Audrey POV:-
I didn't realize when I had fallen asleep on the couch while watching TV. It felt as though someone had gently caressed my hair, awakening a strange mix of comfort and unease. I slowly opened my eyes, still dazed, and saw that the television was still flickering silently in front of me. Glancing at the clock, I saw it was 11:30 p.m. A faint smile touched my lips—perhaps Ethan had come home and sat beside me. But as I looked around, a sudden rush of panic washed over me when I realized no one else was in the room.
A strange scent lingered in the air—familiar, yet not quite right. It wasn't Ethan's perfume; I knew his scent intimately, and this was different. My eyes darted around the room. The lights were all off, casting shadows that danced eerily in the darkness. If I had fallen asleep watching TV, who had turned off the lights? And if the lights had gone out, how was the TV still on?
My heart pounding, I quickly scrambled to my feet, flicked on the light, and started searching for my phone. That's when my gaze fell upon the gift lying right in front of me. My stomach clenched with fear. I remembered clearly that I had kept it out of reach, so how had it ended up so close? I hesitated, recoiling from it. I would rather not touch it, afraid of leaving fingerprints or somehow contaminating evidence.
My mind spun with questions. How did this get here? What had I done to deserve this? I looked around the room with cautious eyes. Strangely, all the windows in the hall were wide open—something I never did. I never keep the windows open at night. Anxiety prickled down my spine. All voices in my head are telling me to run.
Fumbling, I hurried out of the house and stood outside, peering back at the darkened room. My hair stood on end as I saw something that made my blood run cold: someone was standing inside my room, just beyond the window. And he is clearly looking at me. There weren't many people around, and Ethan's car wasn't parked outside, so it couldn't be him. Surely, he wouldn't come to surprise me just to stand silently by the window, watching me.
A scream escaped my throat. I was about to cry out again when someone suddenly placed a hand on my shoulder. Startled, I instinctively jerked back, ready to defend myself. But when I turned around, I saw Ethan standing there, concern etched on his face.
"What happened to you? Why are you standing here?" he asked softly.
I was trembling as I looked at him. "I saw someone in my room," I managed to whisper. "Look—look towards the window."
Ethan's eyes followed my trembling finger, but when he looked, the room was empty—no one there. Just shadows.
"What is going on? There was someone just a moment ago. I swear!" I demanded, my voice trembling.
He reached out to steady me, his brow furrowed with worry. "We will figure this out," he said gently. "But right now, let's get inside and find out what's really happening."
As I stared at the darkened window, heart pounding, I couldn't shake the feeling that something unseen had invaded our space.
I looked at Ethan, who was staring at me with a strange, concerned expression. My heart pounded, and I instinctively refused to step inside the house.
"No! We are not going inside. I swear, I saw someone inside."
I whispered, trembling. Ethan glanced around the house, his brow furrowing as he assessed the situation. "I don't see any signs of forced entry," he said, voice calm but serious. "Still, just to be safe, let me go inside and check."
He began to move toward the front gate, but I grabbed his arm tightly. "No," I pleaded, my voice trembling with panic. "Please don't go in alone. If someone attacks you, what would I do? I need you to stay with me."
He looked at me with a mixture of concern and frustration. "Do you want to go and stay at a hotel instead?" he asked, trying to reassure me.
I hesitated for a moment, then nodded. "Yes, that might be best. But at least—please—lock the door."
We hurriedly locked the front door, but I suddenly noticed something odd: the kitchen window—perhaps someone had left it slightly open. My stomach clenched. I grabbed a nearby gardening stick, clutching it tightly. "Come on, let's go," I said, voice trembling.
Ethan looked at me, eyebrows raised. "Why are you so nervous?" he asked, a hint of concern in his eyes. Then, he pulled out his pistol and showed it to me. "I've got a gun. If there's a problem, we can handle it easily. Or do you not trust my abilities?"
I didn't doubt his skills, but right now, my mind was racing with fears I couldn't articulate. The image of the house, the strange happenings—I just felt overwhelmed. Still, I nodded, and together we headed toward the back of the house. But the door there was open—yet it was supposed to be locked from the inside. I clearly remembered locking it earlier, but now it was ajar. My heart skipped a beat.
I gently nudged Ethan, and we carefully closed the door, making sure it was securely locked. Then, we decided to leave and find shelter elsewhere. We headed to a nearby hotel—one of Ethan's friend's places—where we could stay for the night.
Once inside the hotel room, Ethan sank onto the bed, exhausted. I apologized softly, feeling guilty. "I'm sorry… You probably won't be able to sleep properly because of all this," I muttered.
He reassured me with a gentle smile. "It's okay. Come, let me wash your hands and feet." I gently refused, not wishing to bother him more. "Are you sure?" "Yeah!"He got up and went to the bathroom. I sat there, lost in thought, when suddenly there was a knock at the door. My heart jumped. I hesitated, fear gripping me.
By then, Ethan had come out of the bathroom. He motioned for me to stand aside. When he opened the door, it was only the hotel staff—bringing the water bottles I'd ordered. After they left, Ethan gently urged me to freshen up.
When I returned, he looked at me intently. "Audrey, tell me everything. Why are you so worried? Why did you feel like someone else was in the house?"
I took a deep breath and recounted everything—the strange gift I found in front of the house, the sudden blackout, the window left wide open, and the unsettling feeling I had when I saw that man standing there. I described how my mind had spiraled into panic, my fear escalating with each moment.
Ethan listened carefully, then said softly, "Maybe you're just overwhelmed. But I believe you. I will look into this to find whatever is involved in any of this. We'll figure it out."
He reached out, taking my hand gently. "Let's think about this more clearly in the morning. For now, you need rest. You've been through a lot today. Come on, try to sleep."
He leaned in, kissed me gently, and added with a smile, "You need to de-stress." I nodded, feeling somewhat reassured. As he closed his eyes and fell into a deep sleep, I continued to massage his shoulder softly. His calm presence gradually helped me relax, and eventually, I too drifted off.
The morning came too quickly. After checking out of the hotel, we returned home. Everything seemed normal at first—until we stepped inside. The sight froze us in place. Ethan's important documents were scattered across the floor, not fallen by accident but deliberately torn and strewn about. The window was wide open, and dark black paint was splattered messily across the bed. It was clear—someone had entered the house. with not-so-innocent intentions.
Ethan's face hardened as he took in the scene. Without hesitation, he pulled out his phone and quickly dialed his team. His voice was firm and urgent. "Our house has been ransacked. There's clearly been an intruder."