Sophia's heart racing, she stared at the message on her phone, her mind reeling with possibilities. How had Ethan found her? What did he want?
She knew she couldn't ignore the message, couldn't pretend she hadn't seen it. Ethan would only escalate his efforts to contact her, to manipulate her.
Sophia took a deep breath, trying to calm her racing thoughts. She needed a plan, a way to protect herself from Ethan's wrath.
As she paced back and forth in her apartment, Sophia's eyes fell on the painting she'd bought from Rachel's gallery. The woman in the painting seemed to be watching her, her eyes filled with a deep understanding.
Sophia felt a sense of resolve wash over her. She knew she couldn't face Ethan alone, but she also knew she couldn't let him win. She needed to find a way to stand up to him, to reclaim her life.
Just as Sophia was starting to feel a sense of determination, her phone buzzed again. This time, it was a call from Emma.
"Sophia, I've been trying to reach you," Emma said, her voice tight with worry. "Ethan's been calling me nonstop, demanding to know where you are. I think he's getting desperate."
Sophia's heart sank. She knew Ethan's desperation was a bad sign, knew it meant he was capable of anything.
"I know," Sophia said, trying to keep her voice steady. "He just sent me a message, demanding to talk to me."
Emma's gasp was audible. "What are you going to do?"
Sophia took a deep breath, trying to think clearly. "I don't know yet, but I know I need to do something. I need to protect myself from Ethan's wrath."
As Sophia talked to Emma, she felt a sense of resolve wash over her. She knew she couldn't face Ethan alone, but with Emma's help, she might just have a chance to reclaim her life.
But as she hung up the phone, Sophia couldn't shake the feeling that the shadows were closing in around her, that Ethan was getting closer and closer.