Emily

I gave it to them, my voice barely a whisper, and then I quickly called Mark, trying to calm myself down. But I couldn't shake the feeling that something was very, very wrong. By the end of the day, the lead detective called me into a room one last time. He looked exhausted, his eyes red like he had been crying. He wouldn't even look at me directly. "'Emily,' he said, "'you need to be careful.'

Until we're sure David is locked up, you need to change your routine. Stay with friends if you can, and don't be alone. His voice cracked a little, and my fear spiked. He told me that David had been keeping a journal about me. A journal filled with pages and pages of his obsession. He wrote about how he thought we were meant to be together, and how my husband Mark was the problem. I felt sick.

Until we're sure David is locked up, you need to change your routine. Stay with friends if you can, and don't be alone. His voice cracked a little, and my fear spiked. He told me that David had been keeping a journal about me. A journal filled with pages and pages of his obsession. He wrote about how he thought we were meant to be together, and how my husband Mark was the problem. I felt sick.

The detective went on, explaining how David had planned to make it look like Mark was cheating on me. And then, my stomach twisted, David had written about how he would kill Mark, and after that, he would come for me. The detective's voice shook as he apologized for scaring me, but he needed me to understand how real the danger had been. I could barely breathe.

The detective went on, explaining how David had planned to make it look like Mark was cheating on me. And then, my stomach twisted, David had written about how he would kill Mark, and after that, he would come for me. The detective's voice shook as he apologized for scaring me, but he needed me to understand how real the danger had been. I could barely breathe.

All I could think about was David, sitting just a few desks away from me every day, smiling that empty smile while he planned to destroy my life. As I left the office that day, everything felt different. The people around me, the office I used to feel safe in, it all felt dark and threatening. I realized then that you could never really know the people around you.

All I could think about was David, sitting just a few desks away from me every day, smiling that empty smile while he planned to destroy my life. As I left the office that day, everything felt different. The people around me, the office I used to feel safe in, it all felt dark and threatening. I realized then that you could never really know the people around you.

Sometimes the real monsters are the ones who hide in plain sight. It was hard to go back to work after that day. Everything about the office felt different. The light seemed dimmer, the air heavier, and the smiles from my coworkers seemed fake. I couldn't shake the feeling that someone else could be hiding something, just like David had. My stomach twisted in knots every time I walked in.

Sometimes the real monsters are the ones who hide in plain sight. It was hard to go back to work after that day. Everything about the office felt different. The light seemed dimmer, the air heavier, and the smiles from my coworkers seemed fake. I couldn't shake the feeling that someone else could be hiding something, just like David had. My stomach twisted in knots every time I walked in.

i kept my eyes down and stayed quiet avoiding eye contact as much as possible i just wanted to get through each day unnoticed i changed everything about my routine i started coming in at different times taking different routes home and i even parked in a different spot every day Mark was just as shaken as I was. He insisted on driving me to work some days, just to make sure I got there safely.

i kept my eyes down and stayed quiet avoiding eye contact as much as possible i just wanted to get through each day unnoticed i changed everything about my routine i started coming in at different times taking different routes home and i even parked in a different spot every day Mark was just as shaken as I was. He insisted on driving me to work some days, just to make sure I got there safely.

I could tell he was scared too, even if he tried to put on a brave face. Every night we double-checked the locks on our doors and windows. Sometimes I would wake up in the middle of the night, convinced I heard a noise, and I'd lie there in the dark, listening until my heart stopped racing. The nightmares started soon after. I would dream about David, his eyes cold, his smile empty.

I could tell he was scared too, even if he tried to put on a brave face. Every night we double-checked the locks on our doors and windows. Sometimes I would wake up in the middle of the night, convinced I heard a noise, and I'd lie there in the dark, listening until my heart stopped racing. The nightmares started soon after. I would dream about David, his eyes cold, his smile empty.

In my dreams he was always watching me, waiting just out of sight. I would wake up drenched in sweat, the terror still gripping me even after I realized it was just a dream. Mark would hold me, telling me I was safe, but it was hard to believe him. I knew how close I had come to losing everything. Even at work, David haunted me. His empty desk was a constant reminder of what had happened.

In my dreams he was always watching me, waiting just out of sight. I would wake up drenched in sweat, the terror still gripping me even after I realized it was just a dream. Mark would hold me, telling me I was safe, but it was hard to believe him. I knew how close I had come to losing everything. Even at work, David haunted me. His empty desk was a constant reminder of what had happened.

I avoided it, taking the long way around just so I wouldn't have to see it. But it wasn't just his desk, it was the way people looked at me. Some of my co-workers seemed curious, whispering when they thought I couldn't hear. Others seemed scared, as if just being near me made them uneasy. I couldn't blame them, I felt uneasy being near myself too. One day, a detective called me again.

I avoided it, taking the long way around just so I wouldn't have to see it. But it wasn't just his desk, it was the way people looked at me. Some of my co-workers seemed curious, whispering when they thought I couldn't hear. Others seemed scared, as if just being near me made them uneasy. I couldn't blame them, I felt uneasy being near myself too. One day, a detective called me again.

They told me that David had been denied bail and would stay in custody. I should have felt relief, but instead, I felt empty. Knowing he was behind bars didn't change the fact that he had once been close enough to hurt me. I still couldn't stop looking over my shoulder, expecting to see his face in every shadow. Mark and I tried to move on.

They told me that David had been denied bail and would stay in custody. I should have felt relief, but instead, I felt empty. Knowing he was behind bars didn't change the fact that he had once been close enough to hurt me. I still couldn't stop looking over my shoulder, expecting to see his face in every shadow. Mark and I tried to move on.

We tried to do normal things, watching movies, cooking dinner together, even just sitting on the porch and talking, but there was always something lurking between us. We didn't talk about it, but I knew he was just as scared as I was. We both knew how lucky we were that David had been caught before he could do anything worse. One evening, Mark suggested I see a therapist. At first, I resisted.