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Chapter 5
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Alone In the Shadows Chapter 6
After a few days of rest, I returned to work. On the surface, life appeared to have regained its calm rhythm, but I often woke in the middle of the night, startled, my mind replaying that phone call over and over—the final words of that woman, lingering like a shadow I couldn't shake.My boss must have noticed something off in my demeanor because she called me into her office."You haven't told your parents, have you? You probably have your reasons, but have you thought about how they'd feel? Parents always want to protect their children. They must be worried sick about you," she said, her tone a mix of concern and gentleness.Tears welled up in my eyes. "Thank you," I said, voice trembling.Before I left, she handed me the contact information for a psychologist. I visited a few sessions, and, for a time, it seemed to help. But as the days stretched on, I couldn't shake the persistent feeling of being watched, as if countless invisible eyes were locked onto me.There was also
Alone In the Shadows Chapter 7
The day I received my physical examination report, the colleague in charge of distribution noticed something unusual."Valerie White, what a lovely name. Here's your report," he said, handing it to me.I thanked him, but as I reached out, the report slipped from my fingers and fell to the ground.To my horror, the page revealing my blood type splayed open, face up. My heart sank. I was RH-negative, commonly known as the extremely rare blood type. That rare designation, embedded in my very being, always made me cautious, wary of others.I bent down to pick it up, but my colleague was faster. He got to it first.The moment he retrieved it, his expression froze. He had seen it.His name tag dangled slightly as he stood—a small rectangular badge that read "Lloyd Dunce, HR Department."I suddenly remembered: he had been the one who interviewed me and processed my onboarding."Is something wrong?" I asked, probing.He handed the report back to me, his finger tapping a spot at the
Alone In the Shadows Chapter 8
I moved into my best friend's apartment complex, hoping the change of scenery might ease the weight pressing on my chest. But as soon as the lights went out, the fears came creeping back, lurking in the knocks at my door and the sound of rain against the windows. They followed me everywhere, a shadow I couldn't shake, and my productivity at work plummeted. Mistakes piled up one after another.One night, after what felt like the hundredth bout of sleeplessness, my heart seized in sharp pain, and I ended up in the hospital. Coincidentally, my boss was in the room next to mine, though her situation seemed worlds apart from mine. She was admitted to the urology department and had her daughter by her side at all times. In contrast, I was alone most of the time, save for the occasional visit from my best friend after her shifts.The middle-aged detective stopped by sporadically, reminding me to stay local for now. "We've assigned someone to protect you," he said. "If you leave the city
Alone In the Shadows Chapter 9
I helped her into her room.The moment I opened the door, my phone rang.It was the middle-aged policeman. His voice was steady, yet there was an undercurrent of something he was trying hard to suppress—an unease that prickled at my nerves."Where are you? Is your boss with you?"I glanced at the woman I had just brought in, the timing uncanny. I stepped into the bathroom and locked the door behind me."Yes, she just arrived. We're at the hotel I mentioned earlier. I'm with her now."There was a pause, long enough for me to notice my own heartbeat quicken."You're in the same room?" he asked, his tone sharper now.I frowned, puzzled. "Yeah, why? What's wrong?"Before the words fully left my mouth, I heard the sound of running footsteps on his end."Listen to me," he said, his voice lowering into something almost urgent. "Find a reason to leave the room. Go back to your own, lock the door, and don't open it for anyone until I get there. Understand?"A chill ran down my spine,
Alone In the Shadows Chapter 10
In the blink of an eye, I had reached the ninth floor.The footsteps behind me were just one flight away.What was it again? What was the number?Suddenly, a flash of insight struck me.I remembered—913!Lloyd had mentioned the room number earlier, saying ours was similar, how coincidental.I turned, hurried down the hallway, and knocked on the door of 913."Lloyd, open the door! It's Valerie! Please, open up! Help me!"My voice trembled, losing strength until it was nothing but a whisper.But then I heard it—footsteps coming closer behind me, echoing from the stairs.The door still didn't open.He couldn't have gone out, could he?What do I do? What do I do now?The footsteps were closer—only a few meters behind!I couldn't stop now. I had to keep running.Just as I was about to turn, the door suddenly creaked open."What's wrong?"He spoke just as the figures behind me were nearly on top of me—less than a meter away."Let me in, they're going to kill me!"The words
Alone In the Shadows Chapter 11
My boss was escorted into the police car. Pale-faced and frail, she seemed nothing like the figure I had imagined.Behind me, Lloyd had already changed into his clothes and stood quietly."Who would've thought?" he said, his voice carrying a mix of disbelief and curiosity. "Is this really related to that health report?"I didn't elaborate, but that report had indeed been a turning point. "Yeah. And honestly, I should thank you. You've helped me twice now."Lloyd laughed, a relaxed, warm sound, and waved it off."There's no need for thanks. After all, I still owe you for helping my brother."Only then did I remember—his younger brother had been sick, and I'd introduced them to a renowned orthopedic doctor, even booking an appointment. I had no idea how his brother was doing now.I mimicked his casual gesture. "No thanks needed. But by my count, you still owe me one!"The middle-aged officer approached, his expression calm but purposeful. "Ready to go? I can give you a ride back.
Alone In the Shadows Chapter 12
In my dream, I found myself back in my hometown.By the river, I swam alongside my best friend and another girl named Daisy Harton.I turned away for just a moment.When I turned back, my best friend was trembling on the riverbank, and the water's calm surface betrayed no trace that Daisy had ever been there.The police and parents arrived. Daisy's parents wept with gut-wrenching despair.My best friend explained, "She insisted on going to the deep water. I couldn't stop her, and then she sank."But I remembered—it was my best friend who had always wanted to go into the deep water.When I woke up, I was lying on a hospital bed.A dull pain throbbed in my abdomen.I touched it lightly, feeling the bandages wrapped around me.Lloyd suddenly entered the room and grabbed my hand."Don't touch it!""Did they take my kidney? Are both still there?""Both are intact," he replied.I laughed weakly. "Thank you."Lloyd waved off my gratitude. "It wasn't me. It's mainly thanks to th
Alone In the Shadows Chapter 13
Three months after returning home, I received the news that my former boss had passed away.Lloyd sent me a message. Lloyd: [How's life back home?]I replied, though it was merely a polite gesture.Valerie: [It's good, peaceful. Come visit sometime.] To my surprise, after a brief pause, he responded.Lloyd: [I'll visit when I can.]…A week later, a message from the middle-aged policeman appeared on my phone. [All the perpetrators have been caught. That nurse and Wayne are dead. Your life ahead will be a happy one.]I looked out at my mother sitting in the courtyard, sorting through freshly picked vegetables. With a slight nod to myself, I replied: [Thank you. It's been hard on you. If you're ever working a case near my home, let me host you properly.]He messaged back almost immediately: [Alright, I'll hold you to that.]…Another month passed. One morning, while out for a walk, I spotted a familiar figure. A man with a large hiking backpack, looking every bit like an
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Alone In the Shadows Chapter 13
Three months after returning home, I received the news that my former boss had passed away.Lloyd sent me a message. Lloyd: [How's life back home?]I replied, though it was merely a polite gesture.Valerie: [It's good, peaceful. Come visit sometime.] To my surprise, after a brief pause, he responded.Lloyd: [I'll visit when I can.]…A week later, a message from the middle-aged policeman appeared on my phone. [All the perpetrators have been caught. That nurse and Wayne are dead. Your life ahead will be a happy one.]I looked out at my mother sitting in the courtyard, sorting through freshly picked vegetables. With a slight nod to myself, I replied: [Thank you. It's been hard on you. If you're ever working a case near my home, let me host you properly.]He messaged back almost immediately: [Alright, I'll hold you to that.]…Another month passed. One morning, while out for a walk, I spotted a familiar figure. A man with a large hiking backpack, looking every bit like an
Alone In the Shadows Chapter 12
In my dream, I found myself back in my hometown.By the river, I swam alongside my best friend and another girl named Daisy Harton.I turned away for just a moment.When I turned back, my best friend was trembling on the riverbank, and the water's calm surface betrayed no trace that Daisy had ever been there.The police and parents arrived. Daisy's parents wept with gut-wrenching despair.My best friend explained, "She insisted on going to the deep water. I couldn't stop her, and then she sank."But I remembered—it was my best friend who had always wanted to go into the deep water.When I woke up, I was lying on a hospital bed.A dull pain throbbed in my abdomen.I touched it lightly, feeling the bandages wrapped around me.Lloyd suddenly entered the room and grabbed my hand."Don't touch it!""Did they take my kidney? Are both still there?""Both are intact," he replied.I laughed weakly. "Thank you."Lloyd waved off my gratitude. "It wasn't me. It's mainly thanks to th
Alone In the Shadows Chapter 11
My boss was escorted into the police car. Pale-faced and frail, she seemed nothing like the figure I had imagined.Behind me, Lloyd had already changed into his clothes and stood quietly."Who would've thought?" he said, his voice carrying a mix of disbelief and curiosity. "Is this really related to that health report?"I didn't elaborate, but that report had indeed been a turning point. "Yeah. And honestly, I should thank you. You've helped me twice now."Lloyd laughed, a relaxed, warm sound, and waved it off."There's no need for thanks. After all, I still owe you for helping my brother."Only then did I remember—his younger brother had been sick, and I'd introduced them to a renowned orthopedic doctor, even booking an appointment. I had no idea how his brother was doing now.I mimicked his casual gesture. "No thanks needed. But by my count, you still owe me one!"The middle-aged officer approached, his expression calm but purposeful. "Ready to go? I can give you a ride back.
Alone In the Shadows Chapter 10
In the blink of an eye, I had reached the ninth floor.The footsteps behind me were just one flight away.What was it again? What was the number?Suddenly, a flash of insight struck me.I remembered—913!Lloyd had mentioned the room number earlier, saying ours was similar, how coincidental.I turned, hurried down the hallway, and knocked on the door of 913."Lloyd, open the door! It's Valerie! Please, open up! Help me!"My voice trembled, losing strength until it was nothing but a whisper.But then I heard it—footsteps coming closer behind me, echoing from the stairs.The door still didn't open.He couldn't have gone out, could he?What do I do? What do I do now?The footsteps were closer—only a few meters behind!I couldn't stop now. I had to keep running.Just as I was about to turn, the door suddenly creaked open."What's wrong?"He spoke just as the figures behind me were nearly on top of me—less than a meter away."Let me in, they're going to kill me!"The words
Alone In the Shadows Chapter 9
I helped her into her room.The moment I opened the door, my phone rang.It was the middle-aged policeman. His voice was steady, yet there was an undercurrent of something he was trying hard to suppress—an unease that prickled at my nerves."Where are you? Is your boss with you?"I glanced at the woman I had just brought in, the timing uncanny. I stepped into the bathroom and locked the door behind me."Yes, she just arrived. We're at the hotel I mentioned earlier. I'm with her now."There was a pause, long enough for me to notice my own heartbeat quicken."You're in the same room?" he asked, his tone sharper now.I frowned, puzzled. "Yeah, why? What's wrong?"Before the words fully left my mouth, I heard the sound of running footsteps on his end."Listen to me," he said, his voice lowering into something almost urgent. "Find a reason to leave the room. Go back to your own, lock the door, and don't open it for anyone until I get there. Understand?"A chill ran down my spine,
Alone In the Shadows Chapter 8
I moved into my best friend's apartment complex, hoping the change of scenery might ease the weight pressing on my chest. But as soon as the lights went out, the fears came creeping back, lurking in the knocks at my door and the sound of rain against the windows. They followed me everywhere, a shadow I couldn't shake, and my productivity at work plummeted. Mistakes piled up one after another.One night, after what felt like the hundredth bout of sleeplessness, my heart seized in sharp pain, and I ended up in the hospital. Coincidentally, my boss was in the room next to mine, though her situation seemed worlds apart from mine. She was admitted to the urology department and had her daughter by her side at all times. In contrast, I was alone most of the time, save for the occasional visit from my best friend after her shifts.The middle-aged detective stopped by sporadically, reminding me to stay local for now. "We've assigned someone to protect you," he said. "If you leave the city
Alone In the Shadows Chapter 7
The day I received my physical examination report, the colleague in charge of distribution noticed something unusual."Valerie White, what a lovely name. Here's your report," he said, handing it to me.I thanked him, but as I reached out, the report slipped from my fingers and fell to the ground.To my horror, the page revealing my blood type splayed open, face up. My heart sank. I was RH-negative, commonly known as the extremely rare blood type. That rare designation, embedded in my very being, always made me cautious, wary of others.I bent down to pick it up, but my colleague was faster. He got to it first.The moment he retrieved it, his expression froze. He had seen it.His name tag dangled slightly as he stood—a small rectangular badge that read "Lloyd Dunce, HR Department."I suddenly remembered: he had been the one who interviewed me and processed my onboarding."Is something wrong?" I asked, probing.He handed the report back to me, his finger tapping a spot at the
Alone In the Shadows Chapter 6
After a few days of rest, I returned to work. On the surface, life appeared to have regained its calm rhythm, but I often woke in the middle of the night, startled, my mind replaying that phone call over and over—the final words of that woman, lingering like a shadow I couldn't shake.My boss must have noticed something off in my demeanor because she called me into her office."You haven't told your parents, have you? You probably have your reasons, but have you thought about how they'd feel? Parents always want to protect their children. They must be worried sick about you," she said, her tone a mix of concern and gentleness.Tears welled up in my eyes. "Thank you," I said, voice trembling.Before I left, she handed me the contact information for a psychologist. I visited a few sessions, and, for a time, it seemed to help. But as the days stretched on, I couldn't shake the persistent feeling of being watched, as if countless invisible eyes were locked onto me.There was also
Alone In the Shadows Chapter 5
The police arrived quickly.When I opened the door, the corridor outside was eerily calm, as if the chaos of the night before had been nothing more than a hallucination. Not even a scuff mark remained on the door, let alone footprints.It was almost as if none of it had ever happened.The officer, a middle-aged man with a neatly trimmed mustache, handed me a card with his number. "Call me directly if anything happens again," he said. "I'd recommend staying somewhere else for a while."After they left, I sat there in silence, surrounded by the brightly lit room and the deafening noise of the TV, turned up to its highest volume. The house felt empty, but I told myself it was safe. It took a long time before I mustered the courage to call my best friend.She answered almost immediately, her voice bright and alert. "What happened? Are you okay?"When I told her, she gasped. "Stay put. I'm coming over right now!""No," I said quickly, glancing at the dark window. "Wait until morning.
