The sound of the doorbell one morning filled Yuna with dread. Her father had resurfaced only a handful of times over the years, but she could never fully relax knowing he was still out there, a loose cannon with the power to shatter her stable new life.
Hands shaking, Yuna opened the door while shielding her infant son instinctively. The man before her was nearly unrecognizable, but she would know the cold glare anywhere. He looked her up and down contemptuously before demanding money in lieu of a proper greeting.
Heart pounding, Yuna tried reasoning with him that bankruptcy and a fruitless career had brought him here desperate again. But his eyes only hardened, insisting he was entitled to his daughter's comfort now.
The infant's soft whimpers quickly escalated to frightened wails in Yuna's arms. Her father's focus snapped to the baby with a predatory interest that turned Yuna's blood to ice. She quickly shielded her son from view and lied that Nick would be back any minute.
Thankfully, the subtle warning was enough for now. With a gruff reminder that family should help family, her father stalked away. But his ominous parting words pierced Yuna's fragile sense of security - "I know where you live now."
Over the next few days, Yuna withdrew into herself, jumpy and anxious waiting for the next appearance. Though her rational mind knew he held no real power over her life now, long-buried trauma had been reopened. She lay awake rigidly at night, listening for strange sounds.
Of course, Nick noticed the shift in her demeanor immediately. Without even saying a word, his strong arms drew Yuna in like a shield against invisible threats. She broke down and confessed everything - the unexpected visit, ugly history dredged up, predatory interest in their baby.
Fury flashed across Nick's face, but was quickly restrained for Yuna's sake. "You and our children are my first priority," he said simply. "He won't have the chance to hurt this family." The steel in his voice left no room for doubt.
In the peaceful days that followed, Nick took time off work, never leaving Yuna or the baby unattended. Their friends and his parents came over often too, lending normalcy and community. Yuna slowly relaxed again surrounded by her protector and loved ones.
But one afternoon the doorbell tolled ominously again. Her father's tall frame filled the doorway, his belligerent demand for money cut short by Nick physically blocking his path inside with an intimidating glare. A silent battle of wills stretched taut until her father finally relinquished with a glare.
"Don't come back here again, or I'll take every legal measure to remove you for good," Nick stated icily. Seeing again his fierce devotion to their family reignited Yuna's courage. The next time her father darkened their doorstep, the police led him away.
In the weeks after, Yuna unpacked this painful reminder of her past with her therapist and Nick's unconditional support. She wrote down every awful memory until the sting began to fade. Telling her story released its remaining grip.
On the anniversary of the first ominous visit, Yuna lit a small bonfire in the backyard with Nick. One by one, they fed the forged pages of her past into cleansing flames until every haunting remnant had turned to smoke and ash lifted by the breeze.
Watching the dark words disappear in a flash of light, Yuna finally exhaled, feeling part of her soul unburden too. The ashes would nourish new flowers come spring. She was done allowing old ghosts to poison the present. Their hold on her was gone at last, thanks to the healing power of unconditional love.