Cody POV
I watched from a distance as Julia and Ethan returned to their apartment, the image of them together burning into my mind. I hadn’t slept in days, paranoia and longing gnawing at me. I knew the city was looking for me, police patrols passing too close for comfort, neighbors’ eyes lingering a little too long. But I couldn’t leave—not without letting Julia know that she would never truly be free of me.
That night, under cover of darkness, I wrote my letter. My handwriting was jagged, the pen digging deep into the paper as I poured out my twisted devotion and anger. Julia, I began, You think you’re safe now, but you’re not. You think he can protect you, but I see everything. I know where you go, who you’re with, what you feel when you’re alone at night. You belong to me. You always
