Emma paced her apartment, the necklace and note lying untouched on the table. The sight of them made her skin crawl.
Her mind raced. He knew where she lived. That realization alone made her feel exposed, vulnerable. She double-checked the locks on her door, then checked them again.
Lisa's words from earlier echoed in her head: Establish clear boundaries.
Emma knew she had to make it unequivocally clear to Ethan that his attention was unwanted. But the thought of confronting him made her stomach churn. What if it only made things worse?
She grabbed her phone and called Lisa.
"He sent me a gift," Emma said the moment Lisa picked up.
"What?" Lisa's voice was sharp. "Emma, that's serious. He knows where you live?"
Emma nodded, even though Lisa couldn't see her. "Yes. I don't know how, but he does."
"You need to report this," Lisa said firmly. "Take the note and the necklace to the police. This isn't something you can ignore anymore."
Emma hesitated. "What if they don't take me seriously?"
"Then make them take you seriously," Lisa said. "You've done everything right so far—documenting everything, calling them. This is proof that he's crossing boundaries."
Emma swallowed hard. "You're right. I'll go tomorrow."
Lisa's voice softened. "Do you want me to come with you?"
Emma felt a surge of gratitude. "I'd really appreciate that."
---
The next morning, Emma and Lisa sat in a small room at the police station. Officer Ramirez listened intently as Emma recounted everything, from the first meeting at the coffee shop to the package she'd received the night before.
She handed over the necklace and note, her hands trembling slightly.
"This is definitely concerning," Officer Ramirez said. "You've done the right thing by coming here. We'll start by filing an official report. If he contacts you again or tries to approach you, let us know immediately."
"What about a restraining order?" Lisa asked.
Officer Ramirez nodded. "That's an option, but we'll need more evidence of persistent harassment or direct threats to issue one. However, this report helps build your case. In the meantime, stay vigilant and document any further contact."
Emma nodded, feeling a mix of relief and frustration. It wasn't the immediate action she'd hoped for, but it was something.
---
Ethan sat in his apartment, his phone in hand. He'd waited all day for a response from Emma. He knew she'd received the necklace—he'd seen her pick up the package through the building's lobby camera.
But there had been no call, no message. Nothing.
Ethan's jaw tightened as doubt crept in. Maybe she hadn't understood the gesture. Maybe she thought he wasn't serious.
He stared at her contact information on his phone. He'd never called her before, never crossed that line. But tonight, he couldn't help himself.
---
Emma was sitting on her couch, scrolling through her phone, when it rang. The number was unfamiliar.
Her heart sank. She didn't need to guess who it was.
With a deep breath, she answered. "Hello?"
"Emma," Ethan's voice came through, warm and steady. "It's me."
Her grip on the phone tightened. "Ethan. How did you get my number?"
There was a pause. "I have my ways," he said, his tone almost playful. "I've been trying to reach you. Did you get my gift?"
Emma's pulse raced. "Yes, I did. And I need you to stop, Ethan. This—everything you've been doing—it's making me uncomfortable."
"Uncomfortable?" he repeated, sounding genuinely puzzled. "Emma, I'm just trying to show you how much I care. Don't you see how perfect we are together?"
"We're not together," Emma said firmly, her voice rising. "We've never been together, and we never will be. You need to stop this. Now."
There was a long silence on the other end of the line.
"I see," Ethan said finally, his voice colder than before. "You don't understand yet. But you will."
Before Emma could respond, the line went dead.
She stared at her phone, her hands trembling.
For the first time, she felt truly afraid of what Ethan might do next.