Audrey Pov:-
I heaved a deep sigh, having a combination of fatigue and residual worry. Ethan encouraged me to sit out in the garden while he and his team made a detailed sweep of the house. I shook my shaking hands together, attempting to calm down, but anxiety still gnawed away. I couldn't resist becoming engrossed in the fog of uncertainty—why was all this happening to us?
A reassuring figure sitting next to me forced me to raise my head. One of Ethan's coworkers, Millie, sat down in silence and put a comforting hand on my shoulder. She gave a kind smile and said, "Don't worry. The intruder who entered your home was Javed. He's a professional thief—he has more than 70 counts of theft and robbery on his record. Ethan's been assigned his case, so he knew him by sight." He must have noticed the back door ajar, sneaked in, and just searched through. I guess his primary aim was to interfere with the evidence file or simply create mischief.
I hesitated slowly, attempting to make sense of what she was saying. It wasn't so frightening as I had envisioned—only a petty offender, no danger to our well-being. Nevertheless, a pervading fear remained, a fear that someone could possibly do us harm.
Suddenly, a troubling thought struck me. Javed had only come to retrieve some papers, so why on earth would he go to the extent of spilling black paint on our bed? My mind raced as I looked at Millie. "Was he the one who smeared that paint on our bed? Has he been caught? Do we need to be extra cautious around him?" I asked, voice trembling slightly.
Millie offered a reassuring smile. "Don't worry, Audrey. Ethan will handle everything. Your husband is very capable—he's on top of this." Her confidence eased some of my anxiety, and I took a deep breath. "But he hasn't been caught yet," I pointed out, a note of lingering concern in my voice.
Millie nodded, her tone calming. "Don't worry. Javed is also addicted to drugs; he'll be found with some dealer soon enough. Plus, trying to break into a detective's house just adds another charge against him. He's not going anywhere for a while."
I nodded silently, trying to absorb her words. Just then, Ethan appeared in front of me. His face was composed, but I couldn't help but ask, "Is everything alright?"
He smiled reassuringly. "Yes, don't worry. I just got word that Javed was arrested at the checkpoint. Apparently, he was drunk last night, which might explain why he was standing around aimlessly. Some pages from the files he dropped are missing—he probably took them with him."
Relief washed over me. "That's a relief," I whispered.
Ethan pulled me into a gentle hug. "It's a good thing we weren't home yesterday. If he had broken in while we were there, he could have attacked us. I could have protected us, but… better safe than sorry."
I nodded, still feeling a bit shaken. "Yes, but if he had attacked suddenly, one of us might have gotten hurt. If I had sustained an injury, it wouldn't have been a big deal, but I couldn't have stood by while you suffered harm.
He looked into my eyes. "Let's go inside now."
I nodded my head.
"It's already late, and I haven't even gone to school today."
He kissed my fingers while I also did the same.
"No problem—let's take the day off and rest."
Just then, an officer approached. "Sir, actually, you can't take the day off today. You need to go for verification and to file a charge sheet."
He pursed his lips a little.
"What's the plan after that?"
I also lovingly glanced at him and said, "If everything is secure at home, I think I'll go to school after a half-day or maybe do some shopping for the house."
"Anything special or regular?"
"Yes, just some groceries."
He then asked, "Do you have cash, or should I pay you by card?"
"I'll use my card," I replied, relieved. Ethan nodded and left with his team, heading out to handle the formalities.
Once I was alone at home, I took a deep breath and thoroughly checked all the windows and doors. Everything was securely closed—the intruder's anger seemed directed at destroying or removing evidence rather than harming us. I felt a cautious sense of relief, knowing the police had already collected fingerprints and evidence, so I didn't need to worry about that anymore.
After tidying up, I decided to go grocery shopping. I made a detailed list and headed out. The store was busy, and I shopped diligently for about half an hour. That's when my eyes landed on something not so eye-catching—a military-style knife.An intuitive voice in my head urged me to keep it. Usually, I ignored such impulses, but this time, I hesitated.
I paid for my groceries, loaded everything into the car, and started the drive home. As I drive on a sharp turn, my senses heighten as I notice someone was following my car. My heart pounded in panic, but I quickly reassured myself that it was probably just my overactive mind. Sure enough, the pursuing vehicle turned off in a different direction. Was it my imagination?
I wondered why I was even thinking such things. Am I losing myself?
I took a deep breath, trying to steady myself. Once home, I began unpacking stuff for the upcoming days. As I sorted through my cart, I noticed a gift card I hadn't brought with me earlier. My eyes then caught sight of some contraceptive pills tucked inside with the gift—a discovery that made my stomach tighten. I knew I hadn't bought them, and Ethan and I hadn't even discussed the idea of having a baby yet. It must have been a mistake or something misplaced.
Shaking my head, I set the pills aside and refocused on packing. Later that evening, Ethan arrived home. I decided to prepare a special dinner for him—something warm and comforting after the chaos of the past two days, which we hadn't truly enjoyed.
After dinner, we settled on the couch, watching a romantic movie, trying to forget the worries outside. As the movie played, fatigue crept over us. We both grew sleepy, leaning into each other, unaware that someone was watching us from outside through the window—silent, still, and observing our quiet moments of peace with a very unsettling expression.