Just as my mind was racing in a million different directions, my phone rang—it was Mark. He was calling me to complete the final procedures of our divorce. His voice was as cold as ever, and he cut straight to the point. "Meet me at the courthouse. Whether or not you keep the baby is your business. I’m not raising it."His indifference infuriated me, so I let him have it.“You piece of trash! I don’t need you to raise my child! You and that homewrecker can rot together for all I care. Honestly, the baby is better off without a father like you!"Just the thought of how he cheated on me while I was pregnant and then demanded a divorce made my blood boil. However, at least I saw his true colors early enough. The sooner I got rid of him, the better off I’d be."Don’t worry," I added. "It’s in the divorce agreement. You won’t have to pay a single cent in child support, but don’t expect the baby to take care of you when you're old!"I wasn’t worried about finances. I had a high-paying
As the night deepened, I lay in bed, a strange sense of anticipation swirling inside me. My mind kept replaying everything that happened the night before, and even though I tried to shake the thoughts away, they lingered.Just as I was about to drift off, I heard the familiar sound of a key turning in the lock, followed by a low whistle. I snapped wide awake, my heart pounding. Fear and excitement collided inside me. My mind was torn in two directions.One voice in my head screamed, ‘You should call the police! A stranger is breaking into your house!’However, the other voice whispered, ‘He didn’t hurt you last time. In fact, you’ve been thinking about him all day. Isn’t this the kind of man you’ve been waiting for?’I had no idea what to do, so I pretended to be asleep.Soon enough, I heard his footsteps moving through the house, coming straight for the bedroom. He didn’t even try to hide his presence as he lifted the blanket and slipped into bed next to me.I kept my eyes squee
In the days that followed, I found myself eagerly waiting for him to return. However, a whole week passed, and there was no sign of him. I felt disappointed, regretting not pulling off his mask when I had the chance. If I knew who he was, I wouldn’t be sitting here waiting, wondering. I could’ve gone looking for him myself.Just when I had convinced myself that he was never coming back, I heard the familiar sound of the door opening one Friday night. Excited, I jumped out of bed, ready to greet the masked man, but to my shock, it was Mark who walked in!I never bothered asking Mark for the spare key after the divorce, nor did I change the locks. I figured we’d never see each other again, but what was he doing here, so late at night?I didn’t have to wonder for long. The moment he saw me, Mark froze, like he wasn’t expecting me to be awake. I saw a flash of panic in his eyes, and that was when I noticed something—a glint of metal in his hand.It was a knife. Mark had brought a kni
The police eventually arrested Mark for aggravated assault, and during my time in the hospital, my former in-laws even came to visit me. They offered to pay for my medical bills, but only if I agreed to sign a statement to forgive Mark.The sheer audacity of it infuriated me, and I ended up kicking them out. Mark was a monster and getting away without the death penalty was already too kind!Ryan, who had just finished his shift and come to see me, witnessed the entire scene. He immediately tried to calm me down.“Don’t get upset, Elizabeth. The baby’s health comes first…” His voice was gentle, and the way his hand rested on my stomach stirred a strange sense of familiarity in me.I had been trying to find some connection between Ryan and the masked man who had saved me that night because Ryan’s timing was almost too perfect. I even asked him about it in passing, but he brushed it off, saying that he had just been passing by when he noticed my front door was open. He had come to c
It was late at night, and the neighborhood was so quiet that I could hear the distant meows of stray cats. I lay alone in bed, clutching the thin blanket between my legs, shifting restlessly. Despite the cool air from the air conditioning, my body burned with heat, and the blanket offered little relief. I let out a few frustrated groans, unable to endure the discomfort any longer. Eventually, I made up my mind and reached for the drawer of my nightstand, pulling out a toy I had recently purchased. Even though I was alone at home, my cheeks flushed as I opened the packaging. I hesitated briefly before switching it on, following the instructions that came with it. The gentle hum filled the room, soon accompanied by the sound of my quickening breath.The rave reviews I read online weren’t exaggerating. The intense relief that swept through my body and the warmth spreading across my face were proof enough. It had been five long months since I’d felt anything like that. The tension
Why was there a stranger in my house?The moment I was pinned against the wall, I realized something was terribly wrong. The man quickly clamped a hand over my mouth, probably to stop me from screaming. Panic surged through me, and though I wanted to say something, I was too terrified to risk angering him. Before I could fully process the situation, his hand left my mouth and began to move down my body. This was exactly the worst-case scenario I had dreaded—an intruder, alone with me, just one vulnerable woman in the house. Was I really about to become a victim of whatever he wanted to do?Even though Mark and I had separated, I was still technically his wife. The consequences would be unimaginable if he found out about something like this. In hindsight, I should never have let him move out. Only now did I realize how truly isolated I was, with no one to call for help and no backup in a situation like this.I bit my lip hard, trying not to make any noise, especially with this st