Tania lingered in the shadows of the park, her eyes locked on the scene before her. Ella and Ethan sat beneath a tree, watching Leo and Liam race across the grass. Their laughter filled the air, pure and carefree, mixing with Ella’s warm smile as she joined in their play.
Ethan, too, looked lighter happier than she had seen him in years. He watched Ella with an intensity that made Tania’s stomach churn. His smile wasn’t just for his sons. It was for Ella, a silent testament to a bond she couldn’t sever.
The sight was unbearable. The happiness, the love, the sense of completeness it was everything Tania had longed for, everything she believed had been stolen from her.
She clutched the strap of her bag, her knuckles whitening. They don’t deserve this.
Her chest heaved as she forced herself to calm down. Losing control wouldn’t help. Patience, she reminded herself. She had spent weeks tracking them, learning their routines, understanding their weaknesses. The parks, the school drop-offs, even the way Ella always checked the locks twice before going to bed. Tania knew it all.
She had built a map in her mind, each point marked with the precision of someone planning a game-changing move. She had no intention of rushing this.
“I’ll strike when the time is perfect,” she muttered under her breath. “Let them bask in their little fairy tale for now.”
From her spot behind the trees, she saw Ethan stand, brushing grass off his jeans before walking over to where Ella stood with the boys. The way he touched her shoulder, a simple gesture, made Tania’s blood boil.
She couldn’t look anymore. It was suffocating. Turning abruptly, she stalked back to her car, her thoughts spiraling.
Back in her dimly lit apartment, Tania sat before her desk, papers and photos scattered across its surface. Images of Ella, Ethan, Leo, and Liam stared back at her, frozen moments of joy and connection that she was determined to destroy.
“They think they’ve won,” she whispered, running a finger over a photo of Ella smiling at Ethan. “But they haven’t seen what I can do.”
Her hand trembled as she reached for a red marker, circling another spot on the map pinned to the wall. The park. She drew a thick, deliberate line through it, her breathing uneven.
“They don’t deserve this,” she said, her voice rising. “Not after everything I’ve lost.”
She stood abruptly, pacing the room. Her shadow stretched across the walls, twisting and turning with her restless movements. Her thoughts were a whirlwind rage, jealousy, and a relentless desire for revenge.
Tania stopped abruptly, gripping the back of her chair. “Ethan divorced me because of her,” she hissed, her voice venomous. “Because of Ella. He threw me away like I was nothing.”
Her laugh filled the room, harsh and bitter. “Right. And now they get to play happy family? No. No, no, no.” She shook her head, the laughter turning into something unhinged. “They’ll never have peace. Not while I’m here.”
She grabbed a photo of Ella and Ethan, her nails scratching across the glossy surface. The smiles on their faces felt like a personal affront.
“Peace?” she spat. “You think you can have peace while I’m still breathing? While I’m watching everything?” She ripped the photo in half, then again, the pieces falling to the floor like confetti.
The destruction gave her a sick sense of satisfaction. She sat back down, staring at the map, the red circles glowing ominously under the dim light.
She thought of the park, how relaxed they had looked there. She thought of the school, where Ella dropped the boys off with a kiss every morning. She thought of Ethan, hovering at the edges of Ella’s life, trying to worm his way back in.
The plan wasn’t perfect yet, but it was close. She had studied their movements long enough to know when and where they were most vulnerable. Every decision was calculated, every move designed to dismantle their happiness piece by piece.
She leaned back, letting her mind drift over the possibilities. She thought of the park, how relaxed they had looked there. She thought of the school, where Ella dropped the boys off with a kiss every morning. She thought of Ethan, hovering at the edges of Ella’s life, trying to worm his way back in.
They all had blind spots, and Tania would exploit every single one.
“Enjoy your happiness while it lasts,” she murmured, staring at a map pinned to her wall. Red circles marked places they frequented, times when they were most exposed. “Because it won’t last.”
The weight of her anger pressed down on her, but she welcomed it. Anger was fuel. It gave her the energy to keep going, to keep planning, to make sure no detail was overlooked.
Her gaze drifted to her reflection in the window, her eyes cold and sharp.
“They’ll pay for everything,” she said softly, almost to herself. “Ella, Ethan, and those perfect little boys. They’ll feel what it’s like to have everything taken from them.”
For now, though, she would wait. She needed to keep watching, learning, refining. The right moment would come, and when it did, she’d be ready to tear their world apart.
She had built a map in her mind, each point marked with the precision of someone planning a game-changing move. She had no intention of rushing this.
“I’ll strike when the time is perfect,” she muttered under her breath. “Let them bask in their little fairy tale for now.”
“This isn’t over,” she said, her tone resolute. “Not by a long shot.”
Her gaze shifted to the window, where her reflection stared back at her. The person looking back was almost unrecognizable wild eyes, clenched jaw, a face hardened by bitterness. But she didn’t care.
“Anger is my strength,” she muttered, pacing again. “It’ll keep me sharp. Focused.”
She stopped and turned back to the desk, her lips curling into a sinister smile. She picked up another photo, this one of the boys playing in the park, their faces lit with pure joy.
“They’ll feel it the most,” she said quietly, running a finger across the image. “That’s where it’ll hurt her the most when I take away what she loves.”
Tania’s laughter filled the room once more, echoing like a storm gathering strength.