MY HUSBAND IS BACK! NOW WHAT?

Chapter 1 – My Husband Is Back, Now What? Alina’s POV His words woke me before the morning did. “If your husband came back from the dead… would you still sleep in my bed?” My fingers searched across the sheets, but they met only cold space. My chest tightened. That same feeling again—the one that made me feel like someone was watching me. And then I saw him. Zayn sat in the velvet chair across the room, his dark eyes fixed on me with that unnerving stillness—like he’d been waiting for me to wake up just so he could say those words. “Why are you staring at me like that?” I whispered. He didn’t blink. “I was wondering if you’d still choose me if he ever came back.” My throat went dry. I wanted to answer, but I couldn’t. Because I didn’t know the answer myself. Zayn stood slowly, the moonlight cutting across his face as he walked to the bed. He sat beside me, close enough that I could feel his heat. His fingers brushed my cheek, gentle, almost reverent—but his gaze was sharp enough to slice through me. “You look guilty, sweetheart,” he murmured. “Why? I’m not the one who left you.” The words hit where they always did—deep and cruel. He never let me forget it: Elias left. Zayn stayed. And the worst part? I believed him. “I’m just tired,” I lied. His hand slid down to my thigh, his grip tightening until it almost hurt. “Liar.” Before I could say anything, his phone buzzed on the nightstand. His eyes flicked to it—“Private number”—then back to me. He turned it off and tossed it aside. The tension that had filled the room didn’t fade. “You’re a little different in the daytime,” I said quietly, trying to break the spell. “Softer.” He smiled, that same teasing curve of his lips that both melted and terrified me. “During the day, I’m your sweet boy,” he said. “But at night…” He leaned closer, shadows swallowing half his face. “I’m the monster under your bed. The one that watches you breathe. The one that dreams of keeping you forever.” My smile faltered. Fear flickered in my chest. “Zayn…” I whispered. He laughed softly. “Relax, princess. I’m joking.” Then, with a darker smirk, he added, “You know I’d never hide under your bed. I’d be in it.” My stomach twisted. “It’s getting late,” I said quickly, slipping out of bed. “You should go. I have work, and you’ve got classes.” He rose too, unhurried, watching me with that dangerous calm. “You are so beautiful princess” “I told you not to call me that,” I muttered, grabbing my clothes. “I know,” he said, stepping closer. “But I can’t help it.” His voice dropped. “You’re my princess.” He reached for a kiss. I turned my face away. His jaw tightened, just for a moment. “You should go,” I repeated, handing him his shirt. He stared at me for a long second—then smirked again, as if the moment of anger had never happened. When I closed the bathroom door, I could still feel his gaze on my back. The shower water was cold, but it wasn’t cold enough to wash away the guilt. Because Zayn was right. Every time I let him touch me, I betrayed Elias all over again. But I couldn’t stop. He was temptation. And I fell—again and again. When I stepped out wrapped in a towel, the room was empty. He was gone. A foolish part of me wished he hadn’t been. *** The office felt too quiet that morning. My fingers hovered above the laptop keys, but my mind wasn’t in my work. It was still tangled up in Zayn—his voice, his hands, the darkness that thrilled and frightened me all at once. “You’re smiling,” a voice teased. I looked up. Naomi sat across from me, her grin wide and knowing. “What are you thinking about?” she asked, leaning in. “Nothing,” I said quickly, closing my laptop. “Please. You were gone for a full minute, and I saw that little smile,” she said in a sing-song tone. “Don’t tell me it’s because of him.” “Naomi,” I hissed, glancing around. She laughed quietly. “Okay, okay, I’ll whisper. But you can’t fool me.” I sighed, guilt curling in my chest. “It doesn’t feel like fun, Naomi. I feel… wrong. Like I’m betraying Elias.” The name came out fragile, like glass cracking. Naomi’s smile faded. “You’ve mourned a ghost long enough. If he was alive, he would’ve come back. You can’t keep waiting forever.” I looked away. “You think I haven’t tried to move on? Every time I do, I see him in my dreams. I hear his voice.” Naomi softened. “You’re still alive, Alina. Don’t let his ghost live your life for you.” Her words settled heavy in my chest. Maybe she was right. Maybe I really did need to let go. “Let’s get coffee,” I said, forcing a small smile. “I need air.” We walked to the café down the street, the afternoon sun warm against our skin. The smell of roasted beans and cinnamon filled the air, grounding me for the first time all day. When Naomi went back inside to grab her forgotten phone, I waited by the roadside, sipping from my cup and watching strangers pass. Then I saw him. The coffee slipped from my hand, crashing to the pavement. My heart stopped. “Elias…” I breathed. He was standing across the street—alive. Real. It couldn’t be. “Elias!” I shouted, voice breaking. But he didn’t turn. Cars blurred between us. My pulse thundered in my ears as I waited for the light to change. The second it did, I ran—barefoot, heels in hand, tears stinging my eyes. “Elias! Please!” He stopped. Relief burst through me as I reached him, trembling, breathless. “I knew it was you,” I sobbed. “You came back.” He turned slowly. And my world fell apart all over again. It wasn’t him. The man had Elias’s face, Elias’s height, Elias’s eyes—but not his soul. “I’m sorry,” I whispered, shaking my head. “I thought you were someone else.” He gave me a gentle look before walking away. I stood frozen in the middle of the street, tears spilling freely. The city moved around me—cars, footsteps, voices—but I couldn’t hear any of it. “He’s gone,” I whispered. “Elias is really gone.” And for the first time, I let myself believe it.