The morning sunlight filtered through the curtains, painting soft streaks of warmth on Ella’s bedroom wall. Yet, the brightness outside did little to ease the unease within her heart. As much as she tried to focus on the mundane morning tasks-making breakfast, packing the boys’ lunch for school-her thoughts were clouded with the unsettling events of the previous day.
Once Leo and Liam were settled with their morning cartoons, Ella retreated to the quiet of her office, phone in hand. It was time to call Derek.
The line clicked, and his familiar deep voice answered. “Ella, is everything alright?”
Ella released a breath she hadn’t realized she was holding. “Not exactly, Derek. I think we’re being watched.”
There was a pause, then a sharper tone. “Watched? By whom?”
“We’re not sure,” Ella said, her voice low despite the closed door. “The boys have been on edge, and yesterday, Liam, Leo and Grace said they felt watched in school while playing during their lunch break and Ethan… he noticed it too.”
Derek’s voice softened but carried an edge of concern. “Have you contacted the authorities?”
“Not yet,” Ella admitted. “Ethan set up security cameras around the house last night, but there’s no concrete evidence. No messages, no sightings. Just… that gut feeling.”
“And you suspect Tania.”
Ella’s silence spoke volumes.
“Ella,” Derek continued, “you’ve come too far to let her drag you down again. You’re stronger than her.”
“I know, Derek,” she replied, her voice firm despite the knot tightening in her chest. “But she’s not just a memory anymore. She’s out there, and we don’t know what she’s planning. For all we know, she could be unhinged enough to target the boys.”
The thought made her stomach churn, and her grip on the phone tightened.
Derek’s voice softened again. “What do you need me to do?”
“Keep your ear to the ground. I need to know if she’s resurfaced. Anything you can find, even the smallest lead, could help us prepare.”
“Consider it done,” Derek assured her. “But Ella, promise me something.”
“What’s that?”
“Don’t try to handle this alone. If Tania’s involved, you’re going to need backup. Don’t push Ethan away.”
Ella hesitated, her thoughts turning to Ethan. He had been surprisingly present these past few weeks-spending time with the boys, sharing quiet evenings with her. It was almost… normal. Comforting, even.
“I won’t,” she promised. “Actually… Ethan’s been around a lot lately. With the boys, Grace and . With me.”
Derek’s silence was telling, a subtle prompt for her to continue.
“It’s been good,” Ella admitted, the confession feeling foreign yet strangely freeing. “He’s been helping with the boys, and, we… we went on a date.”
“A date?” Derek’s tone was carefully neutral, but she could hear the undercurrent of surprise.
“yeah uhmm ,” she said blushing. ” he asked me out and I just couldn’t say no, and it sort of… happened. We had dinner, talked about the past, about the boys, Grace …. It felt nice, but… I don’t know where it’s going.”
“Do you want it to go somewhere?”
Ella paused, the question hanging heavy in the air. Did she?
“Part of me does,” she admitted. “But the other part of me can’t forget what happened. The betrayal. The pain…. and everything else.”
“Ella,” Derek said gently, “you’ve been through hell and back. It’s okay to want happiness, even if it comes from unexpected places. Just… be careful. Ethan is a good man I’ll admit even with everything that went down, just don’t lose sight of who you are now.”
“I won’t,” she promised. “Thanks, Derek.”
“Always,” he replied. “And Ella?”
“Yeah?”
“You’re stronger than you give yourself credit for. Don’t forget that.”
As the call ended, Ella leaned back in her chair, Derek’s words echoing in her mind. She stared out the window, watching Leo and Liam chasing each other in the backyard, their laughter carrying through the glass. For them, she had to stay strong. For them, she had to make the right decisions.
The rest of the day passed in a blur of chores and distractions. Ethan stopped by in the late afternoon with Grace, his presence immediately brightening the boys’ spirits. Ella watched from the kitchen window as he played tag with them, his laughter blending seamlessly with theirs. For a moment, it was easy to forget the shadows lurking at the edges of their world.
“Dinner’s ready,” she called out, smiling as the four of them burst through the door, their cheeks flushed from the cold air outside.
As they ate together, the children chattered excitedly about their day, their fears from the day before seemingly forgotten. Ethan glanced at Ella across the table, a silent question in his eyes. She nodded, and after the children were tucked into bed, they sat in the living room, the weight of unspoken words filling the space between them.
“Thank you,” Ella said finally, breaking the silence. “For being here. For them.”
Ethan nodded, his gaze steady. “I’ll always be here for them. And for you.”
The sincerity in his voice made her chest tighten. “Ethan, I need to ask you something.”
“Anything,” he replied.
She hesitated, then took a deep breath. “If Tania’s behind this, if she’s watching us… can I trust you to protect them? To protect me?”
His expression hardened, a rare glimpse of the man she had once known. “Ella, you don’t even have to ask. I failed you once, and I’ve lived with that guilt every day since. I won’t let it happen again.”
His words hung heavy in the air, and for a moment, Ella saw the man she had fallen in love with all those years ago. But the scars of the past were still fresh, and she wasn’t ready to let her guard down completely.
“Thank you,” she said softly.
As the evening wore on, Ella felt a sliver of hope pierce through the darkness. She didn’t know what the future held, but for the first time in a long time, she felt like she wasn’t facing it alone. Ethan’s presence, Derek’s support, and her boys’ unwavering love were her anchors.
But deep down, she knew the battle was far from over. Tania was still out there, and the shadows that followed her wouldn’t be easily dispelled. Ella would fight, not just for her children but for the life she had built and the peace she deserved.
As she climbed into bed that night, she whispered a silent promise to herself and her boys: We’ll face whatever comes. Together.