The Stalker Between US

Chapter 18

Julia POV

As seasons changed, I found myself falling. I brought Ethan to meet my friends from the hospital, who teased me mercilessly but welcomed him with open arms. He invited me to charity galas and hospital events, where I dazzled in simple dresses and made him proud with my warmth and poise. We navigated the awkwardness of blending our lives, learning each other’s quirks and rhythms.

But in the darker recesses of their world, something else was brewing. I began to notice small, unsettling inconveniences—my mailbox left open, a shadow in the corner of my eye as i walked home, the feeling of being watched that i couldn’t shake. At first, i brushed it off as nerves, the byproduct of long shifts and city living.

Then, one evening, i found the tires on my car had been slashed, the car that i had saved months for. The memory of Ethan’s flat tire months earlier flashed through my mind. I reported it to the building super and the police, but there was little they could do without witnesses or evidence. Ethan insisted on walking me home after their dates and even offered to hire a driver, but i refused, determined not to let fear rule my life.

The incidents escalated—my work bag went missing for a day and then reappeared in the hospital break room, contents subtly shuffled. Flowers with no card were left outside my apartment door, their petals bruised and torn. Ethan’s office received a string of anonymous, vaguely threatening emails, each one mentioning me by name.

We tried to ignore it, to pretend it was just bad luck or coincidence, but the sense of unease grew. Ethan became more protective, sometimes to the point of frustration. I even found myself double-checking locks and looking over my shoulder on my walks home. Our dates became more guarded, and the easy laughter we’d once shared was sometimes punctuated by worried glances.