Chapter 0004
I LOVE YOU, ELENA
ELENA..
There's no one there. I guess it's the neighbor's doorbell," I said, closing the door, feigning calmness. I couldn't let Evan know who was at the door. I couldn't let him hear Ryan's voice or even suspect that he had come to the house.
Evan stared at me suspiciously as I hurried back into the room to get ready. "Who was it, Elena?" he asked, his voice deep and sharp.
"No one." I said again, brushing past him as I grabbed my bag. My heart was pounding, but I kept my expression neutral.
Ryan had followed me home again. He was like a shadow I couldn't shake off, and his presence put me in constant danger. Evan's temper was a ticking time bomb, and Ryan was the match.
It had only been a few days since I'd been released from the hospital. Another miscarriage - my fifth in two years. But the physical pain wasn't the worst of it. Evan's anger after that night with Diva had left me broken inside and out. I had been granted a few days off work to recover, though I lied about the real reason for my absence. Not even Diva, my closest friend, knew the truth.
I loved my job, and I couldn't let Evan destroy the one thing that kept me sane, but Ryan's appearance at my door this morning threatened everything. I lied to keep my sanity, I couldn't let Evan's demons take that away from me.
"I'm on my way," I told Evan, trying to sound normal as I slipped out the door.
"Take care, my love," he said, kissing my forehead. But there was no warmth in his touch, no sincerity in his words. It was cold and cruel.
I nodded, faking a smile, and got into my car. As I drove to school, anger bubbled beneath my fear. "Was Ryan trying to get me killed?" I muttered to myself. "Showing up at my house with flowers - Is this some kind of game for him?" I thought to myself.
My frustration had turned to cold determination by the time I got to school.
The classroom was buzzing with activity as I walked in, but as soon as they saw me, they fell silent. Whispers buzzed like flies as I made my way to the front.
"Good morning, everyone," I said, forcing a smile.
The lecture started, but my attention kept drifting. Ryan was on his seat in the back, staring at me with a mixture of defiance and longing.
He kept raising his hand and I ignored him. Finally I gave in, "He was part of the class, wasn't he?"
"Yes, Ryan?"
"I heard you were in the hospital. Are you feeling better now?" he asked, concern in his tone.
I felt the blood drain from my face. "I'm fine, as you can see," I said curtly, trying to hide my anger. "Any other questions?"
Ryan's eyes lingered on me, but he said nothing more..
When the class was over, I went to my office. I leaned back in my chair and wondered what I was going to do about Ryan. Moments later, the door flew open, interrupting my thoughts. I turned to see who it was and there was none other than my husband, Evan.
"Evan? What are you doing here?" I asked, my voice shaking as my heart raced.
He was holding a crumpled bunch of flowers.
"You cheap bitch," he hissed, his voice deep and dangerous. "Did you think I wouldn't find out? Sleeping with one of your students?"
My blood ran cold. How did he get the flowers? I thought to myself.
"Evan, I swear I don't know what you're talking about," I stammered, moving away from my seat as he approached.
"Don't lie to me!" he shouted, slamming the flowers on my desk. "He brought these to you this morning, didn't he?"
"Evan, please! I don't know who brought these flowers. They weren't for me!" I lied, my voice shaking.
He came closer, his face contorted with rage. "Do you think I'm stupid? Don't make me kill you, Elena," he roared as his hands grabbed my throat, choking me.
"Evan, you're hurting me," I choked, struggling to get his hands off me.
He stared into my eyes, his anger blazing. Then, suddenly, he let go of me.
"This isn't over," he growled, throwing the flowers at me and storming out.
I collapsed into my chair, gasping for breath, tears streaming down my face. How much longer could I live like this? I asked myself.
Still lost in my thoughts, a knock at the door startled me. Before I could answer, the door creaked open and Ryan walked in.
"Why are you here?" I snapped, wiping away my tears.
"What happened? Are you crying?" he asked, his face filled with concern.
"Don't act like you care!" I shot back. "This is all your fault, Ryan! Showing up at my house, sending me flowers—do you want me to die?" I asked.
Ryan looked stunned. "I didn't mean to cause trouble. I just—"
"Just stop!" I interrupted. "Don't come near me. Don't send me gifts. Don't say anything to me ever again!"
"I can't," he said quietly.
I froze. "What do you mean, you can't?"
"I love you, Elena," he said, his voice trembling.
I stared at him in disbelief. "Love? You don't even know what that word means. This isn't love, Ryan. It's obsession. I'm your teacher. I'm old enough to be your aunt! Just leave me alone!"
Ryan's shoulders dropped, but he did not leave. Instead, he bent down and began picking up the files that Evan had thrown across the floor in his rage.
"Stop," I said, grabbing his arm. "I can never love you, Ryan. Go away."
His eyes met mine, tears welling up. After a long moment, he stood up and walked away.
As the door clicked shut, I collapsed into my chair, exhausted. But then I noticed something on my desk—a crumpled envelope Evan had left behind with the flowers.
With trembling hands, I opened it.
Inside was a note scrawled in jagged handwriting:
"I will not warn you again. Leave Ryan, or next time I will not just watch."
A shiver down my spine. The handwriting wasn't Evan's.
I didn't have time to process the message before my phone buzzed with a new notification. A photo.
It was me in the classroom earlier that day, Ryan's hand raised to ask a question.The message beneath it read:
" I am watching you."
I stared at my phone and the note wondering who could be behind all of this. I wasn't doing anything with Ryan.
The world felt like it was closing in. Who was watching me? I thought to myself.
Who was the note from? And why did it feel like Evan, Ryan, and I were all being manipulated like pawns on someone else's chessboard?
And then, I realized something even more chilling: the photo wasn't taken from inside the classroom.
It was taken from outside the window.
" What do they want from me?" I asked, muttering to myself.