AUTHOR'S

He was calling her since they couldn't find anything on cctv but she wasn't picking up the call, the unease in his chest was growing by the second. She wasn't picking up his calls, and that wasn't like her. She always answered—or at least let him know if she was occupied. The silence on the other end felt like a void he couldn't escape, filling his mind with possibilities he didn't want to consider. Something was wrong. He could feel it in the way his hands clenched involuntarily, his breathing growing shallow. Without a second thought, he abandoned everything and made his way home, the restless energy in him too strong to ignore.

The moment he stepped inside, his family members turned to him, eyes widening in surprise. It was far too early for him to be here—he was supposed to be buried in work, unreachable, consumed by responsibilities that never seemed to loosen their grip. "You're home already?" his mother asked, eyebrows furrowed in concern. His father, too, paused from reading his newspaper, glancing at him curiously. "Something wrong?"

He barely responded, shrugging off their questions as he walked past them. He was in no mood for explanations. He needed to see her—needed to know she was okay. "She's been in your room all day," his mom mentioned as he reached the staircase. The words provided momentary relief, but it lasted no longer than a heartbeat. If she was in the room, why hadn't she answered him? Why had she shut herself away?

He quickened his steps, reaching his door in seconds. Pushing it open, he expected to see her curled up on the bed, perhaps asleep. But the room was empty. His breath hitched, panic creeping in. His eyes darted from the bed to the bathroom, then to the sitting area. Nothing. The fear—cold, unwelcome—wrapped around him like a vice, his pulse hammering in response. Had something happened? Had the stalker...?

No. He refused to let his mind go there. He clenched his fists, forcing himself to breathe. If she had been here all day, she had to be somewhere close. He turned sharply, about to step out when he heard it—a faint voice, carried by the wind. His gaze snapped toward the balcony, where the infinity pool stretched beyond the edge, its water shimmering under the golden glow of the setting sun.