The car ride to Ella’s house was filled with a heavy silence. Ethan had noticed the unease in the children’s eyes when they left school, and though he’d tried to mask his concern, the weight of their words hung over him like a storm cloud. The worry was palpable, and the only thing that made sense was that someone had been watching them. Watching his kids.
He glanced in the rearview mirror at Liam, Leo, and Grace, who were unusually quiet in the backseat, their small faces clouded with unease. Even though they were safe in the car, Ethan couldn’t shake the sense that something far more sinister was lurking just beneath the surface.
As they pulled up to Ella’s house, the familiar sight of the front porch filled Ethan with a sense of relief, though the tension in his chest only seemed to grow stronger. The children, eager to escape the weight of the fear that had followed them all day, rushed out of the car as soon as it stopped, sprinting toward the front door.
Once inside, Liam and Leo ran straight to Ella, hugging her tightly. Their small voices overlapped as they chattered about their day, but the worry in their eyes remained. Grace, who had been holding back tears since they left school, finally relaxed in her mother’s arms, leaning into her with a soft sigh.
Ethan stood near the door, watching the scene with a quiet smile on his face. He felt a deep swell of love for Ella and the kids. But the creeping unease that had settled in his chest was unrelenting.
He gently called to the boys. “Liam, Leo, can you take Grace to your room for a bit? She needs some quiet time.”
The boys nodded, still visibly shaken, but they obeyed, leading Grace upstairs to her room. Ethan, meanwhile, guided Ella to the couch, sitting beside her. The moment they were alone, he didn’t waste any time.
“Ella, the kids told me something at school today. Something that has me worried.”
She turned to him, her eyes full of concern. “What’s wrong?”
Ethan hesitated for a moment before speaking. “They said they felt like someone was watching them during lunch. They heard noises coming from the bushes, and they were scared enough to run inside. Grace said she felt like someone was following them.”
Ella’s face softened with concern, but her features were also tinged with suspicion. She took a deep breath, processing his words. “Ethan, are you sure it wasn’t just their imagination?”
“I thought so too at first,” Ethan said, his voice steady but his eyes betraying the worry he felt. “But Grace felt it too. She wasn’t just scared. She knew something was wrong. And that’s what makes me think…” He paused, his gaze locking with hers. “I think it’s Tania.”
Ella froze, her eyes widening as she took in the gravity of his words. “Tania? You think she’s the one doing this?”
Ethan nodded. “She’s been silent for a while, and we’ve all been wondering what she’s up to. But this feels like her work. She’s never been one to back down, even after everything that’s happened.”
Ella’s shoulders slumped, a heavy sigh escaping her lips. She had been trying to move on from Tania’s influence in her life, but the memories and scars of their past were hard to erase. She had hoped that after the divorce, Tania would stay out of their lives. But deep down, Ella knew that Tania was always a danger-always a threat in the shadows. She wasn’t the type to let things go.
“Tania’s dangerous, Ethan,” Ella said, her voice low and serious. “And if she’s involved, then we need to be more careful than ever. But I don’t understand. Why would she target the kids? Why not come directly after me?”
Ethan’s brow furrowed, his mind racing as he tried to piece together the puzzle. “I don’t know, Ella. But if Tania’s trying to make us afraid, to destabilize us, going after the kids makes sense. They’re our weakness. And she knows that.”
Ella stood up from the couch, pacing as she tried to process everything. “She’s plotting her revenge, I get that. But why use the kids like this? She could come directly at us if she wanted to, but instead, she’s hiding in the shadows, lurking around them. It doesn’t make sense.”
Ethan stood as well, walking over to her. He placed a hand on her shoulder, his voice filled with determination. “We don’t know her plan yet, but whatever she’s doing, it’s working. The kids are scared. We need to figure out what she wants, and we need to protect them.”
Ella’s eyes were full of resolve, but there was also a flicker of fear in them. She had never been one to back down from a fight, especially when it came to her children. But Tania wasn’t just a woman from her past-she was a threat, and the stakes were higher than they had ever been before.
Ethan squeezed her shoulder before pulling her into a hug. “We’ll get through this, Ella. We’ll figure it out together. But for now, I need to get Grace home. She needs to rest. And I need to make sure she feels safe.”
Ella nodded against his chest, her voice barely above a whisper. “Please, Ethan, be careful. If it really is Tania… she’s not going to give up easily. We have to stay ahead of her.”
Ethan pulled away, looking into her eyes. “I know. And I will. I’ll take care of Grace, and I’ll talk to the school tomorrow. I’m going to have a word with the teachers, make sure they’re looking out for the kids. We won’t let her get close.”
With that, he walked upstairs to the children’s room, where Liam and Leo were sitting beside Grace on the bed. The three of them looked up when he entered, and the worry on their faces was evident. They had been through so much already, and now there was this new threat to deal with.
“Hey, guys,” Ethan said softly, walking over to where Grace was sitting. He kissed each of them on the forehead before gently lifting Grace into his arms. “I’m going to take Grace home for a little bit so she can rest, okay?”
Liam and Leo nodded, though their faces were still filled with concern. Liam spoke up, his voice hesitant. “Daddy is everything ok? Who was watching us?”
Ethan gave him a reassuring smile, though it didn’t quite reach his eyes. “I don’t know for sure, Liam. But we’ll figure it out. You guys don’t have to worry. I’ll make sure you’re all safe.”
As he turned to leave, he looked back at Ella. She was standing in the doorway, her gaze fixed on him, her expression a mixture of love and concern. Ethan’s heart clenched, but he knew there was no time to waste. The kids needed him. Ella needed him. And he would do whatever it took to keep them safe.
He left the house with Grace in his arms, his mind already working through the next steps. As he drove home, he made a mental note to call the school and arrange a meeting with the teachers. He wasn’t going to let Tania continue to lurk in the shadows, preying on his family.
And no matter what, he wasn’t going to let her hurt his children