The early morning sun filtered through the curtains, casting soft golden hues across the room. Celia stirred in bed, the weight of her growing pregnancy making her movements slow and cautious. She winced as a sharp pain shot through her back—something that had become all too familiar in recent weeks. Her hand instinctively moved to her stomach, gently cradling the life inside her.
Three months had passed since she had walked away from her old life, from Ezra, from the lies and betrayal that had shattered her. She should have felt liberated—free from the suffocating grip of his world. But instead, she often found herself overwhelmed by a gnawing fear that lurked just beneath the surface of her thoughts.
Ezra still haunted her.
His face, his voice, the way he'd looked at her that day when he signed the divorce papers—cold, detached, and believing every word of Zara's lies—those memories played on a loop in her mind. She hated him for how easily he'd let her go, for how easily he had believed she'd betrayed him. But even more than that, she hated herself for still thinking about him at all.
With a sigh, Celia pushed herself up in bed, glancing at the clock on her nightstand. 7:30 AM. She needed to get ready for work. She was already cutting her hours at the café to prepare for the twins' arrival, but the small paycheck still mattered. It was a far cry from the luxury she'd once known, but it was honest work—and most importantly, it kept her hidden.
She swung her legs over the side of the bed and slowly stood, stretching to relieve the tension in her lower back. The twins had been more active recently, their movements a constant reminder that soon, her life would change forever. She felt both excited and terrified by the prospect of motherhood, especially when she thought about raising them on her own.
A soft knock at the door interrupted her thoughts.
Celia froze, her heart racing as she stared at the door. It was too early for visitors, and no one ever came by unannounced. She held her breath, her mind racing with the possibilities. Could it be Ezra? Had he finally found her?
For a long moment, she remained still, listening for any other sounds. When the knock came again, slightly louder this time, she gathered her courage and slowly walked toward the door.
"Who is it?" she called, her voice steady despite the rapid beating of her heart.
"It's Lana," came the familiar voice from the other side. "Open up, girl."
Celia let out a breath of relief as she unlocked the door and pulled it open. Lana stood in the hallway, dressed in her usual chic business attire, her auburn curls perfectly styled as always. She was holding two large paper cups of coffee, a sympathetic smile on her face.
"I figured you could use a caffeine-free pick-me-up," Lana said, walking past Celia and setting the coffees on the small kitchen table.
Celia closed the door and followed her friend inside. "You didn't have to do that."
"I know," Lana replied, her tone light. "But I thought I'd check in on you before I head to work. How are you feeling?"
"Exhausted," Celia admitted with a small smile as she sat down at the table. "And these twins aren't making it any easier."
Lana sat across from her, watching her carefully. "You're doing great, Celia. I mean it. I know this is hard, but you're strong. Stronger than you realize."
Celia glanced down at her cup, her fingers tracing the rim absentmindedly. She didn't feel strong. She felt like she was barely holding it together most days.
"How's work going?" Lana asked, trying to steer the conversation into lighter territory.
"It's fine," Celia said with a shrug. "Just busy enough to keep me distracted."
Lana hesitated for a moment before speaking again, her voice lowering. "And… any word from him?"
Celia's grip on the cup tightened. She didn't need to ask who him was. Ezra had become a ghost in their conversations, an unspoken presence that lingered even when they tried to avoid talking about him.
"No," she said quietly. "And I'd like to keep it that way."
Lana nodded, her expression softening. "Good. You deserve better than him, Celia. After everything he put you through…"
Celia swallowed hard, the familiar sting of betrayal rising in her chest. She wished it were that simple, that she could just erase Ezra from her heart as easily as she had walked out of his life. But even now, despite everything, there was a part of her that still longed for the man she had once loved—the man she thought he was.
"I'm trying," she murmured, her voice barely above a whisper. "But it's not easy."
Lana reached across the table and squeezed her hand. "I know. But you'll get through this. And you're not alone, okay? You have me, and soon you'll have those two little ones to keep you company."
Celia managed a small smile, grateful for her friend's support. "Thanks, Lana."
They sat in comfortable silence for a few moments, sipping their drinks. But as the quiet stretched on, Celia couldn't shake the uneasy feeling that had settled over her since the knock on the door. She hadn't told Lana about the strange sensation she'd had last night, the feeling of being watched. It seemed paranoid, irrational even. But deep down, she couldn't ignore the gnawing suspicion that someone—or something—was closing in on her.
---
Later that Evening
The sky had darkened into a deep indigo by the time Celia returned from work. The café had been unusually busy, and her feet ached from standing all day. She fumbled with her keys at the door, her mind preoccupied with the long list of things she needed to do before the twins arrived.
As she stepped inside, the same cold, unsettling feeling washed over her again—the sense that something was off.
Her eyes scanned the room, her heartbeat quickening. Everything looked the same, just as it had when she'd left that morning. The furniture was in place, the curtains drawn, and the air held the faint scent of lavender from the diffuser she kept by the window.
But something wasn't right.
Celia's hand hovered over her belly protectively as she moved further into the apartment, her senses on high alert. She couldn't pinpoint exactly what was wrong, but the hairs on the back of her neck stood up, her instincts screaming that she wasn't alone.
She froze when she saw it—a small envelope sitting on the coffee table.
Her breath caught in her throat. She hadn't left anything there before she left for work. The table had been clear. Slowly, she approached the envelope, her hands trembling as she picked it up.
There was no name, no address, no markings at all.
With shaking fingers, she tore open the envelope and pulled out a single sheet of paper. Her eyes scanned the words, her heart pounding in her chest as the message sank in.
You can't hide forever.
Celia's blood ran cold. She dropped the letter as if it had burned her, stumbling back in shock. Her mind raced with questions, but there was one overriding thought—someone had been inside her apartment. Someone had been watching her.
Ezra.
He had found her.
Suddenly, the world seemed to close in around her. The safety she had fought so hard to create was gone, shattered in an instant. She had to get out—she had to protect her babies.
Grabbing her phone, she dialed Lana's number with trembling hands. It rang once, twice, and then Lana picked up.
"Celia? What's wrong?"
"I—I need help," Celia whispered, her voice barely steady. "He found me, Lana. I think… I think Ezra found me."
---
Across the City
Ezra stood on the balcony of his penthouse, staring out at the glittering skyline. The city never slept, its constant hum of life and energy mirroring the storm inside his mind.
He had spent months trying to ignore the gnawing pull that dragged him back to Celia. He had tried to bury his guilt, his regret, beneath layers of work and distractions. But no matter how hard he tried, she remained a constant presence in his thoughts—a reminder of the mistakes he had made, the truth he had refused to see.
He clenched his jaw as the familiar ache returned to his chest. He had tried to move on with Zara, tried to convince himself that he didn't need Celia anymore. But the more he tried to forget her, the more his heart betrayed him.
Celia had always been his weakness.
And now, after all these months, he couldn't help but wonder if it was too late to make things right.
He reached into his pocket, pulling out his phone. His fingers hovered over the screen for a moment before he opened the latest message from Vince.
We found her.
Ezra's pulse quickened as he read the words. He had known it was only a matter of time before Celia slipped back into his life. She was too important, too much a part of him, to stay hidden forever.
But now that he had found her, he wasn't sure what to do next.
Did he go to her? Did he demand answers? Did he beg for her forgiveness?
Or did he simply watch from a distance, waiting for the moment when he could finally make her his again?
One way or another, Ezra knew that this wasn't over.
Not by a long shot.