60
New York, Mia
As soon as I hung up with Sebastian, I felt a wave of confusion wash over me. His call had left me with more questions than answers. He had urged me to get ready because he was on his way to pick me up, and when I pressed for details, all he had said was that Patrick had called him, emphasizing the urgency of our visit. My mind raced with possibilities, and my heart pounded in my chest.
With a sense of trepidation, I decided to heed Sebastian’s advice. I hurriedly took a quick shower, hastily bundling my damp hair into a bun, and opted for a loose-fitting blouse and comfortable pants. There was no time to deliberate over fashion choices; the urgency of the situation took precedence.
I made my way to the kitchen, my nerves manifesting in the nervous energy that had me pacing back and forth. My anxiety was palpable, and to help calm my racing heart, I poured myself a glass of orange juice. Bella was seated in the living room, engrossed in the task of doing her nails.
“Do you have any idea why Sebastian is coming?” she inquired, her curiosity piqued. She had overheard my conversation with him earlier and sensed the urgency in his tone.
“It’s related to Patrick,” I replied, my voice trembling slightly as I struggled to make sense of the situation. “I think he may have found out who the stalker is.”
Bella let out a frustrated sigh, echoing my impatience. “It’s about time,” she commented, her words laden with a mixture of relief and exasperation. The ongoing ordeal with the stalker had weighed on both of us, and any news of progress was welcome.
My phone suddenly emitted a notification sound, and I glanced down to see that it was a message from Sebastian. “He’s already here,” I relayed to Bella, my anxiety intensifying as I grabbed my bag and prepared to leave.
“Keep me updated,” Bella called out, her concern evident in her tone. I nodded in acknowledgment, promising to share any information as soon as I had it, and then headed outside, where Sebastian was waiting for me.
The drive to Patrick’s location was marked by a tense silence. Sebastian was visibly preoccupied, and I couldn’t blame him. The urgency of the situation and the potential revelation about the stalker’s identity had us both on edge. I found myself fidgeting with the hem of my blouse, unable to shake the nerves that had settled deep in my chest.
When we arrived at our destination, Patrick was already waiting for us. His expression was a mix of determination and seriousness, a stark departure from his usual jovial demeanor. We all exchanged brief greetings, and then Patrick wasted no time in getting to the point.
“I’ve found out who the stalker is,” he announced, his voice steady but laced with a sense of gravity. My heart leaped in my chest, and I exchanged a quick glance with Sebastian, who mirrored my anticipation.
Patrick continued, “I’ve been working with a private investigator for weeks, and we finally got a breakthrough. The stalker is someone we know. Someone close to us.”All content © N/.ôvel/Dr/ama.Org.
My mind raced as I tried to process the revelation. The stalker, someone close to us? The possibilities swirled through my mind, and I couldn’t help but feel a surge of unease. Patrick’s gaze rested on us, and it was clear that he was preparing to drop a bombshell.
“Who is it?” Sebastian demanded, his tone laced with a mix of anger and apprehension.
As Patrick led us into a room filled with papers, photographs, and an air of solemnity, I felt my heart pounding in my chest. This had to be his office, a space where he had tirelessly worked on uncovering the truth behind our stalker’s identity. I exchanged a nervous glance with Sebastian, who mirrored my anxiety.
“I don’t think you will like it. I don’t,” Patrick warned, his expression grave. He threw a file onto a cluttered desk, and I couldn’t help but feel a sense of foreboding. Patrick’s somber demeanor only heightened my apprehension.
Sebastian reached for the file with trembling fingers, the tension in the room palpable. “How bad is it?” he asked, his voice tinged with worry.
“Really bad,” Patrick whispered, his voice heavy with the weight of what he was about to reveal.
From the corner of my eye, I noticed Sophia entering the room. Her presence offered a source of quiet support, her hand resting on my shoulder in silent reassurance. She, too, had an inkling of what was coming, judging by her somber expression.
Patrick turned on his computer, and the room filled with the hum of its startup. He began clicking through files and images, and a name and a picture flashed onto the screen. My stomach clenched as I beheld the face of the person responsible for the torment we had endured.
“It’s not just one person,” Patrick revealed, his voice steady. “It’s three people.”
As he continued, my mind struggled to grasp the enormity of what he was saying. The man in the picture, Maddox Imogan, had been the one who had carried out the sinister actions-shooting the security guard, vandalizing the apartments, breaking in, and delivering the death threats. He already had a criminal record, which made him a prime suspect.
“But,” Patrick emphasized, the gravity of his words settling heavily in the room, “he was not the mastermind behind all of this.”
Sebastian and I exchanged a bewildered glance, our minds racing to process the new revelations. The stalker’s true architects were none other than the last people we expected-Gavin Campbell, my ex-husband, and Elena Thornton, Sebastian’s own mother