The Man Who Returned at Midnight

Chapter 18 – The Stranger in the Hallway

Evelyn didn’t leave the apartment the entire morning. She paced from window to door, from door to kitchen, from kitchen to bathroom, checking and rechecking every lock, every curtain, every possible hiding place.

Her phone stayed in her hand, screen lighting up every few seconds as she checked for messages.

Still nothing from Liam.

Around noon, desperation won over fear, and she finally opened the door just enough to peek into the hallway.

It was empty.

But something was wrong.

A tiny piece of black tape was stuck to the outside handle—something she had never seen before. A strange mark, subtle and deliberate, as if someone had placed it there to see whether the door had been opened.

Her stomach twisted.

She peeled it off with trembling fingers and threw it inside a drawer.

“Think, Evelyn… think…”

Who put the tape?

Was it the man from last night?

Was he watching her?

A sudden voice echoed from the far end of the corridor.

“Hey—wait!”

She flinched hard and clutched the door frame, heart racing. A man approached, jogging lightly toward her. For a split second she almost screamed—

But then she saw the blue uniform.

The building’s security guard.

He stopped a few meters away, bending slightly to catch his breath.

“Miss Evelyn? Are you alright?”

She hesitated, still gripping the door as if it were her lifeline.

“I… I’m fine.”

He frowned. “We saw something strange on the cameras last night. A man stood outside your door for almost ten minutes.”

Her throat tightened.

“He tried to open my door.”

The guard’s expression darkened. “Did he speak to you?”

Evelyn nodded. “He said I was alone.”

The guard exhaled sharply, then gestured toward the elevator end of the hallway. “The cameras caught him walking up the emergency stairs. Tall guy, wearing a hoodie. We couldn’t see his face.”

A tremor ran through her.

“Should I file a report?” she asked weakly.

“You should,” the guard replied firmly. “And… if you have someone who can stay with you, I suggest you call them.”

She almost said Liam’s name.

But she stopped herself.

She didn’t even know where he was.

“Thank you,” she murmured.

After the guard left, Evelyn closed the door and locked every bolt. Then she sank onto the floor, hugging her knees, overwhelmed by helplessness.

Her phone vibrated suddenly.

Her breath caught—Liam?

But no.

It was an unknown number.

With shaking hands, she opened the message.

“Don’t trust the man who returned at midnight.”

Her vision blurred for a moment.

What… what did that mean?

Her fingers trembled as she typed back.

“Who are you?”

No reply.

Then another message arrived instead, like a knife slicing through her composure:

“He’s not the man you think he is.”

Evelyn’s pulse pounded in her ears.

Was it about Liam?

Was he in danger?

Or… was he the danger?

She shook her head fiercely.

“No… no. Liam would never hurt me.”

But doubt seeped into her skin, cold and poisonous.

Before she could gather her thoughts, her phone rang.

Unknown number again.

Her hand hovered above the screen, but fear anchored her in place.

The ringing stopped.

Then started again.

This time she answered.

“…Hello?”

A breath.

Slow.

Deep.

Too close to the microphone.

Then a low voice whispered:

“You should’ve opened the door last night.”

Evelyn’s blood turned to ice.

She hung up instantly and stumbled backward, her shoulder hitting the wall.

Her lungs burned as she gasped for air.

Sweat pooled on her palms.

She didn’t know who the caller was.

She didn’t know why he targeted her.

She didn’t know whether Liam was connected or whether he was in danger himself.

But she knew one thing:

Someone was coming back.

And next time, he wouldn’t settle for knocking.