HIS LITTLE VISIT.

The tension in the room was suffocating. Adrian walked through the house like a man visiting a crime scene, his face growing darker with every broken camera Stephanie showed him.

And when he saw the third one…the bathroom camera, he went completely still, his face completely red.

"I'm going to kill him," Adrian whispered quietly. Stephanie raised an eyebrow. 

"Oh welcome!” She said sarcastically, “Join the club."

"I'm serious." His hands clenched at his sides. "When I find this man, I'm going to end him."

Seraphina watched him from across the room. There was something different in his eyes now…something angry and possessive. It reminded her of the old Adrian, the one who'd glare at any man who looked at her too long… the one who'd carry her to bed just to hold her a little tighter.

But she couldn't let herself fall into that again.

"You should check your penthouse," she said, her voice distant and careful. "If he got into my house, he could have gotten into yours too." Adrian nodded slowly. 

“I already called my security team when Step called. They're sweeping the place now."

"Good." She wrapped her arms around herself. "Then you can go." He didn't move. 

“Sera—"

"Thank you for coming," she interrupted, her voice steady but brittle. "But I need space. I really need to think."

Adrian stared at her for a long moment. She could see him fighting himself…wanting to stay, wanting to argue, knowing he didn't have the right. Finally, he nodded. 

"Okay then. I'll have my team send you the most advanced security system on the market. It'll be installed by morning."

"Fine."

"And Sera..." He paused at the door, his back to her. "I'm not going to let anything happen to you…not again."

Then he walked out. Then the door clicked shut behind him, and Seraphina exhaled the breath she hadn't realized she'd been holding.

“Fuck him. Hurt me? Didn't he hurt me first?!” She frowned and pouted. Stephanie appeared beside her, arms crossed.

"You okay?"

"No." Seraphina pressed her fingers to her temples. "But I will be."

She walked toward the couch and collapsed onto it, her body heavy with exhaustion and her phone buzzed somewhere in the cushions, and she fished it out absently.

Unknown Number.

“Ugh not again.” She spat but deep down, her stomach dropped. Stephanie stretched to see what she was doing but could barely see.

“Anything the problem?”

“Unknown Number again.”

“Oh. Fuck.” She opened the message with trembling fingers and at first, her blood turned to ice because it was a photograph. One taken barely minutes ago. The angle was from the kitchen window, the subject was Adrian, walking down her front steps toward his car.

And the caption read:

"He looks good from behind. Don't you think?"

She threw her phone and it smashed against the walls. She placed angrily and Stephanie just stood and watched.

“I'm fucking tired of this!” She screamed out and Steph raised a finger, getting her attention immediately.

“Yeah, Steph?”

“You've been cussing a lot lately.” There was a slight pause, then she lost it.

“Because I'm so fuckin pissed! Why me?! He should go stalk someone else!” Stephanie walked behind her.

“I know right?” Then she paused and frowned. “Do you think they're more cameras?”

Seraphina turned and frowned too. Her eyes darkened.

“That would be scary as hell.”

“I want to believe he doesn't…” until her phone buzzed again from the floor. They both stared at each other and she exhaled.

“I don't want to check that.” Stephanie agreed immediately.

“Same. Today's enough as it is.”

“Yup.” And they both tried ignoring it but it kept buzzing and buzzing.

BUZZ

BUZZ

BUZZ

“I'll check it out.” Stephanie exhaled but deep down didn't.

“Are you sure?” Seraphina asked. Then Stephanie nodded.

“It's better I check it and not you.”

When she picked it up, the screen was barely visible.

“Sera?”

“Hmm?”

“When you're upset?”

“Hmm hmm?”

“Don't throw away your phone. Okay?”

“Hmm.”

Then she looked at the message and her expression changed immediately.

“Oh?” Seraphina’s eyes widened.

“What's it?”

“It's…Adrian…”