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These were hectic days of preparation and last-minute rushes, fueled by a sense of excitement and anticipation, right before my wedding to Seth. Invitations were all out, the arrangements were being finalized, and the house was abuzz with energy in anticipation of a celebration. Seth and I would finally tie the knot and solidify our bond amongst a loving family and great friends.Anne had moved back to our parents' with Emily, hoping for their help in tending to the confusion of being a new mother. I missed her, yet I knew she needed a stable environment to acclimate herself to life with her daughter. But even so, there existed in the air almost tangibly the sense of hope and renewal.One afternoon, while Seth was out doing errands, I lay at home alone. The house was quiet, and for one moment, I enjoyed the peace in the midst of wedding mania. I stood at the stove, stirring a pot of soup absent-mindedly, when I heard the noise from the back of the house. My heart jumped, and my stomach
Life with Seth had fallen into a comfortable rhythm following our wedding. Content, in love, and ready to start our life free from darkness—this was what we were. But Noah's presence still loomed over my head like some dark cloud that refused to dissipate. Even after marrying Seth, there came frequent bouquets of flowers, each bearing a card attached in Noah's handwriting. Those cards had different words, but their meaning remained the same: his longing to see me, that I was supposed to be with him.We had asked security in detail to prevent anyone from entering the premises without our express permission, and it did the trick for some time at least. The flowers and cards arrived at the gate, where the staff would dump them, preventing them from reaching me. Still, Noah's relentless pursuit was more than a little unnerving, this sense of always being watched, always being waited for.No sooner had we begun to breathe a little easier, thinking maybe Noah had finally given up on his purs
Seth and I had settled into married life. An easiness and contentment I allowed to make me feel more securely at home than I had in years. We had many discussions about our future, and the idea of creating our family began to germ. The thought of having children filled me with a joy I could hardly contain. Weekends became our sacred, shared time: romantic dates, unexpected escapes, and late-night talks about what the future might hold.We always grabbed the chance to experience different hotels and get away from the feeling of home so as to blend with the ecstasy around us. We spent almost an adventure every weekend, and it increased our closeness and deepened new things in our relationship. And so we did, we laughed, we dreamed, we made love, and enjoyed each other to our fullest and deepest potential. The thought that soon we'd be parents together appeared as the next step, the logic in our journey.One very vivid weekend, we checked into a cozy but quaint bed and breakfast place in
In the dim light of our bedroom, Seth and I lay beside each other, our hands clasped together. We were feeling all different kinds of things. The atmosphere thickened into one of quiet, tender closeness, a product of years spent in shared experience and deep love. Much had been wrestled with, but troubles and uncertainties seemed to melt away at that moment, leaving only two people and a vision for the future.Seth turned to me then, his eyes soft, filled with a warmth that made my heart swell."I love you, Christie," he whispered, a tender caress to my ears. "I can't wait to start our family."I smiled at him, rushed with feeling and excitement. "I love you too, Seth. Even more than words can say."We had talked so much about babies, how great a thing it could be. This feeling of just starting a family with Seth gave me a feeling of purpose and elation. We had decided to stop using contraception, hoping that soon enough, we would be able to hear that we were going to have a baby.Seth
The next morning, I arrived at my desk job —the same routine I'd kept for the past few years. Colleagues turned toward me, acknowledging my presence with smiles and nods. I sat in my chair and positioned myself for the tasks at hand. As the morning went on, though, I couldn't shake the feeling that something wasn't right. I had skipped breakfast and now the pangs were becoming more and more difficult to ignore. I shrugged it off, promising myself that I could eat something at lunchtime.By noon, it had become worse. My vision was blurry at times, and my hands were shaking while typing. I pushed on, driven by the urge to get my work done before I took a break. This was a busy period, and I did not wish to lag. However, at around 3 PM, I just couldn't ignore these signs my body was giving. I called it off and headed home to rest.I trudged out to my car, gathering my things. Each step seemed heavier than the last. The world tilted a bit to one side, and I felt myself having to hold onto
I sat at the very end of the bed, my heart thumping as I just stared at the door. The room was smothering. The walls seemed to close in on me with each second. Noah had locked me in an apartment that he had bought expressly to keep me hidden from the world. The windows were barred, and I could see outside the door guards who had taken their place to prevent me from leaving. It was now that the feeling of being caged finally washed over me like a wave, and it was an effort to maintain steady breathing.How had this happened? I thought about all the warnings, all the red flags that I had ignored. I should have known Noah wouldn't give up so easily. Even after all that, a piece of me had still hoped he would turn his back on all this eventually, that he would see reason. Now that hope seemed foolish, almost childish.I heard footsteps, so my body stiffened. Slowly, the door opened, and there he was—Noah. He dominated the room; a sense of familiarity and fear overtook me. At one time in my
I sat at the foot of the bed, staring at the door, my heart hammering in my chest. The sense of powerlessness wrapped me in a smothering blanket, making each breath a little more labored than the previous one. Noah had confined me to this apartment. His twisted form of love turned into prison. My situation was unmistakable—I was trapped, and the man I loved turned stranger, obsessed and unhinged.I heard movement outside the door, and my body naturally straightened. The door creaked, and there he was—Noah. His presence seemed to fill the room, carrying an intoxicating mixture of fear and confusion. I had tried reasoning with him, pleading that he let me go, think about Anne, his wife, and his unborn child, but Noah was beyond reasoning now. Obsessiveness had completely taken over his mind."Christie," he said softly, his voice that unnerving blend of tender and determined. "I brought dinner."I watched as he brought a tray into the room to place upon the small table beside the bed. The
That night, I cried myself to sleep. Sorrow sat on me so heavily that I could not keep my eyes open. The tears dried up on my cheeks, leaving paths of salt and sorrow. My room was dark; the silence was oppressive. My thoughts whirled with fear and hopelessness. Never had I felt so alone, so utterly abandoned by the world. But finally, with sleep, it was a jumble of fear, exhaustion, and the dire necessity of escape that occupied my mind.The world I entered then in my dreams was no better. Shadows loomed large, and the familiar faces of those I loved were distorted and unrecognizable. I could feel Seth there, reaching out for me, but no matter how hard I tried, I couldn't grasp his hand. Looming in the background was Noah's face; his eyes were cold, unfeeling, watching my every move. It felt like a dream that didn't end, stuck in a revolting sequence of fear and anxiety.Yet, deep inside my sleeping mind, I felt something wrong. I was not alone. A presence was seeping into the corners