Who Was Watching Me?

The man was dead. Adrian’s words echoed inside my head. No, i shook my head. That was impossible. I had seen him. Not five years ago, three nights before I left. He had stood across from my apartment building, beneath a broken streetlamp, watching my windows. I remembered his face. Not clearly, but enough.

You must be mistaken, I said. Adrian’s expression didn’t change. His assistant approached after ending his call. Sir, security is checking the cameras. Adrian nodded, then he looked at me. What’s his name? I don’t know. You said you recognized him. I recognized the man.

He studied me for a moment. What happened three nights before you disappeared? I almost laughed. You really want to know? Yes. Then listen. I told him about the apartment, about the strange car that had appeared outside, about the man standing beneath the streetlamp, about the way he watched my building every night. Adrian listened without interrupting. When I finished, his jaw tightened. Why didn’t you tell me? Because I was already afraid of you. The answer silenced him. I looked away.

Five years ago, I had been carrying his children and believing my husband was planning my death. There wasn’t a version of that memory that didn’t hurt. Adrian’s phone rang. He answered.

Yes, a pause. His eyes narrowed. Play it. He put the call on speaker. A security guard’s nervous voice filled the lobby. Sir, we found footage of the man leaving the building. My stomach tightened. Can you identify him? The guard hesitated. Not yet. Why? Because the camera caught his face. Adrian looked at me. Then the guard continued. It’s the same man from the old file. What old file? The one connected to Mrs. Blackwood’s disappearance. My blood ran cold.

Adrian’s expression became unreadable. Send it to my phone. The call ended. I stared at him. Mrs. Blackwood? He looked at me. That’s what they called you after you disappeared. The words shouldn’t have affected me, but they did. A strange ache settled in my chest. For five years, I had convinced myself Adrian erased me from his life.

Apparently, he had been searching for me. I hated that the discovery mattered. I hated even more that part of me wanted to ask how many times he had looked. Instead, I asked, How long have you had that file? Five years. Why? Because I never believed you left willingly. I looked at him. Then why did you never find me? His eyes hardened. I tried. I found people who claimed to know where you were. They lied. Every time? Every time. I swallowed. Who was helping them? That’s what I’m trying to find out.

Before I could respond, my phone vibrated. A message appeared from an unknown number. I knew you’d go back to him. My fingers went cold. Another message arrived. You always were predictable, Elena. I stared at the screen. Adrian noticed. Who is it? I turned the phone toward him. His face changed. Where did you get this number? I don’t know. Give me the phone. I hesitated.

Adrian’s gaze sharpened. Elena! I handed it over. He studied the messages. Then another one appeared. This time, there was a photograph. My breath caught. It was me. Standing outside the apartment five years ago, pregnant. One hand resting over my stomach. The photograph had been taken from across the street.

Adrian looked at me. When was this taken? The night before I disappeared. He stared at the image. Then zoomed in. There was something reflected in the apartment window behind me. A figure, of a man standing inside. My heart slammed against my ribs. I hadn’t been alone. Adrian noticed it too.

Who was in your apartment? I shook my head. Nobody. Think Elena. I tried. My memory was a broken thing. Pieces came back whenever they wanted. A knock,a voice, my father’s name,a glass breaking, and Adrian. Always Adrian. I closed my eyes. I remembered the night. Not everything. Just flashes.

My hand on my stomach. The envelope I had been carrying. The sound of footsteps behind me. Then Adrian’s voice. Elena, you need to leave. I opened my eyes. Adrian was watching me. What did you remember? I couldn’t answer. Because suddenly I knew something I hadn’t known five years ago. The voice hadn’t come from Adrian. It had come from somewhere behind me. Someone had been standing in the dark. Someone wearing Adrian’s voice. My breathing became uneven. Adrian stepped toward me. Elena? I looked at him. I think I remember. What? The person who told me to run wasn’t you. His face changed. Then who was it? I looked down at the photograph. At the shadow reflected in the glass. I don’t know. But whoever it was… I whispered the words. They were already inside my apartment. Adrian went silent.

For a moment, I saw something dangerous enter his eyes that seemed like recognition. You said someone was inside? I nodded. He took my hand before I could stop him. His fingers were warm. Mine were freezing.

Then we heard slow and measured footsteps behind us. Coming from the private corridor. Adrian released my hand and turned. His entire body changed. He moved in front of me. Stay behind me. The footsteps stopped. A shadow appeared beneath the doorway. Then a voice came softly through the empty corridor.

Elena. My blood froze. I knew that voice. It was the same voice from five years ago. The voice that had sounded exactly like my husband. Adrian looked at me. And for the first time since I returned, I saw genuine fear in his eyes. Because he recognized it too.