Emma didn't sleep that night.
She replayed the interaction with Ethan in her mind, dissecting every word, every look, every pause. The way he had appeared at the bistro wasn't just a coincidence—she was sure of it now. And the way he lingered before leaving, as if he were waiting for something... It made her skin crawl.
By morning, her exhaustion had given way to determination. She wasn't going to let this escalate any further.
The first thing she did was call Lisa.
"I saw him again," Emma said, pacing her apartment as she held the phone to her ear.
"What?" Lisa's voice was sharp. "Where?"
"At the bistro last night. He showed up and acted like it was some happy coincidence. But Lisa, it wasn't. I know it wasn't."
Lisa's tone softened. "Emma, you need to document this. Write down everything—dates, times, places. If this keeps happening, you'll have a record to take to the police."
Emma stopped pacing, staring out the window at the street below. "You think it's that serious?"
"Do you?" Lisa countered.
Emma sighed. "I don't know. Maybe."
"Trust your instincts," Lisa said. "If you feel unsafe, don't ignore it."
Emma promised she would, and after hanging up, she grabbed a notebook and started writing. She detailed every interaction with Ethan, no matter how small. As she wrote, the timeline unfolded in front of her, and she realized just how often their paths had crossed.
The bookstore. The coffee shop. The bistro.
And now, as she stared at the page, she wondered how many times he'd been there without her noticing.
---
That evening, Emma decided to test her theory. She left her apartment and walked to the grocery store a few blocks away, her hood pulled up and her head down. She wasn't sure what she was looking for, but she felt a need to see if he would appear again.
The store was crowded, the hum of conversation blending with the beeping of checkout scanners. Emma moved through the aisles slowly, her eyes darting around as she grabbed items at random.
And then she saw him.
Ethan was in the produce section, examining a bag of apples. Her heart sank. She had taken a different route to the store, one she never used. There was no way this was a coincidence.
Emma turned sharply and ducked into the next aisle, her pulse racing. She needed to leave. Now.
But as she made her way to the self-checkout, she felt a presence behind her.
"Emma?"
She froze.
Turning slowly, she forced a smile. "Ethan. Hi."
"What a surprise," he said, his tone light but his eyes too focused. "I didn't know you shopped here."
"It's not my usual store," she said, her voice clipped.
"Fate again, I guess," he said with a laugh, though the sound sent a chill down her spine.
Emma didn't reply. Instead, she scanned her items as quickly as possible, her hands trembling slightly.
"You're in a hurry," Ethan said, stepping closer.
"I have to get home," she said, keeping her tone neutral.
Ethan nodded, but his eyes lingered on her, studying her face. "Maybe we could grab coffee sometime. Catch up properly."
Emma shook her head. "I'm really busy these days. Sorry."
Before he could say more, she grabbed her bag and walked out, her heart pounding.
---
That night, Emma didn't sleep again. She sat by her window, staring out at the street below. She felt trapped, as though her world had suddenly become smaller.
And across the street, Ethan watched her window from the shadows, his figure blending into the dark.
He told himself he was protecting her. That's what love was, wasn't it? Watching over someone, making sure they were safe?
Emma would understand eventually.
He just had to be patient.