CHAPTER 27
ANIKA
I’ve been staring at my phone for what feels like forever, reading the message again and again, hoping it’ll somehow make more sense the fifth or sixth time around. My eyes draw back to the message.
Unknown:
Hey sweetheart, remember me?
My heart races, a cold shiver crawling down my spine.
My fingers tighten around the phone, but I can't tear my eyes away from the screen.
Who the hell is this? I sit back on the couch, feeling a little lightheaded, my mind running wild.
How did they even get my number? Why would someone call me "sweetheart" like we’re close?
No one close to me calls me that, do they?
A million questions rush through my head, none of them bringing any kind of comfort.
Is it someone I know? Some creepy prank? Or... something worse?
I swallow hard, feeling a pit form in my stomach. My skin prickles with unease, and the way they use such an intimate word like "sweetheart" makes me feel sick. I force my fingers to move, quickly typing a response even though they’re trembling slightly.
Me:
Who is this?
I hit send and stare at the screen, waiting like my life depends on it. The seconds drag by painfully slow. The phone’s dim light is the only thing filling the room, and somehow it just makes everything feel even more eerie.
No reply.
I keep staring anyway, like I’m trying to will a response into existence. Just when I’m about to give up and toss the phone away, another message pops up.
Unknown:
Oh, come on, sweetheart. You haven't forgotten me already, have you? It’s okay; I’ll remind you of everything when we get together.
I freeze, the air around me suddenly feeling too heavy. My stomach twists painfully, like I’ve just been punched. I don’t have a good feeling about this. At all.
I clench my jaw and type back, my hands shaky but my words sharp.
Me:
Who the hell are you?
The anger in my text doesn't match the fear clawing at my chest. Another message buzzes in almost immediately.
Unknown:
You’ll know when the time is right, sweetheart. But for now... I'm upset you’re married. You belong to me, princess. I'm going to take you back.
I blink at the screen, my heart hammering wildly against my ribs. Take me back? What the actual hell?
Wait. Could it be... Vikram?
My mind latches onto the possibility instantly. He knows I’m married to Aarav now. He was supposed to marry me once, before he ran off like a coward. Could he have finally lost it? This... this sounds like something he would do, right?
I type quickly, my stomach churning in disgust.
Me:
Vikram?
I stare at the screen, almost daring him to confirm it. It would make sense. It would explain the obsession, the creepy familiarity. But the reply makes my blood run cold.
Unknown:
Oh, so you had another lover too? Great. I’ll just have to deal with him too then.
I scowl, irritation mixing with confusion. If it was Vikram, he'd be thrilled that I recognized him—he loved playing his stupid mind games and loved controlling me and manipulating me. If I figured it out easily, he wouldn’t pretend otherwise. This has to be someone else. Someone I don't even know.
My hands shake as I type.
Me:
I don’t know who you are. Please stop texting me.
I bite down hard on my nail, a nervous habit I thought I’d grown out of. Problems must seriously have my address on speed dial because why else does crap like this keep finding me?
The reply comes fast.
Unknown:
Don’t be like that, Anika. I'll give you some time to get rid of your husband. Because you’re mine, Anika. And I’m going to have you, no matter what.
Have me ? My skin crawls. The way he says it, like I’m a thing, like I’m some prize he’s going to collect—it makes my stomach turn. He sounds like he thinks he’s hunting me, like he’s the predator and I’m just helpless prey.
I grind my teeth, furious now. Who does he think he is?
Me:
Listen, whoever you are, stop this nonsense. I don’t belong to anyone, and you definitely don’t scare me. I don’t have time for your sick games.
I hit send, breathing heavily through my nose.
My blood is boiling. How dare he talk about me like I’m his property?
Like I’m some object he can just take? I grip my phone so tightly my knuckles ache, every muscle in my body coiled tight with anger and fear.
Whoever this guy is, he’s seriously messed up.
But I’ll be damned if I let him think he’s scaring me.
Another message pops up before I can even breathe properly.
Unknown:
Oh sweetheart, you’re so feisty. That’s one of the things I love about you. But don’t worry. I’ll give you some time to come around. Just remember—I’m always watching.
I stop breathing for a second.
Always watching. The words echo in my head, louder and louder until it’s all I can hear. I glance around the room, my heart pounding against my ribs like a drum. Every shadow suddenly feels suspicious. Every little sound makes me jump.
How long has he been watching? What does he know? Where is he right now?
Panic threatens to swallow me whole, but I force myself to breathe in and out, slow and steady. I can’t lose it. Not now. I need to think.
I can’t tell Aarav. Not yet. If this guy is crazy—and he clearly is—dragging Aarav into it might make things worse. Might push this psycho into doing something even more dangerous. But I can’t sit here and do nothing either.
My hands tremble as I type the next message, trying to sound way calmer than I actually feel.
Me:
If you don’t stop this, I’ll go to the police.
I hit send and stare, my heart threatening to leap out of my chest.
The reply is instant.
Unknown:
The police can’t protect you, sweetheart. Only I can. Just wait and see. I’ll prove it to you.
My mouth goes dry. Fear claws up my throat, but I swallow it down.
I can’t let him win. Without thinking twice, I block the number.
My hands are still shaking, but I don’t care.
I can't deal with this right now. Not when everything in my life already feels like it’s hanging by a thread.
Whoever this psycho is, they have no idea who they’re messing with. I won’t be their prey.