FAZER LOGINI barely left my room that day. I stayed in bed for hours, staring at the ceiling, then getting up only when I needed water or food. I tried watching television, but I couldn’t follow the story. I opened my laptop, but I couldn’t concentrate on anything. Every time my mind became quiet, what happened that morning came rushing back. Mark. The bathroom door. Mom standing in my room. And the terrible truth I had admitted to myself after he left. I wanted him and I hated that I did. The next morning, I went downstairs later than usual. Mom was already at the table, smiling as she looked through some papers. “Good morning, sweetheart.” “Morning, Mom.” She looked up. “You slept well?” “Yes.” The lie came too easily. Mark was sitting across from her with a cup of coffee. He looked completely normal, as though nothing had happened. That almost made it worse. “Come sit,” Mom said. “I was just showing Mark some wedding ideas.” I pulled out a chair as far from him as possi
“Evie!” Mom’s voice came from downstairs. My whole body went cold. I looked at Mark. He looked at me. For one terrible second, neither of us moved. “You awake?” Mom called again. “Evie, are you upstairs?” “Yes!” I shouted, my voice coming out far too quickly. Mark’s eyes widened. “We have to move,” I whispered. He nodded. Everything suddenly became a blur. I grabbed my clothes from the floor and pulled them on as fast as I could. Mark reached for his shirt and trousers, trying to stay quiet while I looked around the room. My heart was pounding so hard I was sure Mom could hear it from downstairs. “Evie?” she called. “I’m coming!” Mark picked up the last of his clothes. “Where do I go?” he whispered. I looked toward the door. “The bathroom.” He hurried across the room. I quickly straightened the sheets, though they were still badly disturbed. I pulled the blanket over the worst of it and opened the window slightly. The room still felt different. I didn’t even want to thi
Mark shifted onto his side and pulled me against him. His hand stroked lazy patterns on my back. I closed my eyes for a second, letting myself feel the warmth of him before reality returned. We didn’t stay quiet long. His hand slid lower again. Fingers dipped between my legs, gathering the mess he had left and rubbing it over my clit. I made a soft sound of protest that turned into a moan when he pressed harder. “Again?” I asked, half laughing, half already wanting it. “We’ve got time.” He was right. Mom always took her time at the market on Saturdays. This round was slower. He took his time exploring every place he had missed. His mouth on my neck, my breasts, the soft skin of my inner thighs. When he pushed inside me again it was with less urgency and more care, long strokes that made me feel every inch. I locked my ankles behind his back and held on. We talked in low voices between kisses. “I think about this when I’m alone.” “So do I.” “It’s wrong.” “I know.” “Don
I woke up late the next morning. No alarm. No rush. For once I had decided not to go to Aurora. The team could handle the early meetings without me. Joy already knew. I needed one quiet day at home. I stretched under the covers and listened. The house was still. Mom’s soft footsteps moved around downstairs for a while, then I heard her keys. She was going to the market. She always went early on Saturdays when she wanted fresh things. The front door closed. Silence. I stayed in bed a little longer, staring at the ceiling. Peace still felt new. Alex had stayed away. Work was steady. Mom and I were talking more. Everything should have felt light. But the night before kept playing in my head. Mom and Mark sitting with papers, talking about a wedding. The word still sat heavy in my chest. I pushed the thought away and got up. I washed my face, brushed my teeth, and pulled on an old oversized shirt that barely covered my thighs. No bra. No real effort. It was just me at home. I was
After that day, the next few months were peaceful for me. For the first time in months, I woke up without checking my phone. I didn’t reach for it the moment I opened my eyes. I didn’t wonder if Alex had called. I didn’t worry about another message waiting for me. I simply got out of bed. It felt strange. But it felt good. Days passed. Then weeks. Alex didn’t contact me. Not once. At first I kept expecting him to appear again. Every time my phone rang, I would glance at the screen, expecting to see his name. But it never did. Slowly I stopped expecting it. I stopped checking my phone every few minutes. I stopped looking over my shoulder whenever I left the office. I finally started feeling normal again. Mark has also not been seeing me lately because of how suspicious my mom is these days. And Aurora was doing better too. The successful event brought more attention than I expected. A few days later, Joy walked into my office with a folder in her hands and a huge smile
I stared at Alex’s name until the call stopped. I did not answer. Then the phone vibrated again. A message appeared. ‘Ethan, do you still have that video? I need it.’ I read it twice. My shoulders relaxed. Alex did not have another copy. If he did, he would not be asking Ethan for it. I leaned back and breathed out. “Thank God,” I whispered. For months that video had felt like a chain around my neck. Alex had used it to frighten me and make me believe I could never escape him. But now he was asking Ethan for it. That meant he needed Ethan. The only problem was Ethan. Did he have another copy somewhere? I looked at the phone in my hand. I could not relax completely yet. I needed to know the truth. Still, something had changed. For the first time I knew Alex was not holding all the power. I placed the phone inside my bag and drove home. I would deal with Ethan’s phone later. Alex stared at his phone. No reply from Ethan. He called again. Nothing. “What is going on?” Earlier







