Audrey pov:-
As soon as I turned around, I didn't hesitate—I ran without looking back, but suddenly, I collided with someone. Someone was standing right at my door. My scream tore from my throat instinctively, and almost immediately, the lights in the room flickered on. I kept screaming, hands clamped over my ears, eyes squeezed shut. My mind was blank, overwhelmed by fear and shock. It felt as if I was about to die right then and there.
Then I heard a shrill, mocking laugh, followed by a cruel, screeching voice sneering, "I never thought you'd turn out to be such a coward." I froze, my veins bulging, my eyes turning red with rage.
"Diana," I spat, voice trembling with fury. "How did you get into my house? No—why are you even here?"
She smiled wickedly, a sinister glint in her eyes. "If you don't know, then that's your problem. You haven't even changed the locks yet—at least you could've done that. Or are you still that careless?" She started walking inside as if this was her home, her territory.
Anger surged through me. I grabbed her arm fiercely. "What are you doing here? Leave now, before Ethan sees you." But she slipped free easily, like a serpent, and sneered,
"What's wrong? Are you bothering your husband? Stupid girl." Her mocking tone was laced with contempt, as if she was deliberately trying to humiliate me.
"Get out of here, Diana. I don't want to see you in this house," I said, my voice trembling but firm. My eyes darted nervously toward Ethan. He was standing at the doorway, wide-eyed, sweat pouring down his face—probably having seen the sudden light and come rushing in. I turned back to Diana, my voice sharp.
"Go away now. I don't want to see you or hear from you again. And thank you for reminding me—I will change the locks. When someone like you enters this house, it feels tainted, impure."
She chuckled bitterly.
"What a change of heart you've had. Ethan, you never liked that trashy girl, did you? Looks like I'm good enough for you after all. You still have a choice."
Her words dripped with sarcasm, but I didn't hesitate. Seeing Ethan's restless expression, I pushed her out with all my strength.
Strangely, despite her taller stature, she went gently behind my push, as if she was just here to cause trouble. She laughed again, cold and cruel.
"Did you guys see my gift?" she sneered.
"What gift?" I asked, my voice trembling. I remembered the strange, ominous present she had sent me on our wedding anniversary—a gift I'd dismissed as meaningless. But now, I wondered—was she behind all these strange incidents? Could it be her way of expressing anger, jealousy, or hatred for Ethan's decision to marry me? I knew from Ethan's words that she might be capable of anything. She was the reason Ethan always insisted we refrain from intimacy before marriage—his intelligence and caution didn't stop her from pushing boundaries.
She was capable of anything. A woman like her could openly accuse her own boyfriend of heinous crimes; she was unpredictable. That was probably why Ethan was so cautious, so guarded. I pushed her out of the house and slammed the door behind her. She laughed, a cold, derisive sound.
"You're so stupid! You were so scared of my gift that you wandered around like a frightened cat. Honestly, I was so happy to see your reaction. I don't understand how a brave man like Ethan married a timid, clueless girl like you."
I shot back, venomous: "At least I'm not an adult film star like you. I don't work in shady B-grade movies—I have a decent job."
Her face paled with anger at my words. Without warning, she grabbed a large hosepipe nearby, pointed it at me, and snarled, "How dare you talk to me like that?"
Panicking, I darted towards the door. "You're crazy. If I see you near my house again, I won't hesitate to get a restraining order. Remember—my husband's a detective."
She sneered. "Go tell your husband that if he's not willing to share all his secrets, then he's just as stupid as you."
Her voice was venomous, but then she suddenly slammed her hand down and left, leaving me shaken but relieved I had managed to fend her off—for now.
I finally closed the window, feeling a strange mixture of relief and unease. I threw the bouquet of lilies into the trash. Ethan hated lilies—probably because they are connected to HER. He hated them, just like he hates her. I looked at him sitting on the sofa, exhausted from the confrontation.
I moved closer, took his hand gently, and said, "I didn't expect her to come in like that."
He looked at me, calm but tired. "It's not your fault," he said softly.
I held his hand, feeling the weight of everything. The news played on the TV, sometimes changing channels, as he sat lost in thought. Finally, he turned off the TV, set the remote aside, and began speaking, his voice heavy with emotion.
"Diana and I were together for three or four years. We fought constantly. I just wanted to keep her out of trouble, keep her safe. But then she started uploading videos of her and of us on adult sites—things I never agreed to. When I confronted her, she threatened to ruin my career. She caused a huge scene at the department, and I lost. All my anger poured out as I slapped her. But then she does something even lower. She accused me of a serious sexual offense and ended up being suspended for three months. Humiliated, broken—she did all that just for revenge, without caring how it would destroy me."
His voice faltered slightly as he looked away.
"There's more. She once told me that even if I married again, she'd come back one day, first to remove my wife from my life, then to turn everything upside down. That's what scares me the most."
I saw a rare sadness in his eyes—something I hadn't seen before. For the first time in a long while, I understood the depth of his pain. I realized who might be behind all these recent troubles. Now I could brace myself and prepare for what's to come.