Ethan leaned back in his armchair, the faint glow of the living room lamp casting a warm, serene light over the room. Grace was fast asleep upstairs, her small body finally giving in to exhaustion after an evening spent recounting her day with Leo and Liam. Her joy had been infectious, and even now, Ethan couldn’t help but smile as he thought about how much the kids enjoyed each other’s company.
Yet, underneath his satisfaction was a persistent worry.
“There’s hope after all,” Ethan muttered, recalling the way Ella had smiled during their date. He hadn’t seen her that carefree in years, and it had been a balm to his soul. Still, their history was complicated, and the shadows of the past weren’t easy to escape.
Victor sat across from him, swirling a glass of water in his hand as they chatted in the quiet aftermath of the evening. He had just dropped off Grace, who had fallen asleep mid-sentence in the car, still chattering about how much fun she had with her brothers.
“She’s a treasure,” Victor said, smiling fondly. “That kid’s got a spark, just like her mom.”
Ethan nodded, his expression softening. “Yeah, she’s something else. Thanks for taking care of her today and for everything else.”
Victor raised an eyebrow, amused. “Everything else? You’re being awfully vague, Ethan.”
Ethan leaned forward, resting his elbows on his knees. “I mean it, Vic. You’ve been here through all the mess with Tania, with Ella… with everything. I don’t know what I’d do without you.”
Victor waved him off, his grin widening. “Nah, don’t get all sentimental on me now. Besides, I like being the ‘fun uncle.’ I had a blast with the kids today. You’ve got great boys, and Grace is the cherry on top.”
They both laughed, the sound easing some of the tension that had settled in the room.
“But honestly,” Ethan said, his voice turning serious, “I’m worried.”
Victor tilted his head, his amusement fading into concern. “Worried about what?”
“Ella,” Ethan admitted. “She mentioned something a while back… feeling like she’s being watched.”
Victor frowned. “Watched? By who?”
“That’s the problem we don’t know,” Ethan said, rubbing his face in frustration. “And it’s not just her imagination. I’ve noticed things too cars idling outside her place, shadows that don’t feel right. It’s subtle, but it’s there.”
Victor let out a low whistle, leaning back in his seat. “Wow. Another drama, huh? You two can’t seem to catch a break.”
Ethan cracked a faint smile at Victor’s attempt to lighten the mood. “It’s more than that, Vic. This feels… dangerous. I don’t know if it’s someone from Tania’s mess or something else, but I can’t ignore it. That’s why I set up security cameras at her house. I’m hoping we can catch whoever’s behind this before it escalates.”
Victor nodded, his expression thoughtful. “Smart move. And you’re right-better safe than sorry. But hey, you’re not in this alone. Whatever’s going on, we’ll figure it out.”
Ethan met Victor’s gaze, a flicker of gratitude passing between them. “Thanks, Vic. I mean it.”
“Anytime,” Victor said, grinning again. “Besides, it’s kind of exciting. I haven’t played detective since college. This’ll be fun.”
Ethan chuckled despite himself, the tension in his chest loosening slightly. Victor’s humor had always been a welcome counterbalance to his own intensity.
After Victor left, Ethan lingered in the quiet house, his mind still restless. He wandered into Grace’s room, leaning against the doorway as he watched her sleep. Her small frame was bundled up under a colorful quilt, her curls spilling over the pillow.
This was why he couldn’t afford to let his guard down for her, for Leo and Liam, and for Ella.
As he stood there, a faint vibration in his pocket pulled him from his thoughts. He pulled out his phone to see a notification from the security app he’d set up at Ella’s house. It was just a standard alert motion detected in the backyard but it still made his pulse quicken.
He tapped the notification, pulling up the live feed. The camera’s infrared view showed the backyard bathed in an eerie green light. At first, nothing seemed out of place, just the gentle sway of tree branches in the wind. But then, near the edge of the frame, a shadow moved.
Ethan’s breath caught. He tapped to rewind the footage, playing it back frame by frame. The shadow was there again a figure, faint and indistinct, slipping just out of view.
“Damn it,” Ethan muttered under his breath, his grip tightening on the phone.
He immediately called Ella.
Ella was sitting in her living room, sipping a cup of tea and trying to unwind after a long day. The boys were already asleep upstairs, their soft snores audible through the baby monitor on the coffee table. When her phone buzzed, she frowned, surprised to see Ethan’s name on the screen.
“Ethan? Is everything okay?”
“Ella,” he said, his voice urgent. “I just got an alert from the security cameras at your house. Someone’s in your backyard.”
Her heart skipped a beat, and she instinctively glanced toward the window, her stomach knotting with fear. “What? Are you sure?”
“I saw a figure on the camera,” Ethan said. “It could be nothing, but I’m not taking any chances. I’m on my way over.”
Ella’s grip on the phone tightened. “Okay. I’ll check on the boys and lock all the doors.”
“Good,” Ethan said. “Don’t go outside, Ella. Just wait for me.”
She nodded, even though he couldn’t see her, and ended the call. Her hands trembled as she double-checked the locks on the front and back doors, then hurried upstairs to peek in on the boys. They were sound asleep, oblivious to the tension crackling in the air.
Ella returned to the living room, her eyes darting to the windows. Every shadow seemed larger, every creak of the house louder. She hated this feeling the vulnerability, the fear. It reminded her too much of the past, of the threats and betrayals that had nearly cost her everything.
Within fifteen minutes, Ethan arrived, his presence instantly grounding her. He knocked on the door softly, and when she opened it, she was met with his reassuring yet focused expression.
“Are you okay?” he asked, stepping inside.
She nodded. “The boys are fine. I locked everything up.”
“Good,” Ethan said. He pulled out his phone, showing her the footage. “This is what I saw. It’s not clear, but there’s definitely someone there.”
Ella’s face paled as she watched the shadowy figure slip through the frame. “Who could it be? What do they want?”
“I don’t know,” Ethan admitted, his jaw tightening. “But I’m not leaving you alone tonight.”
Ella hesitated, her pride warring with her fear. But the thought of being alone with the boys while someone might be lurking outside was too much.
“Okay,” she said softly. “You can stay.”
Ethan nodded, his determination clear. “I’ll stay on the couch and keep watch. We’ll figure this out, Ella. I promise.”
For the first time in a long while, Ella felt a flicker of relief. She didn’t have to face this alone. Ethan was here, and together, they would uncover the truth no matter how dark it turned out to be.