MARY_OMONOWA

Modern dating is already a minefield, but nothing could have prepared Ellie for falling into a twisted love triangle with a ghost. When her seemingly perfect boyfriend, Ben, starts mumbling secrets to thin air and even forgets their anniversary, Ellie knows something is horribly off. Her worst fears come crashing down when she discovers that Victoria—Ben’s dashing, dead ex—is back from the grave, haunting him with a toxic mix of unresolved passion and vengeful unfinished business.

Determined not to lose the man she loves, Ellie embarks on a wild, chaotic journey to outwit this lovesick specter. As she digs deeper into Victoria’s murky past, Ellie uncovers a shocking truth: the ghost’s jealousy is only part of the nightmare. Victoria isn’t just stalking Ben—she’s trapped in an eternal limbo, doomed to suffer unless someone frees her from her own bitter chains. And now, Ellie must face the impossible challenge of saving not just her relationship, but a tortured soul from beyond the grave.

In this surreal battle where romance collides with the supernatural and dark humor, Ellie is forced to ask the unthinkable: Can love really transcend death, or is she doomed to become nothing more than an awkward, unwitting third wheel in a paranormal romance that defies all natural laws?

The ghost who stole my man

The wind howled through the apartment, though the windows were tightly shut. Ellie sat curled up on the couch, her fingers gripping the edges of Ben's old hoodie—the one that still smelled like him, the one she clung to for comfort. The air in the room felt wrong, like it was pressing against her skin, making it harder to breathe.

Ben had stepped out to grab food, leaving Ellie alone in their haunted battleground. Normally, she would have dreaded the silence, but tonight, she was ready.

"Come on, Victoria," Ellie whispered, her voice steady despite the fear slithering up her spine. "If you want to fight, let's fight."

A laugh echoed through the room—soft, seductive, chilling. The lights flickered, and a sudden weight pressed down on Ellie's chest, making her gasp.

"You think you can fight me?" Victoria's voice coiled around her ears, invisible fingers trailing down her arm, making Ellie's skin crawl. "You're just a placeholder, Ellie. A temporary distraction while Ben mourns me."

Ellie clenched her fists. "Mourns you? He's moved on. You're the one who can't let go."

Victoria's presence grew colder. "Is that what he told you?"

Ellie's pulse spiked. "What do you mean?"

A gust of wind sent papers flying off the table. Ellie's eyes locked onto the mirror across the room. A shadow formed—a figure taking shape in the dim reflection. Victoria stood there, ethereal and terrifyingly beautiful, her ghostly lips curved into something between amusement and malice.

"You should ask Ben about our last night together," Victoria purred. "Ask him if he ever truly let me go. Ask him about the promise he made."

Ellie swallowed the lump in her throat. Lies. Tricks. That's all Victoria had—mind games.

"Ben loves me," Ellie shot back, lifting her chin. "He chose me."

Victoria tilted her head. "Did he?"

The room suddenly filled with a suffocating warmth, like a slow-burning fire. The scent of roses and candle wax filled the air—a scent Ellie recognized. It was Victoria's perfume.

Ellie spun around just as the front door opened.

Ben stood in the doorway, his face pale, eyes wide with an emotion Ellie couldn't place.

But her voice still lingered, a whisper that slithered into Ellie's ear like poisoned silk.

"Ask him, Ellie. If you dare."

Ben took a hesitant step inside, setting the food down on the counter. His hands trembled.

Ellie's heart pounded as she met his gaze. "What did you promise her, Ben?"

Chapter 31: Shadows of Desire