53
New York, Mia
I stood in the kitchen, preparing breakfast for myself, when Bella suddenly burst in with a disheveled look on her face. I glanced at her, slightly taken aback. “I thought you were going to the store?” I asked, my curiosity piqued. Her urgency was apparent.
She grabbed me by the hand and almost dragged me outside. I followed, a sense of unease growing. When I saw what had been done to the front of our apartment, my eyes widened in shock. There was toilet paper strewn everywhere, like a chaotic sea of white. Eggs had been thrown against the wall, leaving a mess that would be a nightmare to clean.
“What the hell?!” I exclaimed, my voice filled with a mixture of anger and disbelief. “How didn’t we hear this?”
Bella, panting from her rushed entry, explained, “Our air conditioning is very loud.”
But when she pointed to the graffiti on the wall and showed me what had been written, my heart skipped a beat. “It says, ‘Get rid of that devil child.'”
My breath caught in my throat. This was no ordinary prank. It was a threat, a terrifying message that struck at the heart of our deepest fears.
Bella quickly retrieved her phone from her pocket, her hands trembling slightly. “I’ll call the police,” she said, her voice filled with urgency.
I shook my head, my mind racing with fear and anger. “No, Bella, call Patrick. He’s the one working on this case. He needs to see this.”
Bella nodded, her fingers quickly dialing the number. I, on the other hand, took out my phone and captured images of the vandalism. I sent the pictures to Sebastian in a message, my fingers trembling slightly as I typed out a quick explanation.
Sebastian’s call came through almost immediately. “Who did that?!” he bellowed, his voice heavy with concern.
I took a deep breath, trying to steady myself. “Our stalker,” I replied. “This is getting out of hand, Sebastian. I hope Patrick catches the stalker soon.”
I heard Sebastian sigh on the other end of the line, his frustration evident. “I hope that too. Are you going to work later?”
I nodded, even though he couldn’t see me. “Yes, of course.”
“Please be careful, Mia,” he implored, his worry for me palpable.
“I will, Sebastian,” I assured him, my heart heavy with the weight of the situation.
“I love you,” he said, the words filled with warmth and sincerity.
“I love you too,” I replied, a lump forming in my throat. I wished he was here with me in this moment of fear and uncertainty.
As the call ended, I turned to Bella, who was still on the phone with Patrick. She hung up after a few minutes and relayed his message. “Patrick said he’ll come over in a few minutes. He wants to see the scene in person.”
I nodded in agreement, grateful that we had someone like Patrick working on this case. But the fear and unease continued to linger, like a dark cloud over our lives. Our stalker had escalated their actions, and we were left wondering just how far they were willing to go.
After Patrick came and took pictures of everything, we only hoped that this would not get any worse.
Together, Bella and I began cleaning up the mess, trying to restore some semblance of order to our front entrance. But it was clear that we were living in the shadow of a dangerous threat, and the only solace we had was in the hope that Patrick could bring this ordeal to an end before it escalated any further.
My journey to work felt like a mere formality, my mind far removed from the tasks and responsibilities that lay ahead. It was as though I was on autopilot, navigating the world around me but not truly present. Thoughts of the recent events at my apartment, the disturbing message left by our stalker, and the well-being of my unborn child consumed my every waking moment.
As I began helping my clients, it didn’t take long for them to sense that my thoughts were elsewhere. They were perceptive, aware of the distant look in my eyes, the lapses in my concentration. I tried to maintain a facade of professionalism, but it was clear that I was not fully present.
Thankfully, my clients didn’t press me with questions or concerns. They allowed me to go through the motions, a silent understanding between us that there were moments in life when the mind needed space to wander, to process, and to heal.
With each client, I pushed through, offering support and guidance to the best of my ability. But it was a relief when my last client left, and I found myself alone in my office. The weight of the day’s interactions and the turmoil in my personal life bore down on me.
Taking a deep breath, I sank into the chair behind my desk, feeling the weight of exhaustion settling in. My heart raced, my thoughts a chaotic whirlwind. I stared out the window, watching the world move on while I remained trapped in a maelstrom of emotions and fear.
My whole life was a mess, a relentless cycle of pushing forward and coping with the uncertainties and threats that had invaded my world. I longed for a sense of normalcy, for peace and safety, but it seemed perpetually out of reach.
There was a knock on my office door, and my assistant entered, her expression gentle and caring. “Bagel and water for you, Mrs. Thornton,” she said, placing the tray on my desk.
I managed a weak smile of gratitude, my appetite stirred by the simple offering. “Thank you,” I replied, my voice softer than usual.
She lingered for a moment, her concern evident. “Can I leave early today?” she asked, her voice a blend of professionalism and empathy.
I nodded in acknowledgment, appreciating her understanding. “Yes, you can,” I said, recognizing that I wasn’t the only one affected by the chaos in my life.
My assistant left the room, and I was finally alone, with nothing but the quiet presence of the bagel and water before me. I took small bites, finding comfort in the familiarity of food, even as my thoughts continued to churn.Content © NôvelDrama.Org.
The exhaustion that had been building throughout the day washed over me like a tidal wave, and I realized just how much I had been pushing myself. I sank back in my chair, overwhelmed by a sense of weariness that had been simmering beneath the surface.
My eyelids grew heavy, and before I could even finish the bagel, I found myself drifting into a deep sleep. My body surrendered to the need for rest, and my mind, even if briefly, was granted a respite from the turmoil that had been my constant companion.
As I slept, the world outside my office window continued to move on, unaware of the struggles and fears that lay within these four walls.