HIS HELL MY HEAVEN

CHAPTER 1 : AN ORDINARY DAY... ALMOST

“Come on, Liz, let’s hurry up and get the present. It’s late already—you know we have to celebrate your grandma’s birthday!”

I heard my boyfriend, Jack, call from afar.

I stopped midway along the path when I brushed against a man. Something about him felt… wrong. Cold. He carried an aura I couldn’t explain, and I’ll admit—I was scared.

I couldn’t see his face clearly, but he wore a long black leather jacket. He walked with another man, who turned back and gave a small gesture of apology. The one who bumped into me didn’t even look back.

Before I could say anything, I heard Jack call out again.

“What made you stop?” he asked as he walked up to me.

“Didn’t you see those guys?” I said, pointing in their direction. “They seemed… off.”

Jack gave me a strange look. “Are you sick?”

“What do you mean? They were right there!”

“There’s no one there, Liz,” he said gently. “Let’s just go home.”

I kept insisting, but he only shook his head, telling me there was no one around.

I stood there, confused.

“I guess I’m just overthinking it,” I muttered. Maybe I was just stressed.

Lizzie’s POV

My name is Elizabeth Reed. I’m 22 years old, and I live with my father and my grandmother.

Today is her 85th birthday, and we’re having a small celebration—just me, my dad, my boyfriend Jack, and my best friend, Eva Jones.

Eva has been helping my dad decorate the house. She’s like the sister I never had, and her mom has always been supportive too.

Jack and I had gone out to get Grandma’s present.

“Lizzie!” Eva shouted from inside the house. “What took you so long? Or did you and Jack sneak off somewhere?” she teased, shaking my shoulders.

“Stop it, Eva,” I said, giving her a side-eye, my cheeks burning with embarrassment.

Jack just smiled and went to drop the present.

“Where’s Dad?” I asked.

“Oh, he’s outside,” she replied. “Setting up the backyard.”

Outside

“Wow, this looks beautiful,” I said as I stepped outside.

“My baby Beth!” my father called, pulling me into a warm hug. “What took you so long? I was worried.”

“Oh, Dad,” I laughed, pretending to growl as he lightly pinched my cheeks. “I was just out. Nothing to worry about.”

I hugged him tightly.

I love my dad. He’s been my biggest support since I was a child. I lost my mom at birth, and he’s done everything he can to give me a good life. He may be just an average 45-year-old man, but to me, he’s everything.

The night grew colder as we celebrated outside in the backyard. It was simple, but perfect.

Everything felt peaceful. Happy.

Normal.

“It’s getting late,” Jack said eventually. “I should get going.”

I walked him out. He gave me a quick kiss before leaving.

Eva and I stayed up for a while before falling asleep during our sleepover, while Dad checked in on us more times than necessary.