Episode 30 — “A House That Protects, or a House That Traps?”

Episode 30 — “A House That Protects, or a House That Traps?”
"That's enough....."

Kenny stared at the monitor screen with the same expression he had for almost two hours. His face looked calm, but his eyes couldn't lie.
There was a kind of tension that was hard to explain. His fingers slowly moved to the rewind button, playing back the part where Rae was crying. 

The screen showed her sobbing, knees pulled to her chest, her body shaking.
He watched her for a long moment. Kenny’s lips pressed together. Something shifted on his face, a mix of worry, suspicion, and something close to... possession. 

Then he wrote something in the black leather notebook next to the keyboard.
"Rae's tears… something has finally reached me," he wrote, more seriously this time.

He stood up. His chair slid back with a soft screech. He turned on the main light in the control room. His face appeared in the reflection of the glass panel, slightly blurry, but sharp.


The sound of water flowed softly on the small terrace of the guest house. Rae was watering plants in a long pot near the wall. Her eyes looked calmer that morning, though the dark circles under them were still there. 

The sky was cloudy, but soft white light slipped through the clouds.

A shiny black car stopped right in front of the gate. Rae turned quickly. The car was too clean, luxurious, too quiet. The door opened. Kenny stepped out in a dark shirt and a long coat, like he had just come from a dry cleaner.

"Good morning, Rae!" he said, his voice low and carrying something hidden in its tone.
Rae nodded but didn’t say much.

Kenny walked closer, his hands behind his back. "I know you want to be alone. But... this place is too open, Rae. Someone could follow you, or even bug the place."
"I don’t need protection, Kenny. I just need space...."

"You’re not the one who needs protection," Kenny replied, his tone still flat. "It’s your emotions, your mind. Sometimes, when someone is broken, what they really need isn’t space… but structure."

Rae looked at him, trying to understand what he truly meant. Kenny gave a littile smile. He opened his palm and showed a digital key card.

"I have a place that can keep you safe. My home. You don’t have to stay long. Just until things are stable again."

Rae let out a sigh. Her heart didn’t want to accept, but her mind was tired of arguing.
"Okay… But why did you suddenly come and offer this?"

"I just want to make sure.... no extra things disturb someone who’s fragile. They need peace. Don’t you think so?"
Rae lowered her head. Deep inside, she agreed.

What happened with Nathan yesterday had added another weight to her thoughts.
"Alright... I’ll go with you, Kenny. But only for a while."

"Thank you, Rae. Okay, you can pack your things first. I’ll wait here and finish watering the plants..."



The car drove through the city center. The buildings slowly changed from crowded blocks to a high-end residential area. The streets were cleaner, quieter, and... too perfect. Trees were planted in neat lines. Surveillance cameras showed up on almost every streetlamp.

Kenny’s house stood at the end of a cul-de-sac. It had a modern-classic style, a creamy white front, tall windows, and a huge garden that looked like it was arranged by a computer.

The gate opened by itself. Two guards at the security post gave a short greeting. Rae only nodded. The car stopped in front of the main door.

Rae looked at the house from behind the car window.
Her inner voice whispered:

“Is this protection, or a prison with expensive sofas?”

Kenny opened the car door for her. "Welcome, Rae. Let’s go inside..."

The house felt like a museum meant for living. No piles of books, no half-finished coffee cups. Everything was symmetrical, tidy, quiet… and too silent.
Even inside, several bodyguards stood in corners like shadows.

"You can use all areas freely, Rae. Guest room is upstairs, to the right. There’s a small studio downstairs, if you need to work."
Rae followed his steps. Kenny walked with certainty. His voice was friendly, but everything felt like a show.



Day three at Kenny’s house...

Rae sat in her private workspace, a small studio with good acoustics and soft spotlights. There was a microphone, a laptop, and a camera.
She pressed the stream button. A red light turned on.

"Hello guys..." her voice sounded unsure. "It’s been a while since I talked like this. But I’m here. And I want to believe... there’s still a reason to speak."

Comments started to appear, but slower than before. Some were positive. Others were full of doubt.
On a small screen, Kenny was watching from his room.

When Rae said Nathan’s name, the connection suddenly broke....
“Signal error,” the system said.

Rae looked at the screen. Her eyebrows pulled together. She tried to reconnect. It failed.
“That’s strange…” Rae said.

The next day, Kenny said while pouring tea, “The technician is checking the house signal. Maybe there’s interference from outside.”
Rae nodded. But her mind didn’t fully believe it.



That night...

Rae left her room. Her slippers touched the marble floor with almost no sound. She walked slowly through the hallway.
A door at the end, labeled STAFF ONLY. She tried to turn the handle.

Click…

A small alarm rang. Soft, but clear in the quiet.
The next day, Kenny gave a little smile.

“Rae… Privacy is important for everyone, right? Even for the staff.”

Rae didn’t answer. But after that, she began to note every small thing that felt odd.



A week passed....

Kenny became more caring. Every morning he made breakfast, just the way Rae liked it. He didn’t talk much, only gave a soft smile and coffee that was always warm.

“If you keep being like this, I might get the wrong feeling, Kenny....” Rae said, half-joking.
Without looking up, Kenny answered, “If you’re going to get the wrong feeling, don’t do it halfway, hahaha.”

Rae’s studio was now more advanced. Everything looked perfect. But what was missing… was quiet space.

That night, Rae stood in front of the mirror. Her hair was neat, her skin clean, the clothes she wore seemed like they left no room for choice.
“Am I healing... or just being polished?”

Suddenly, a soft knock on the door.
“Rae, are you still awake?” Kenny’s voice.

“Yes, I am.”

The door opened a little. Kenny came in with a glass of warm milk.
“I just want you to sleep peacefully. They say... warm milk helps you rest.”

Rae looked at him for a moment. “Thank you, Kenny,” she whispered. But deep inside, a question echoed:
“Peaceful... or controlled?”



Midnight...

Kenny had left for a sudden meeting, he said. Rae went down to the main office. Kenny’s computer was still on. She hesitated for a moment, then sat down.
But Rae couldn’t stop herself.

She moved the mouse…

The desktop looked empty. But one almost-invisible icon appeared when the pointer passed over it. A folder named :
“Echo_Nath.”

Rae frowned. Her hand moved toward the folder.

Click…
The screen suddenly went black.

“Are you looking for something, Rae?”
Kenny’s voice came from behind her.

Cold. Firm. And sharper than usual....