Ethan Grayson jolted awake, his heart pounding in his chest. He found himself in the familiar surroundings of his childhood home, the faint scent of his mother's old perfume lingering in the air. Rubbing his eyes, he glanced at the clock on the bedside table, the red digits glaring back at him: 7:15 AM.

Something felt off, a nagging sense of d�j� vu that he couldn't quite shake. Ethan swung his legs over the edge of the bed, his brow furrowed in confusion. He couldn't shake the feeling that he had lived through this moment before, the same routine, sights, and sounds.

Shaking his head, Ethan went downstairs, the floorboards creaking beneath his feet. As he entered the kitchen, he found his father, Thomas, sitting at the table, his weathered face buried in the morning newspaper.

"Good morning," Ethan said, his voice tinged with uncertainty.

Thomas lowered the newspaper, his stern gaze meeting his son's. "You're late. Again." The familiar disapproval in his father's tone sent a pang of unease through Ethan.

"I, uh, I'm sorry. I must have overslept." Ethan's mind raced, trying to piece together the fragments of memory that seemed to elude him.

Thomas let out a heavy sigh, folding the newspaper and setting it aside. "You know, Ethan, if you're going to take over the family business one day, you must start showing some responsibility."

Ethan felt the familiar sting of his father's criticism. "I'm doing the best I can," he muttered, averting his gaze.

"The best you can?" Thomas scoffed. "That's not good enough. You've been coasting for years, and it's time you stepped up and took some initiative."

Ethan opened his mouth to respond, but the sound of a car horn outside interrupted him. Thomas glanced out the window, his expression darkening.

"That'll be Lila. You're keeping her waiting." He stood up from the table, his chair scraping against the linoleum floor.

Ethan's heart skipped a beat at the mention of Lila's name. "Lila? Who's Lila?"

Thomas gave him a puzzled look. "The woman you're supposed to be meeting for breakfast. Don't tell me you've forgotten about that, too."

Ethan's mind raced, trying to recall any memory of making plans with this Lila, but he came up empty. "I... I don't remember making any plans with her."

Thomas shook his head in exasperation. "Unbelievable. Just get going, Ethan. Don't keep her waiting."

Ethan hesitated, the sense of d�j� vu growing stronger with each passing moment. "Dad, I-"

"Go, Ethan!" Thomas snapped, his voice sharp and commanding.

Ethan flinched at his father's tone, memories of past arguments flooding his mind. Reluctantly, he headed for the front door, the weight of his father's disapproval heavy on his shoulders.

As he stepped outside, the bright sunlight momentarily blinded him. Shielding his eyes, he made his way to the car parked in the driveway. A woman sat behind the wheel, her features obscured by the glare of the sun.

"Ethan, there you are," she said, her voice soft and alluring. "I was beginning to think you'd stood me up."

Ethan approached the car, his heart pounding. "I'm sorry, I... I don't remember making plans with you."

The woman turned to face him, and Ethan's breath caught in his throat. She was stunningly beautiful, with porcelain skin and piercing eyes that seemed to bore into his soul.

"Oh, Ethan," she said, a hint of amusement in her tone. "You always were forgetful." She reached out and gently caressed his cheek, sending a shiver down his spine.

Ethan felt a strange pull towards this mysterious woman, yet he couldn't shake the feeling that something was wrong. "Who are you?" he asked, his voice barely above a whisper.

"Lila," she replied, her lips curving into a subtle smile. "And I'm here to help you, Ethan. Whether you realise it or not, you need me."

Ethan opened his mouth to respond, but a sudden gust of wind swept through the air, carrying with it the faint sound of a church bell tolling in the distance. He turned his head, his brow furrowing in confusion.

"Did you hear that?" he asked, his gaze shifting back to Lila.

But she was gone, the car now empty. Ethan blinked, his heart racing as he scanned the driveway, searching for any sign of the enigmatic woman. She had vanished, leaving him with a growing sense of unease and a haunting question:

What was happening to him?

Shaken, Ethan made his way back to the house, his mind racing. As he stepped through the threshold, the familiar sound of his father's voice reached his ears.

"There you are. What's taking you so long?" Thomas stood in the kitchen, his arms crossed over his chest.

Ethan paused, a strange feeling of d�j� vu washing over him once more. "Dad, I... I think something's wrong."

Thomas arched a brow, his expression unreadable. "Wrong? What are you talking about?"

Ethan hesitated, unsure of how to articulate the unsettling sensation that had been plaguing him. "I... I feel like I've lived this day before. And that woman, Lila, she-"

"Lila?" Thomas interrupted, his voice laced with irritation. "Ethan, are you telling me you've forgotten about your breakfast plans with her?"

Ethan shook his head, his frustration mounting. "No, Dad, I haven't forgotten. I don't even know who she is!"

Thomas let out a heavy sigh, pinching the bridge of his nose. "This is exactly what I'm talking about, Ethan. You're always so distracted, so lost in your head. It's time you start taking responsibility for your life."

Ethan opened his mouth to protest, but the sound of a car horn outside once again interrupted him. Thomas glanced towards the window, his expression darkening.

"There she is. You'd better not keep her waiting." With that, Thomas turned and headed back to the kitchen table, leaving Ethan standing in the entryway, his mind reeling.

As Ethan stepped outside, the familiar sensation of d�j� vu washed over him once more. The car in the driveway, the sound of the church bell, the feeling that he had lived this moment before - it was all too much.

Ethan paused, his gaze drawn to the graveyard in the distance, the rows of headstones standing as silent witnesses to the mysteries that unfolded within this small, isolated town. A chill ran down his spine, and he couldn't shake the haunting feeling that something was wrong.