Kalix noticed too.
He saw her smile… not just politely, but genuinely.
She talked a little more, even if it was just about the weather, the food, or the little child's silly drawings.
She laughed—softly, nervously, but still… a laugh.
And every little detail made his heart feel lighter.
He didn't push her to share secrets. He simply gave her space… to bloom, at her own pace.
And she did.
But then, one evening, as she was walking home alone, the shadows of her past came crawling back.
She felt it before she saw it—
The heavy air.
The way the street suddenly felt deserted.
Footsteps that didn't belong to her own.
They were following her.
Again.
Elena's fingers trembled. Her pace quickened. She clutched her bag. Her heart began to race.
It was happening again…
The second time in her life.
The first time it happened, she tried calling someone.
Anyone.
But no one picked up.
No one came.
She had to survive it alone.
And today…
She knew this feeling.
She remembered it too well.
Fear.
The cold.
The silence of people who should've helped.
Tears welled up in her eyes as she ran, her breath catching in her throat.
She was terrified.
Alone.
Just like last time.But this time…
This time, someone was looking for her.
Someone would notice her absence.
Back at the house, Kalix had just finished a call,
But something felt off.
She was never this late.
She never took this long to send a message back.
He looked out the window.
The sun had almost set.
He called her. Once. Twice.
No response.
The uneasiness crawled in fast—like a storm in his chest.
He didn't wait.
He grabbed his keys and left the house.
Because this time—
She wasn't going to be alone.