Two Shadows, One Deadly Fascination!

Chapter 2: Vivian

I pulled up to Leah’s house, gripping the steering wheel so hard I thought my hands might leave permanent dents. It had been a week since she was rushed to the hospital, and still no change. No waking up, no signs of recovery. Every day I visited her, hoping for a flicker of movement, a small squeeze of my hand—anything to show that she was coming back. But each time, I was met with the same cold, sterile silence, punctuated only by the rhythmic beeping of the machines that kept her alive.

Detective Harris had come around a couple of times, but it felt like nothing was happening. Adam was still walking free, while Leah lay in that hospital bed, and it made my blood boil. Every time I thought about it, my stomach twisted with rage.

I parked a little further down the street, checking my surroundings. No sign of police cars, no signs that anyone was keeping an eye on Adam. He was still out there, living his life like nothing had happened. It made me sick. My mind raced as I shut the car door softly and started up the path to Leah’s house. I knew Adam wasn’t home; I’d checked his work schedule, timed my visit perfectly. The house was empty.

I approached the front door, my heart pounding, and bent down to retrieve the spare key from under the potted plant. Leah had shown me years ago where it was hidden. Even after everything that had happened, Adam hadn’t moved it. i***t.

The key slid into the lock smoothly, and I opened the door, stepping into the quiet house. It felt wrong. The air was stale, thick with the smell of old candles and cleaning products. As I moved through the hallway, I could feel the oppressive atmosphere pressing down on me. This was Leah’s home, but it wasn’t hers anymore. Adam had taken it from her, just like he’d taken everything else.

I moved quickly, climbing the stairs to her bedroom. My heart thudded in my chest with every creak of the wooden steps. I didn’t have much time. I couldn’t risk being caught. Inside Leah’s room, everything was as meticulously arranged as I remembered it. The bed was perfectly made, her dresser tidy, as if none of the chaos had ever touched this space. But I knew better. The bruises on Leah’s face haunted me every time I blinked.

I grabbed a duffel bag from her closet and started throwing clothes into it—comfortable sweatpants, t-shirts, socks. Things she’d need when—if—she woke up. My fingers brushed against her favorite blue sweater, and I hesitated for a moment before stuffing it in the bag too. She’d want it.

I glanced around the room, picking out small, personal items—her hairbrush, her favorite lip balm, a framed photo of us from years ago. It hurt to look at it, the two of us smiling like nothing could touch us. I shoved it into the bag and zipped it up quickly.

With one last look around the room, I headed back downstairs, every nerve on edge. I placed the key back under the plant, just like I’d found it, and turned toward my car.

That’s when I saw him.

Adam was leaning against the hood of my car, arms crossed over his chest, that same sick smirk on his face. My stomach dropped. How long had he been there? I froze for a second, my heart racing, trying to figure out if I could make a run for it, but I knew it was too late. I was trapped.

“What do you think you’re doing, Vivian?” Adam asked, his voice laced with amusement. He pushed off the car and took a step toward me, his eyes darting to the bag slung over my shoulder. “Stealing from me?”

My jaw clenched, and I forced myself to stay calm. “I’m not stealing anything,” I said through gritted teeth. “I’m just grabbing some clothes for Leah. For when she leaves the hospital.”

He laughed, a low, mocking sound that made my skin crawl. “If she leaves the hospital, you mean.” He took another step closer, his eyes darkening. “You really think they’re going to patch her up and send her home like nothing happened?”

I glared at him, anger boiling in my chest. “This is your fault. You did this to her. She’s in that coma because of you.”

Adam’s smirk faltered for a second, but then he regained his composure, his eyes flickering with something darker. “Leah always knew how to push my buttons. She wasn’t exactly innocent, you know. She wasn’t as perfect as you seem to think.”

I felt my fists clench at my sides, my nails digging into my palms. “You’re a monster. She loved you, and you tore her apart. You made her quit her job, you sold her car, you isolated her from everyone who cared about her. You destroyed her life, and now you’ve nearly killed her.”

Adam took another step toward me, his smirk widening into something predatory. “Leah needed controlling. She was a mess without me, Vivian. I kept her in line. She liked it.”

I felt like I was going to be sick. I wanted to scream, to throw something at him, but I couldn’t move. I stood my ground, glaring at him, my body trembling with rage. “That’s not love, Adam. That’s abuse. You broke her.”

He raised an eyebrow, his eyes raking over me in a way that made my stomach turn. “You’re not as different from her as you think, you know,” he said, his voice low and sickeningly smooth. “Leah’s out of the picture now. She’s not coming back, Vivian. I’m going to need someone by my side.”

My blood turned cold. “Excuse me?”

Adam took another step forward, closing the distance between us. His voice was soft, like he was talking about the weather, not Leah’s life hanging by a thread. “You’re strong. You don’t let people push you around. I like that. You’ve always had a fire in you, Vivian.” His hand reached out, brushing a piece of hair off my shoulder, and I recoiled, stepping back.

“Get away from me,” I hissed, my voice shaking with both fury and disgust.

He smirked, unfazed by my reaction. “Come on. Leah’s not coming back. You know that. You could take her place. You and me—we’d make a good team. I think you’d like it more than you realize. You wouldn’t need to fight it.”

My skin crawled at the insinuation, and I shoved his hand away, stepping back further. “I’m nothing like Leah. And I’d rather die than ever be with someone like you.”

His eyes darkened, and the smirk disappeared, replaced by something more dangerous. “Don’t be so sure, Vivian. I know you’re angry, but you’ll see. I’ve always known how to get what I want. And right now…” He leaned in close, his breath hot against my ear. “I want you.”

I shoved him hard, making him stumble back a step. “You’re disgusting,” I spat, my voice low and full of venom. “You’re going to pay for what you did to Leah.”

Adam straightened, wiping the smirk from his face. His expression hardened, and for a moment, I thought he might lash out, hit me the way he’d hit Leah so many times before. But instead, he just stood there, his eyes cold and calculating. “We’ll see about that.”

I didn’t give him the satisfaction of a response. I turned on my heel, my heart racing, and walked back to my car as fast as I could without running. My hands shook as I fumbled with the keys, every nerve in my body on edge. I could feel Adam’s eyes on me the entire time, that same sick feeling swirling in my gut.

As I pulled away from the house, I glanced in the rearview mirror and saw him still standing there, watching me, a dark shadow looming in the distance. I knew this wasn’t over. Not by a long shot.

But I’d be damned if I let him win.