3

Six years had passed since Reyna fled from Nicholas in the dead of night. Those first few years of hiding and rebuilding her life had been the hardest, but now she felt strong and independent.

Her vineyard and winery in the countryside were thriving, with distribution deals in few cities. Most importantly, she had her daughter Mia, now aged 6, who brought her endless joy. Reyna had poured all her energy into her business and raising Mia, determined to prove to herself and Nicholas that she didn’t need him.

Reyna was ready to take her business to the next level by expanding into the city that held her worst memories—the same place where Nicholas wielded the most influence.

“Are you sure about this, Aunt Mildred?” Reyna asked as they drove into the city, Mia babbling happily in the backseat. “What if we run into him?”

Her aunt patted her arm reassuringly. "Now, it’s been 6 years. That sneaky snake’s claws have surely loosened by now. You have every right to do business here, so chin up!”

Reyna took a deep breath to steady her nerves. Aunt Mildred was right—she couldn’t live in fear forever. Pulling up outside the sleek office building that was to become her new tasting room and sales hub, she turned to Mia. “What do you think, sweet pea? Excited for Mummy’s new adventure?”

Mia beamed. “Wine!” 

Laughing, Reyna got out and surveyed the space with a swell of pride. Her dreams had led her here, and she refused to be cowed. After finalizing paperwork with the landlord, she began overseeing renovations and hiring staff with her usual meticulous care.

A month later, the chic new outlet was ready for its grand opening weekend. Reyna put the final touches on decorations, excitement bubbling in her chest. This achievement showed how far she’d come on her own terms.

Reyna strode purposefully through the bustling city streets, coffee in one hand and a briefcase in the other. As the morning sun warmed her face, she felt renewed energy for the challenges of the new day.

Six years of grueling effort had led to this moment—the grand opening of her expanded winery and tasting room in the heart of the city. It was a bold move, returning to the place holding her darkest memories. But she refused to let the ghosts of her past hold her back any longer.

Pulling open the polished glass doors, Reyna took a moment to admire the stylish interior she had poured her soul into designing. Gleaming wine barrels and displays flanked the spacious tasting area, exuding luxury and sophistication.

It was a far cry from the desolate farmhouse she had fled to all those years ago, escaping the clutches of her abusive ex-husband, Nicholas. In the aftermath, she recalled the feeling of teetering on the edge of an abyss, unsure if she would survive the fall.

But against all odds, Reyna had not only survived; she had thrived. Through cultivating her vineyards and nurturing her business from the ground up, she found healing and purpose. Most importantly, she had her young daughter, Mia, to fight for.

Today represented the triumphant culmination of Reyna’s phoenix-like rise from the ashes. This gave her the inspiration for the name of her winery, Phoenix Winery. She was ready to face whatever challenges came, confident in the strength she had forged. Little did she know that darkness from her past was lurking, ready to shatter her newfound peace.

The bustling tasting room was a hit from the get-go. Reyna was kept busy pouring samples and chatting with customers, enjoying spreading the word about her high-quality, sustainably produced wines.

By Sunday evening, she was exhausted but elated by the success. As she started closing up, the dimming lights flickered ominously. Before Reyna could react, the power cut out with an ominous crack, plunging the room into darkness.

She fumbled for her phone to use as a torch, unnerved by shuffling noises from the back rooms. “Is someone there? Hello?” No response came, but the shuffling continued, slowly advancing.

Reyna backed towards the door, struggling to control her racing heart. She had faced danger before; she wouldn’t be cowed again. Suddenly, a looming shadow emerged from the back, backlit eerily by the streetlights outside.

"Well, well, if it isn’t my little runaway wife. Fancy meeting you here after all these years.” The silky voice sent chills down her spine, though she refused to let it show.

Squinting, Reyna made out Nicholas’s familiar features—older but just as cunning. Anger rose within her, fueled by long-buried fear and resentment. “What do you want, Nicholas?”

He smirked, stepping closer. “Is that any way to greet your husband? I simply came to check out the competition. I must say, I’m impressed by your…enterprising spirit.”

Reyna snorted. “We both know our marriage died a long time ago. I want nothing more to do with you.” She pressed the panic button on her keys, hoping the security company would arrive promptly.

Nicholas clicked his tongue disapprovingly. "Now, there’s no need to be hasty. I just want to catch up and see how our little girl is doing too. What was her name again?"

His faux friendliness sent cold rage through her veins. “You’ll never lay a hand on Mia,” Reyna hissed. The door flung open behind her, flooding the room with bright security lights.

Two burly guards entered, guns drawn, as Nicholas held up his hands innocently. “No need for such dramatics, just having a friendly chat with my ex-wife. Though I see she still holds a bit of a grudge."

He winked slyly at Reyna before sauntering out. She sagged against the wall, adrenaline leaving her weak. Nicholas still haunted her, even after all this time. But she refused to let him intimidate her anymore.

The next day, Reyna informed the landlord of Nicholas’s disturbing appearance and harassment. He assured me that extra security measures would be put in place. But she dreaded what Nicholas might do next in his vindictiveness.

When picking Mia up from school that afternoon, Reyna noticed an expensive car idling outside the gates. Her blood ran cold, recognizing Nicholas behind the wheel, watching with a calculating gaze. Had he been following her all day?

She hurried Mia into their own vehicle and drove off, keeping a watch for any tails. After dropping Mia off at Aunt Mildred’s farm, Reyna headed to the police station to file a report, unwilling to be a victim anymore.

But the detective she spoke to was less than helpful. “These kinds of domestic disputes can get messy. I’m sure it was just a chance encounter after so long. Unless there’s actual violence or threats of harm, there’s not much we can do.”

Reyna left in frustration, knowing full well Nicholas’s subtle intimidation techniques. She began taking additional security precautions, including installing cameras and an alarm system at home, varying routines, and staying alert in public.

A few nights later, Reyna jerked awake to shrill beeping. Panicked, she scrabbled for her phone to check the security app—motion sensors were going off all over the house. Grabbing her gun from the nightstand, she crept downstairs.

Nothing seemed amiss at first, but she noticed the back door wasn’t fully shut. Had Nicholas broken in again? With her heart in her throat, Reyna slowly cleared each room with her weapon raised. Then she heard a noise from the kitchen—a soft clink of glass.

With a steady breath, she rounded the corner, finger tight on the trigger. A dark figure hunched by the open fridge jerked around, raising their hands. “Please, don’t shoot!” cried a familiar voice.

“Jack?” Reyna gasped, lowering the gun in disbelief. “What are you doing sneaking around my house in the middle of the night?” Suspicion and leftover fear clashed with relief at seeing a friendly face.

He gestured helplessly at the bag of groceries on the counter. “I wanted to check on you after what happened at the winery. I should've called first, I know—I didn’t mean to scare you half to death!”

“Thanks for checking on me, Jack; it means a lot,” Reyna said, offering him a tired smile. She began making coffee to help calm her frazzled nerves.

Jack leaned against the counter. “Of course. I’m worried about you dealing with Nicholas’ harassment alone.” He paused. “You know, if you ever wanted company, my door is always open.”

Reyna glanced at him in surprise, realizing the depth of concern in his eyes. Part of her wanted to take the comfort he offered, but after what Nicholas put her through, could she really trust another man? Before she could answer, her phone rang—it was Aunt Mildred.

“Reyna, you need to get down to the farm right away. Olivia is here, and she’s drunk off her ass, yelling about Nicholas. I think you need to see this.” Her aunt’s strained voice set Reyna on edge. What has her cousin been up to now?

“Jack, can you watch the house for me? I’ve got to go deal with something.” He nodded, and she hurried out the door. When Reyna arrived, she found Olivia slumped on the porch, mascara streaming down her puffy face.

“There you are, you selfish bitch!” Olivia sneered. “While you’ve been living it up, Nicholas left me for some young hussy. After everything I did for him!” Reyna raised an eyebrow; she knew Olivia had always been jealous of her relationship with Nicholas.

“You stole my husband and drove him away! It should be me with the fancy winery, not you.” Olivia stood unsteadily, stabbing an accusing finger at Reyna. She’d had enough of her cousin’s toxic behavior over the years.

“Nicholas chose to be with you, then he chose to leave. That’s on him, not me. As for the winery, I built it with my own two hands while you’ve been sitting on your ass, feeling sorry for yourself. Go home, Olivia; you’re making a fool of yourself.”

Olivia scowled, pulling out her phone. “Just wait till Nicholas sees these pictures I took of you and that guy at your place. He’ll be sure to come teach you a lesson for cheating.” Reyna tried to grab the phone, but Olivia backed away, cackling.

A chill ran down Reyna’s spine at the mention of more pictures fueling Nicholas’ dangerous obsession. She had to get to the phone, whatever it took. Lunging forward, the two women tumbled to the ground in a tangle of flailing limbs.

“Give it to me, Olivia!” Reyna growled, struggling to pry the phone free as her cousin kicked and scratched. Finally, she wrenched it away, panting. Two new messages sat unsent in Nicholas’ thread; she shuddered to think what kind of twisted scenario he might conjure from them.

Too late, Reyna noticed Olivia sneak a hand into her pocket and pull out a taser. With a wicked grin, she pressed it to Reyna’s throat and triggered the current. Pain shot through her body as she collapsed, twitching.

The last thing Reyna saw before blacking out was Olivia’s spiteful face looming over her, snatching the phone back with a satisfied laugh. When she came, night had fallen, and Aunt Mildred was pressing an ice pack on her aching head.

“What happened? Where’s Olivia?” Reyna croaked. Her aunt shook her head regretfully. “Gone. She drove off, screeching threats about how she’d show us both. I’m so sorry, honey. I never thought she’d hurt you like this.”

Reyna swallowed hard, anxiety gnawing in her gut. Who knows what kind of lies Olivia would spin for Nicholas in her drunken, vengeful state? She had to warn Jack and get to Mia in case her unstable cousin went after them too in a misguided effort to hurt her further.

Stumbling up, Reyna hugged Aunt Mildred. “Thank you for looking after me. I’ve got to go; Olivia could be targeting the people I care about to get to me.” With that, she sped off into the night, praying she wasn’t already too late.

When Reyna arrived home, she saw Jack passed out on the couch through the window. Rushing inside, she tried to wake him, but he didn’t stir. Terrified, she checked his pulse; it was steady. Had Olivia drugged him somehow?

A note on the table caught her eye: “It’s just a little something to keep the lover boy here out of the way. Don’t try looking for Mia either; I’ve got her safe with me until Nicholas comes to settle the score. Enjoy the fear while it lasts, cousin!”

As Reyna sank to her knees in despair, her ringing phone startled her. It was the police station calling back—they had taken her earlier report more seriously after all. “We may have a lead on your cousin’s whereabouts. Can you come down to the station?”

Renewed determination coursed through her. Reyna quickly woke Jack to watch over the homestead, then sped off to meet the officers. “We got an anonymous tip that a woman matching your cousin’s description was causing a scene at a bar downtown. Want to check it out?”

When they arrived, the bartender confirmed seeing Olivia drinking heavily and ranting about “getting back at her cousin.” He overheard her mention of an abandoned house on the outskirts of town. Reyna prayed they weren’t too late.

As they pulled up, she jumped out and ran inside, frantically searching each room. “Mia! It’s okay, baby; Mommy’s here.” A muffled cry led her to a hidden basement door. Throwing it open, Reyna gathered her trembling daughter in her arms at last.

Though she was distraught, Mia was unharmed. Reyna hugged her tight, feeling whole again. As sirens approached in the distance, Olivia suddenly appeared at the top of the stairs, wide-eyed. “You…you called the cops?! After all I’ve done for you?”

Reyna rose, shielding Mia protectively. “The only thing you’ve ever done is make my life miserable with your jealousy and spite. It ends tonight, Olivia.”