing brilliance, casting long, sharp shadows across the floor.

Carolyn sat huddled at her desk, the blue light from her laptop screen illuminating her face. Her hand trembled on the mouse as she scrolled, her breath catching in her throat. Then, the silence of the night shattered.

“Ahhhhhhh!” she screamed, a sound of pure, unadulterated excitement escaping her.

Moments later, the door burst open. Her little brother, Arthur, rushed in, confusion and alarmwritten all over his face.

“What’s the yelling about?” he demanded, scanning the room for danger.

Carolyn stood up, her entire body vibrating with energy, and rushed towards him. “Don't scream!” she said, grabbing his arms.

“Trust me, I won’t,” Arthur replied, prying her hands off. “I’m just here so you stop bursting innocent people’s eardrums.” Though he was often a source of frustration, always teasing and testing her limits, right now, his familiar sarcasm was comforting.

Carolyn ignored his jab. “I got in!” she burst out, jumping happily, the floorboards groaning beneath her feet. “The ‘Göttin des Mond’ firm—they sent me an invitation! They’re going to sponsor me for an internship in their country!”

Arthur stared at her for a moment. “Ok,” he replied flatly.

“Come on, Artie, this is a big deal.” Carolyn’s excitement dimmed slightly, and she stared past him into the empty, dim walkway of their home.

Life hadn’t been easy on the Leonard family. From the outside, they appeared perfect, a model family. But beneath the surface, a heavy burden of trauma and unspoken secrets had been crushing them for years. Carolyn knew she needed to leave; she desperately needed a new start.

“You know what I did,” she whispered, her voice cracking. “I really need to leave. I can’t even go out anymore without being stared at. I don’t feel at home here. This town… it’s suffocating me.” She groaned, pressing her palms against her eyes as if to shut it all out.

Arthur’s face softened. He could hear the raw pain vibrating in her voice, see the flicker of real terror behind her eyes. He stepped forward and wrapped his arms around her.

“I’m really happy you got in, Caro,” he said, pulling back slightly. A small, genuine smile formed at the corner of his mouth. “Mom would be so proud.”

At the mention of their mother, Carolyn broke down. She hugged him tightly, tears finally spilling over. Arthur, usually so nonchalant and quick to push her away, didn’t resist. He stood there and gently patted her back. Carolyn smiled through her tears, feeling a rare moment of closeness.

Later that same day, after a tense, quiet dinner, their father, Mr. Johnson Lee Leonard, was finally back from work.

Carolyn crept slowly down the stairs, her heart pounding in her chest. She needed to know if he was in a good mood before she dared to speak. Her gaze was fixed on his face, searching for any sign of stress or fatigue.

The front door opened, and Mr. Lee walked in, shutting it firmly behind him. He sighed, his posture weary as he headed straight for the stairs.

Then, he looked up and saw her. “Hey, little Princess,” Mr. Lee said, his voice softer than she expected. “Why are you still up?”

Carolyn let out a shaky sigh of relief. He had called her 'little Princess'—that always meant he was in a good mood, or at least trying to be. She was about to open her mouth and tell him the news when she froze. Her mind started to race, the paralyzing question ‘what if’ ringing loudly in her ears. What if he said no? What if he was angry? What if he wouldn't let her go?

Her father noticed she had gone silent, her expression distant. He knew his daughter so well, and he knew the heavy trauma they were all trying so desperately to suppress. He stepped closer and gently took both of her trembling hands in his.

“Little Princess, it’s okay,” he said, his voice full of concern. “You can tell me. What is wrong?”

Carolyn forced a watery smile. "I... I got a sponsorship as an intern," she stammered, "for a big firm."

His face instantly lit up. “This is wonderful news, Caro!” he said, his smile genuine. “I am so proud of you, and your mom would be too.”

Before she could say anything else, Arthur walked in. He must have been listening. They all slowly made their way into the sitting room and took their usual spots.

Arthur sat on the arm of the sofa next to his father, placing his hand on Mr. Lee’s shoulder. He looked at Carolyn with a wicked grin. “Dad, do you know that she is leaving?”

“Shut up!” Carolyn snapped immediately, glare fixed on her brother.

“Leaving?” Mr. Lee asked, turning from his son back to his daughter, his expression confused.

“Well,” Arthur continued, his voice teasing, “our darling Caro got an approval for an internship in Germany.”

“Oh, heavens, shut up!” Carolyn said angrily, a blush of embarrassment rising on her cheeks. “I was going to tell him that already!”

“Cool it, sis,” Arthur laughed. “It’s not that deep.”

Mr. Lee was silent for a while, the smile fading from his face. His eyes were fixed on the floor, and the silence in the room stretched out, heavy and suffocating.

“Dad…” Carolyn said at last, her voice small and filled with a sad, desperate tone. “If you don’t approve of me going to another country, then I understand. I’m so sorry for everything. I wish I could change back the time….” Her words trailed off as she began to tear up again, her shoulders slumping.

At this, Arthur’s teasing, joker-like face instantly became serious. He looked down at his sister, then at his father.

Mr. Lee noticed the painful atmosphere, the crushing despair settling over his children. He forced a short laugh, trying to break the tension.

“Silly girl,” Mr. Lee said, shaking his head gently. He looked at her and smiled, his eyes warm and approving. “You deserve this adventure. And you need it.”

For a moment, Carolyn just stared at him, unable to process what she had heard. "Oh, Daddy!" she finally choked out, tears streaming down her face. She rushed across the room and flung herself into his arms, hugging him tightly…