The third loop began with the same familiar chime of the grandfather clock, its steady rhythm mocking Ethan's desperate attempts to break free from this endless cycle. As he opened his eyes, the d�j� vu washed over him like a cold wave, his senses heightened with each passing moment.

Ethan rose from the bed, his mind racing with a newfound determination. This time, he would not allow the confrontation with his father to unfold as it had before. He had to find a way to break through the walls they had built between them, to uncover the truth that lay buried beneath years of unspoken resentment.

Descending the stairs, Ethan could feel the weight of the past pressing down on him. The shadows in the old house seemed to whisper secrets, taunting him with the knowledge that he was trapped in a cycle of his own making. As he entered the kitchen, he found Thomas sipping his coffee, the same stern expression etched on his face.

"Father," Ethan began, his voice laced with a newfound resolve. "We need to talk."

Thomas looked up, his brow furrowed. "What is it now, Ethan? I thought we had already discussed everything that needed to be said."

Ethan took a deep breath, steeling himself for the confrontation. "No, we haven't. There's so much that's been left unsaid between us, and I can't keep living with this... this weight on my shoulders."

Thomas's eyes narrowed, and Ethan could see the familiar spark of defensiveness ignite within them. "What exactly do you want from me, Ethan? I've done my best to provide for you, to guide you, and this is how you repay me?"

"Repay you?" Ethan's voice rose, the frustration he had been holding back now spilling forth. "All my life, I've felt like I've been living in your shadow, trying to live up to your expectations. But no matter what I do, it's never enough. I'm never enough."

Thomas's expression hardened, and Ethan could see the walls going up, the familiar pattern of their arguments taking hold. "You've always been ungrateful, Ethan. I've sacrificed so much for you, and this is how you show your appreciation?"

Ethan's hands clenched into fists, his knuckles turning white. "Sacrificed? All you've ever done is make me feel like a disappointment, like I'm not worthy of your love. I tried, Father, I did. But no matter how hard I worked, it was never good enough."

The air in the room grew thick with tension, the unspoken emotions between them threatening to boil over. Ethan could feel the familiar sting of tears in his eyes, but he refused to let them fall. He had to break this cycle to find a way to reach his father.

Suddenly, a whisper echoed in the room, sending a chill down Ethan's spine. "Choices, Ethan. It's all about the choices we make."

Lila's voice, soft and alluring, seemed to come from every corner of the room, wrapping around Ethan like a shroud of mystery. He whirled around, searching for the source of the voice, but she was nowhere to be seen.

Thomas, oblivious to the ethereal presence, scoffed. "Choices? Is that what this is all about? You've always had the freedom to make your own choices, Ethan, and you've squandered every opportunity I've given you."

Ethan turned back to his father, his eyes pleading. "Don't you see, Father? The choices I've made, the path I've taken - it's all been shaped by your expectations, by the constant need to prove myself to you. I never had the chance to truly find my way."

Thomas's expression softened ever so slightly, a flicker of understanding crossing his features. "Is that what you think? That I've been holding you back all this time?"

Ethan nodded, his voice barely above a whisper. "Yes, Father. And I... I don't know how to move on from that. I feel trapped, stuck in this endless cycle of regret and resentment."

The room fell silent, save for the ticking of the clock. Ethan could feel the weight of his words hanging in the air, the truth he had been carrying for so long finally laid bare.

Thomas sighed, his gaze shifting to the window. "I never... I never meant to make you feel that way, Ethan. I was only trying to do what I thought was best for you."

"But it wasn't best for me, Father," Ethan replied, his voice tinged with a newfound clarity. "It was what was best for you, what you thought I should be. And I... I lost myself in the process."

Lila's whisper echoed once more, "Choices, Ethan. Choices have consequences."

Ethan's head snapped up, his eyes searching the room for any sign of the mysterious woman. "What do you mean? What consequences?"

But the room remained silent, save for the ticking of the clock. Ethan felt a growing sense of dread, the realisation that he was not in control of his fate slowly dawning on him.

Thomas cleared his throat, drawing Ethan's attention back to him. "Ethan, I... I'm sorry. I never meant to make you feel that way. I was so caught up in my expectations, in my regrets, that I couldn't see how much I was hurting you."

Ethan blinked, stunned by his father's unexpected apology. "Father..."

"No, let me finish," Thomas interrupted, holding up a hand. "I've had a lot of time to think about our relationship, about the choices I've made. And I realise now that I was wrong. I was so focused on trying to make you into the man I thought you should be that I forgot to see the man you were becoming."

Ethan felt a weight lift from his shoulders, the tension in the room dissipating ever so slightly. "I... I don't know what to say."

Thomas reached out, placing a hand on Ethan's shoulder. "You don't have to say anything, son. Just know that I'm proud of you and that I'm sorry for not being the father you deserved."

Ethan felt a lump form in his throat, the emotions he had been holding back for so long threatening to spill over. But before he could respond, a sudden chill swept through the room, and Lila's voice echoed once more, "Time is running out, Ethan. The choice is yours."

The clock struck the hour, and Ethan felt the world around him begin to blur and distort. As the loop reset once more, he knew that he was running out of time to uncover the truth and find the closure he so desperately sought.