Ethan sat in the quiet of his home, the soft creak of the old wooden floors underfoot as he paced back and forth in the living room. Grace was finally asleep, curled up with her favorite stuffed animal, and the house was enveloped in a stillness that left him with only his thoughts for company.
Ella’s words from earlier replayed in his mind.
“I’ve been feeling… watched.”
Her voice had been calm but carried an edge of fear that Ethan couldn’t shake. Was she overthinking things, or was there really someone out there keeping tabs on her? He didn’t want to dismiss her concerns, but he also wasn’t entirely sure how to handle it.
He sank onto the couch, running a hand through his hair. A memory surfaced just two nights ago, he’d heard the unmistakable growl of a car engine outside Ella’s house. He had been dropping Grace off after her playdate with the twins and stayed a bit longer than he planned, chatting with Ella.
When he left, he distinctly remembered hearing the engine as he approached his car. At the time, he brushed it off as a coincidence-someone passing by on the quiet street. But now, paired with Ella’s unease, it gnawed at him.
“Could it have been them?” he muttered to himself.
The idea of someone targeting Ella-and by extension, the boys-sent a chill through him. He leaned forward, resting his elbows on his knees and rubbing his hands together as if to ground himself.
Ella had been through hell already. Her survival after the accident or rather, attempted murder was nothing short of miraculous. And now, to think that someone could be trying to hurt her again made his blood boil.
But who?
Ethan’s thoughts raced. Tania had always been ruthless and calculating, but even in her darkest moments, would she dare something like this? After all, she knew Ella was alive now and had already suffered significant losses when Ethan divorced her. Could she be desperate enough to strike again?
He shook his head, unsure. “It doesn’t make sense,” he murmured. “She’s locked away now… isn’t she?”
Ethan had distanced himself from Tania since their divorce, but that didn’t mean he stopped keeping tabs on her. The last he heard, she was under psychiatric care. It seemed unlikely she could orchestrate anything from there, but the thought lingered like a dark shadow.
Then there was Fabian. Ethan didn’t trust him he couldn’t. Knowing that Fabian had once been hired to kill Ella made it hard to believe the man could ever truly redeem himself. But Fabian had also helped Ella survive, hadn’t he? That fact complicated Ethan’s feelings toward the man.
“Could it be him?” Ethan whispered. The idea seemed absurd, yet the possibility lingered. If Fabian were involved, what would his motive be now?
Ethan stood abruptly, moving to the window. He pulled back the curtain and peered out into the night. The street outside was quiet, bathed in the soft glow of the streetlights. There was no movement, no sign of anything unusual. But still, the unease settled deep in his chest.
Grabbing his phone from the coffee table, Ethan dialed Ella’s number. It rang twice before her soft voice came through.
“Ethan?”
“Hey,” he said, trying to keep his tone calm. “I just wanted to check if you and the boys got home okay.”
“We did,” Ella replied, her voice tinged with surprise. “The boys are asleep now. Why?”
Ethan hesitated, debating how much to say. “I’ve been thinking about what you said earlier… about feeling watched.”
There was a pause on the other end before Ella spoke again. “Ethan, I’m not crazy. I know what I feel.”
“I know,” he said quickly. “I believe you. It’s just… I’ve been remembering some things. Like the other night, when I left your place, there was a car outside. I thought it was nothing, but now…”
Ella’s voice grew sharper. “Do you think it’s the same person? Whoever’s been watching me?”
“I don’t know,” Ethan admitted. “It could be a coincidence, but I don’t want to take any chances.”
There was a long silence, and Ethan could hear the faint rustle of movement on Ella’s end. He pictured her pacing in her small living room, her brow furrowed in thought.
“What do we do?” she finally asked.
“I think we need to be cautious,” Ethan said. “Lock your doors, keep the boys close. I’ll stop by tomorrow and help you set up some cameras around the house. And if you notice anything anything at all call me immediately.”
“Okay,” Ella said, her voice steady but tinged with tension.
“And Ella,” Ethan added, his tone softening, “we’ll figure this out. You’re not alone in this.”
“Thank you, Ethan,” she replied, the gratitude in her voice clear.
After they hung up, Ethan sat back on the couch, his mind still racing. He couldn’t shake the feeling that this was only the beginning of something bigger.
The next morning, Ethan woke with a renewed sense of determination. He dropped Grace off at school and headed straight to a hardware store, picking up a set of security cameras and motion-sensor lights.
By mid-morning, he was at Ella’s house, installing the cameras while the boys played in the backyard. Ella hovered nearby, her arms crossed as she watched him work.
“Do you really think this will help?” she asked, her tone uncertain.
“It’s a start,” Ethan said, tightening a screw on the camera mount. “If someone’s been hanging around, we’ll catch them on video. And if nothing else, it might scare them off.”
Ella nodded, her gaze drifting to the boys. Leo and Liam were chasing each other around the yard, their laughter ringing out.
“They’re so carefree,” she said softly. “I want to keep it that way.”
Ethan climbed down from the ladder, turning to face her. “We will. No one’s going to hurt you or the boys. I promise.”
For a moment, their eyes met, and Ethan felt a flicker of something he hadn’t felt in years hope.
That night, after the cameras were set up and Ethan had gone home, Ella sat in her living room, staring at the monitor that displayed the camera feeds. The house was quiet, the boys already asleep upstairs.
She felt a little safer knowing the cameras were there, but the unease hadn’t entirely faded. Every creak of the old house made her jump, and every shadow seemed to stretch just a little too far.
Ella’s phone buzzed, and she glanced at the screen. It was a text from Ethan.
Let me know if you see anything. I’m here if you need me.
She smiled faintly, typing a quick reply before setting the phone down. As much as she wanted to believe everything would be okay, a part of her couldn’t shake the feeling that this was far from over.
Somewhere out there, in the darkness, someone was watching. And Ella knew it was only a matter of time before they made their move.