SHADOW : The Man Behind The Screen

Chapter 3 - Fresh Start

WHAT DO YOU WANT?

I tossed my phone onto the couch and let out a long sigh.

It was already past noon.

I wasn't going to lie.

That three-hour nap had done wonders.

The pain hadn't disappeared completely, but it had taken the edge off the migraine. More importantly, it had reset my mood.

I stretched my arms above my head before making my way to the bathroom.

A shower.

A cold one.

The kind that slapped you back into reality.

It took longer than I had planned.

What started as a quick shower turned into an impromptu self-care session.

Instead of simply washing my hair, I reached for my silicone scalp brush and the newest scalp oil sample sitting on the shelf.

One of the perks of running a beauty business was getting early access to products before they officially hit the market.

And I loved experimenting with them.

The fresh citrus blended with soft rose notes and a hint of peppermint instantly lifted my mood.

By the time I stepped out of the shower, wrapped in a fluffy towel, I had almost forgotten that a migraine had ruined my morning.

My phone buzzed before I could even settle into my chair.

I decided to process a few customer orders before heading out to pick up Zayn and Zarra from school.

One of the biggest advantages of running an online business was the flexibility.

I worked from home.

Some orders were shipped directly by my suppliers, while others required me to pack and dispatch them myself. It was a system I had built since my university days.

Easy?

No.

Efficient.

My home office wasn't big.

Just a small room with shelves neatly stocked with skincare products, handmade jewellery, packaging supplies, and a simple work desk tucked beside the window.

Everything had its place.

Clutter had a way of cluttering my mind too.

Before sitting down, I added a few drops of my favourite essential oil blend into the portable diffuser resting at the corner of my desk.

Within seconds, a soft mist curled into the air, carrying fresh notes of citrus and geranium throughout the room.

I closed my eyes for a brief moment.

Better.

Then my phone buzzed again.

I sighed.

What did this man want?

I reached for my phone and unlocked the screen.

The same chat.

I'm Adam.

I just wanted to get to know you better, Zetty.

Before I could even process that message, another one appeared.

Can we be friends?

I frowned.

Wait.

He knew my name.

How?

My fingers hovered above the keyboard before I finally typed.

Do I know you?

My eyes remained glued to the screen.

Adam.

My brain desperately searched through years of memories, trying to recall if I had ever known a man by that name.

Nothing.

No Adam.

No familiar face.

No familiar voice.

I stared at the chat window again.

The typing indicator appeared.

Disappeared.

Then appeared again.

For some reason, I found myself waiting.

Finally, his reply came.

Not personally.

But I've met you several times.

Entschuldigung?!

Who on earth was this man?

Without thinking, I tapped on his profile.

No profile picture.

Great.

I quickly saved his number, hoping a profile photo might appear.

A few seconds later...

There it was.

"Dang."

I zoomed in on the tiny profile picture, squinting as if that would magically improve its resolution.

Nothing.

No matter how hard I searched my memory, I couldn't recognise him.

Giving up, I returned to the chat.

Where? I don't remember meeting anyone named Adam.

A few seconds later, I added another message.

And I don't recognise you from your profile picture.

He didn't reply this time.

I didn't wait either.

Work had a way of pulling me back into reality.

I sorted customer orders, separating those that needed packing from those that would be fulfilled directly by my suppliers. The familiar routine occupied my mind far better than an unknown man named Adam ever could.

A loud growl from my stomach interrupted my concentration.

Right.

Lunch.

Or whatever you called a meal at three thirty in the afternoon.

I glanced at my smartwatch.

3:30 p.m.

I needed to leave by four to pick up Zayn and Zarra.

Skipping another meal wasn't an option.

If I ignored my hunger any longer, the migraine would undoubtedly make a comeback.

I walked into the kitchen and diced a crisp apple into small cubes before transferring them into a ceramic bowl. Three generous spoonfuls of plain yogurt followed, topped with a handful of crushed cashew nuts.

After rummaging through the floating cabinet, I finally found the honey.

"Bingo."

A golden drizzle later, my late lunch was complete.

Simple.

Healthy.

And ready in less than five minutes.

Before taking my first bite, I snapped a quick photo with my phone.

Occupational habit.

Running an online business meant constantly creating content.

Running an online business meant constantly creating content. Somewhere out there, a stranger scrolling through i********: could become tomorrow's customer.

I uploaded the photo with a caption.

Coffee for survival.

Apple and yogurt for damage control.

Balance, right? ☕

Once I finished my so-called lunch, I hurried to get ready for the school run.

Grabbing my car keys from the small table beside the sliding door, I locked the house and drove toward the school.

The parking lot was packed as usual.

The moment Zayn spotted me, he grabbed Zarra's tiny hand and ran toward the car.

"Mama!"

I smiled despite the lingering ache behind my eyes.

Home.

Dinner.

Homework.

Bath time.

Another ordinary evening.

Once both of them were buckled into their seats, I drove out through the school gate.

"How was school today?" I asked, glancing at them through the rearview mirror.

"Great!" Zarra beamed. "We had dance practice!"

I smiled.

Judging by the dark circles under her eyes, she was exhausted despite her excitement. Their kindergarten focused on more than academics. They had practical life activities, pretend play, Montessori sessions, music, and dance.

No wonder she was always asleep five minutes after dinner.

"What about you, Zayn?"

He barely looked up from the children's novel I had left in the car.

"We have a new student," he said. "She likes puzzles too, so we played together during afternoon recess."

"That sounds nice."

"She solved the dinosaur puzzle faster than me."

I laughed.

"Looks like you've found yourself some competition."

His lips curled into a shy smile before he returned to his book.

My phone buzzed again.

Adam.

I sighed.

Seriously?

The afternoon traffic crawled at a snail's pace, packed with school buses, parents, and office workers heading home.

Since I had already ordered dinner through a food delivery app, I made a quick stop to collect it.

The kids loved dumplings and spring rolls.

I ordered fried rice for them.

Spicy fried noodles for myself.

Extra chili oil, of course.

Dinner sorted.

Over time, I had learned to embrace simplicity.

If I didn't feel like cooking, I ordered food.

If the kids wanted a change of scenery, we ate out.

Life didn't have to be perfect.

It just had to work.

As I stopped at the final traffic light before home, I stole a quick glance at my phone.

Adam.

I used to deliver food to your house.

I stared at the message.

Food delivery?

...

Wait.

The food delivery rider?