Chapter 80


    Timothy’s words about his challenging childhood had sparked a curiosity within me, a desire to


    understand theyers that he guarded so fiercely.


    I couldn’t help but wonder if his childhood secrets mirrored my own – dark, sleepless days with only


    small glimmers of joy in the mix. It was clear that his past was a realm he kept well- hidden.


    ―


    As I smoothed on a rich moisturizer, I pondered the significance of his fleeting confession. A strict


    father, an absence of fun these were mere fragments of a story that begged to be illuminated. But


    how could I breach the walls he had erected, a challenge that seemed as daunting as my own


    struggles with vulnerability?


    The moon’s gentle radiance cast a silvery glow across my room as I slipped into bed. I closed my


    eyes and allowed the weight of the day to settle. Timothy’s guarded past was a puzzle that tugged


    at my thoughts, a mystery that I was determined to unravel, not just for my own curiosity, but for the


    connection that I sensed between us.


    Just as I was about to shut my eyes, my phone lit up on the nightstand. The unexpected ring jerked


    me out of my state of calm, prompting me to answer with a quick swipe. “Hello?” “Evie, it’s Penny,”


    came her voice, sharp and focused.


    I sat up against the headboard, a brief yawning over me. “Penny, it’ste. What’s going on?”


    There was a moment of hesitation before Penny spoke, her tone measured. “I’ve been keeping an


    eye on the apartment area, and I noticed something… off. There’s a woman who’s been lurking


    around, but she hasn’t actually gone inside any of the buildings.”


    A shiver danced down my spine as her words sank in. “A woman? Can you describe her?” Penny


    hummed. “She’s pretty far away, so I can’t get too specific. She’s thin, with really long hair, and


    she’s wearing dark clothes.”


    My heart quickened. There was a certain woman that had been around out apartments before, her


    hair long and her body stick–thin. I bit my lip and looked at the empty velvet box that rested on my


    nightstand.


    With the way she’d attempted to pick Timothy’s lock, it didn’t seem too far-


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    12:23 Fri, 22 Mar O


    fetched that she


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    could scale her way into a gatedmunity and pick the lock to my home… And steal my gift.


    Penny’s voice held a note of concern. “Do you know who it could be?”


    I took a deep breath. “I have my suspicions.”


    Penny’s next words wereced with determination. “I can keep an eye on her if


    want.”


    I sighed. “Would you, Penny? Make sure she’s still in sight, because I’ming down.”


    “On it!” she agreed.


    As I hung up the phone, I felt a mixture of apprehension and resolve settle over me. With Aria


    already in bed, I needed to handle this situation quietly. I slipped out of the apartment, the cool night


    air sending a shiver down my spine as I headed toward the outdoor area.


    you


    Penny stood near the gate area, her posture alert as she scanned the surroundings. “She’s been


    moving around so quickly, but she’s still here,” Penny reported as I approached. “Come on, then,” I


    told her, already pacing forth. “I want to catch her while we still can.”


    The cold night air nipped at my skin as I walked with Penny through the dimly lit pathways of the


    apartmentplex. The gravity of the situation weighed heavily on my heart, and I wondered how


    dangerous this idea might have been. Linda didn’t seem like just any obsessed fan, her actions far


    surpassing instability.


    Penny’s steps were purposeful, her eyes scanning the shadows for any sign of movement. I could


    tell that she was experienced in this line of work, her instincts finely tuned to detect even the


    slightest anomaly. As we approached the dumpster area, a flicker of movement caught my eye,


    and my heart raced in anticipation.


    “There she is,” Penny whispered, her voice barely audible above the rustling of the night breeze.


    Linda was standing a few feet away, her posture tense and defensive. Her disheveled


    appearance seemed to blend seamlessly with the darkness. I steadied my breaths as we closed


    the distance, losing my resolve with each step.


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    Fri, 22 Mar


    As we approached Linda, her gaze shifted from Penny to me, her eyes a mix of defiance and


    unease. “What do you want?”


    I took a deep breath, my voice steady as I responded, “We want to know why you’ve been lurking


    around here.”


    Linda’s dismissive shrug did little to mask the unease in her expression. “Just unease in her


    expression. “Just passing by. What’s it to you?”


    I stepped forward, my voice firm. “Cut the act, Linda. I know you were in my apartment the other


    day.”


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    Linda’s eyes narrowed, a hint of vulnerability flickering in her gaze. “So what if I was?” Penny’s


    voice cut through the tension, her tone sharp. “Well, that’s illegal, for starters.” Linda’s bravado


    wavered, a hint of uncertainty dancing across her features. Her eyes darted around, searching for a


    proper escape route that could evade Penny and I.


    My patience was wearing thin. “Did you take something from my apartment, Linda?”


    A sinister smile yed at the corners of Linda’s lips, her fingers curling around something in her


    pocket. With a triumphant flourish, she pulled out the crystalline bnce and dangled it between her


    fingers. My breath caught in my throat, a surge of emotions welling up within me.


    N?vel/Dr(a)ma.Org - Content owner.


    “It was meant for me,” Linda dered, her voice infused with a strange mixture of desperation


    and entitlement.


    I scoffed. “Meant for you? That gift was for me.”


    Linda’s gaze turned defiant, her eyes aze with a fierce determination. “He would have given it to


    me had you not made him angry.”


    “Linda, for crying out loud,” I began, pinching the bridge of my nose. “Why would he even give you


    something like that? You don’t practicew.”


    Linda clutched the figure in her hands. I cringed as I heard its delicate pieces clink together. “I


    could if that’s what he likes in a girl,”


    Penny stepped forward, stuffing her hands in her pockets. “Timothy doesn’t care


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    12:23 Fri, 22 Mar


    about you like that, Linda. You need to let go of this obsession.”


    +5


    A flicker of doubt crossed Linda’s expression, her veneer of confidence cracking slightly. Her voice


    held a hint of desperation. “He does care. He just doesn’t know it yet.”


    Frustration and anger churned within me, but I managed to keep myposure. With a determined


    reach, I extended my hand toward her. “Give it back, Linda.”


    “Give it back?” she spat, her eye twitching. “You want me to give it back?”


    Before I could react, Linda’s expression twisted into a manic grin. In one swift motion, she raised


    the figure above her head and let it crash against the unforgiving concrete with a sickening crack.


    Time seemed to slow as the gift shattered, its contents reduced to a heartbreaking mess of broken


    ss.


    “Why would you do that?” I cried out, the ring of the crash barely out of my ears.


    Linda’sughter was chilling. “He cares about me. Fuck your stupid gift.”


    With onest contemptuous look, she turned and fled into the darkness.


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