CHAPTER 5

As soon as the officers left, I wasted no time. I grabbed my phone and dialed Garry’s number, my hands still shaking. Garry was one of the few people I knew who wouldn’t bombard me with questions or tell me I was overreacting. He was a no-nonsense kind of guy, someone I could rely on when I needed something done fast.

The phone rang twice before he picked up.

“Yo, Soph. What’s up?”

I took a deep breath, trying to steady my voice. “Garry, I need a favor. Can you come over and change my locks? Like, right now?”

There was a short pause. “What happened?”

I sighed, running a hand through my hair. “I’ll explain later. Just—please, I need this done ASAP.”

Another beat of silence, then a sigh from his end. “Alright, I’ll be there in twenty.”

I let out a breath of relief. “Thanks, Garry.”

Hanging up, I paced around my living room, my thoughts racing. My home—my supposed safe place—no longer felt safe. I felt exposed, vulnerable. It wasn’t just the fact that someone had been in my house. It was the how. No signs of a break-in, no broken locks or windows. It meant whoever this was had access. It meant they had power over me, and I hated that feeling.

I walked back into my bedroom, hesitating at the sight of the teddy bear still lying on the floor. The note was beside it, the words taunting me. Did you like my gift? I thought you needed something to hold at night. You looked lonely.

A shiver ran down my spine. How long has he been watching me? The thought made my stomach turn.

I forced myself to move, grabbing the teddy bear and shoving it into a trash bag. I didn’t care if it was evidence—I didn’t want it in my house.

A knock at the door startled me. My heart jumped, but when I peeked through the peephole and saw Garry’s familiar face, I quickly let out a breath and opened the door.

He took one look at me and frowned. “You look like you’ve seen a ghost.”

“Something like that,” I muttered, stepping aside so he could enter.

He set down his toolbox and got to work without another word, just like I knew he would. I leaned against the wall, watching as he removed the old locks, replacing them with new ones.

“You’re gonna tell me what’s going on, right?” he asked after a while, not looking up from his work.

I sighed, rubbing my temples. “Someone was in my house, Garry. And I don’t know how they got in.”

His hands paused for a fraction of a second before he continued. “That why the cops were here?”

“Yeah.”

He didn’t say anything else, but I could tell he was pissed. When he finished, he handed me a set of new keys.

“No one gets in unless you let them in now.”

I nodded, gripping the keys tightly. If only it were that simple.

“Thanks, you’re a lifesaver,” I said, offering Garry a small, tired smile.

He nodded, his expression serious. “If he breaks in again, give me a call, okay?”

I knew Garry meant it. He wasn’t just saying it to make me feel better—he would drop everything and come running if I needed him. He had always been like an older brother to me, protective in ways I didn’t even realize I needed. And right now, knowing I had someone like him on my side gave me a small sense of comfort.

“I will,” I promised, gripping the new keys tightly in my palm.

His sharp gaze lingered on me for a moment longer before he finally sighed and pulled me into a brief but firm hug. “Be careful, Soph,” he muttered before stepping back.

I nodded, watching as he got into his truck and drove off. The sound of his engine faded into the distance, leaving behind an eerie silence that seemed to settle over my house like a heavy fog.

I let out a deep breath, trying to convince myself that I was safe now. New locks. He can’t get in. But the thought barely reassured me. Whoever this man was, he had managed to get in before—without breaking anything. That meant he was skilled, experienced, and had access to things he shouldn’t.

The idea sent a shiver crawling up my spine.

I shook my head, trying to push away the paranoia. Maybe it’s over now. Maybe changing the locks is enough to keep him out. But deep down, I wasn’t so sure.

Stepping back inside, I locked the door behind me, double-checking it before heading to the windows. I made sure every single one was locked, checking twice just to be sure.

By the time I was done, exhaustion settled heavily in my bones. The stress of the past two days had drained me completely, and I needed a break—both physically and mentally.

I made my way to the bathroom, turning on the hot water. The steam quickly filled the small space, fogging up the mirror. Stripping off my clothes, I stepped into the shower, letting the scalding water wash over me.

I closed my eyes, inhaling deeply. For the first time in hours, I felt myself relax. The heat eased the tension in my muscles, and for a few moments, I let myself believe that everything would be okay.

But then my mind wandered back to the teddy bear. The note. The way he had been inside my house without me even realizing it.

My fingers clenched into fists, and I forced myself to take another deep breath. He won’t get in again.

Still, the thought of him standing in my bedroom, touching my things, watching me while I was completely unaware, sent a wave of unease through me.

I finished my shower quickly, drying off and pulling on a pair of shorts and a loose t-shirt. I barely had the energy to think anymore—I just needed sleep.

Climbing into bed, I pulled the covers up to my chin, my eyes drifting toward the window. The outside world was dark, the trees swaying gently in the breeze. For a brief moment, I imagined him out there, standing in the shadows, watching.

I quickly shut my eyes. Stop it, Sophia. You’re safe. You changed the locks. He can’t get in.

I repeated the words over and over in my head, using them like a mantra until sleep finally, finally pulled me under.

I was woken up by my phone ringing tirelessly. The loud vibration against my nightstand pulled me from my sleep, making me groan in frustration. My eyes were still heavy, my body aching from exhaustion. I barely had the energy to roll over and check who it was, but when I did, my heart sank a little.

Mom.

Shit. I forgot to call her today.

I sat up quickly, rubbing my face as I grabbed my phone. The bright screen glared at me in the darkness, the time reading 11:04 PM. Mom was probably freaking out by now. She never liked it when I skipped our check-in calls, especially at night.

Taking a deep breath, I answered the call, trying to sound as steady and cheerful as possible. “Hey, Mom.”

“You idiot!” she scolded immediately. “I have been trying to reach you for ages! My dear, you had me worried sick!”

I winced at her tone, feeling a pang of guilt. I knew how protective she was, and with me living alone in an isolated house, she always feared the worst. If she ever found out about the stalker situation, she’d probably pack her bags and drive over here in the middle of the night to drag me home.

“I’m fine, Mom. I promise,” I said quickly, forcing a yawn as if I had just woken up from a peaceful nap. “I was just tired. Too much schoolwork. I laid down for a quick nap, and I guess I didn’t hear my phone ring.”

There was a brief pause before she sighed heavily. “Sophia, you scared me. You know how I get when you don’t pick up. I thought something happened to you.”

I could hear the genuine panic in her voice, and my chest tightened. I really did feel bad for making her worry. Mom had always been protective, but after Grandma passed away and I insisted on living in her house, she had become even more overbearing.

“I know, I’m sorry. I’ll be more careful next time.”

“You better be.” She huffed before her tone softened. “Your dad is at his sister’s place tonight. Lorraine fell down the stairs yesterday, but she’s fine.”

My eyebrows shot up. “Oh my God. Is she really okay?”

“She’s fine,” Mom said with an amused tone. “A few bruises, nothing serious.”

There was silence between us for a moment, and then suddenly, we both burst out laughing. We knew exactly why.

It wasn’t that we wished anything bad on Aunt Lorraine—it was just… karma.

Aunt Lorraine had never liked my mom. Ever since my dad married her, she had done everything in her power to break them up. She wanted my dad to marry one of her friends instead, and when he didn’t, she made it her mission to be the worst sister-in-law imaginable. She constantly made snide remarks, undermined my mom, and even tried to turn my dad’s side of the family against her.

Naturally, she didn’t like me either. I was the spitting image of my mother, and that was enough reason for her to resent me.

“She must be pissed that she fell in her own house,” I said through laughter.

“Oh, furious,” Mom confirmed, chuckling. “She was already blaming the staircase, the rug, and even the lighting.”

I rolled my eyes. “Of course, she won’t admit it was her own fault.”

“Never,” Mom agreed. “But before I say something horrible about her, let’s just change the topic.”

“Yeah, definitely.”

We spent the next few minutes talking about normal things—how my studies were going, if I was eating properly, and of course, the inevitable question that came up every time we talked:

“So, do you have a boyfriend yet?”

I groaned, flopping back onto my pillow. “Mom…”

“What?” she said, feigning innocence. “I just want to know if my daughter has finally decided to put herself out there!”

I sighed. “No, Mom. I don’t have a boyfriend.”

“Why not? You’re beautiful, smart, and independent. You should be dating.”

“Mom, I have school. I don’t have time to date.”

“That’s an excuse,” she scolded. “You can make time if you want to. Carol is always going out and having fun. You should do the same.”

I shook my head. “Carol is different. She likes casual flings. I’m not into that.”

Mom sighed dramatically. “You young people. Always overcomplicating things. Back in my day—”

“Oh God,” I cut her off, laughing. “Please don’t start with the ‘back in my day’ speech.”

She laughed too. “Fine, fine. I won’t lecture you tonight.”

“Thank you,” I said with relief.

“But you do know you’re not getting any younger, right?”

“Mom.”

“Alright, alright! I’ll stop.” She paused before lowering her voice slightly. “But you do deserve to be happy, sweetheart.”

The sincerity in her voice made my heart ache a little.

“I know, Mom. And I am happy. I promise.”

She let out a small sigh. “As long as you really are.”

I didn’t answer. Because truthfully, I wasn’t sure if I was happy or if I was just surviving.

After talking a little longer, Mom finally let me go, making me swear to call her tomorrow morning. I promised her I would, and after saying our goodbyes, I hung up the phone.

The house was silent again.

I set my phone down on my nightstand and turned over in bed, pulling the blankets up to my chin. The conversation with Mom had been a nice distraction, but now that I was alone again, I felt the familiar unease creep back in.

I glanced toward the window. The outside world was nothing but darkness, the trees swaying in the wind.

For a brief moment, I had the terrifying thought that he was out there. Watching. Waiting.

I swallowed hard and shut my eyes.

Stop it, Sophia. You changed the locks. He can’t get in.

I repeated the words over and over in my mind, willing myself to believe them.

But the truth was, I wasn’t sure if I ever really would.