The stormy nights never ceased to remind Evelyn of Victor’s fall, nor Adrian’s tight grip on her life. Days turned into months, and the quiet isolation they shared in the cliffside cottage became a new normal. But the normalcy was suffocating. There was something about Adrian’s unwavering devotion that no longer felt comforting—it felt like a prison
---
A Strange Whisper
One rainy evening, Evelyn sat alone in the living room, staring at the pendant Adrian had given her months ago. The heart encased in thorns felt like an omen rather than a gift now. Her thumb brushed against the intricate carvings when she heard it—a faint whisper.
Her head snapped up. “Adrian?” she called, her voice trembling.
But he was outside, fixing the fence. The whisper came again, soft yet distinct. It seemed to echo from the cliffs.
“Evelyn...”
Her breath hitched. It was Victor’s voice.
She stumbled to her feet, clutching the pendant. The sound faded as quickly as it had come, leaving her heart pounding. She told herself it was just her mind playing tricks. After all, Victor was gone. He had to be.
---
The Cracks Begin to Show
The next morning, Evelyn decided not to tell Adrian about the whisper. He had become increasingly paranoid, always asking where she was going or who she was speaking to if she dared venture into town. His love had grown darker, more possessive, and she feared how he might react.
But Adrian noticed her unease. “You’ve been distracted,” he said as they sat down for dinner.
“I’m fine,” she replied quickly.
“You’re lying,” he said, his eyes narrowing.
Evelyn’s fork froze mid-air. “I’m just tired, Adrian. That’s all.”
He leaned forward, his gaze intense. “You don’t have to hide anything from me, Evelyn. You know that, right?”
She nodded, forcing a smile, but her heart felt heavy. The man who had once been her savior was now her captor.
---
Victor’s Shadow
The whispers didn’t stop. Over the next few weeks, they grew louder, more frequent. Sometimes, Evelyn thought she saw Victor’s face in the reflection of the window or his shadow lurking by the cliffs. She started to doubt her sanity.
One night, she couldn’t take it anymore. She grabbed a flashlight and ventured out to the cliffs, the pendant still around her neck. The waves roared below, and the wind whipped her hair across her face.
“Victor!” she screamed into the darkness. “Are you here?!”
There was no response, only the relentless crash of the waves. She sank to her knees, tears streaming down her face.
“I didn’t mean for this to happen,” she whispered. “I just wanted to be free.”
Suddenly, a hand rested on her shoulder. She spun around, her heart racing, but it was only Adrian.
“What are you doing out here?” he demanded, his voice sharp.
“I... I thought I heard something,” she stammered.
His eyes narrowed. “You’re hiding something from me.”
“No, I’m not,” she insisted, but her voice wavered.
Adrian grabbed her arm, his grip bruising. “Don’t lie to me, Evelyn. After everything I’ve done for you, don’t you dare lie to me.”
She wrenched her arm free and ran back to the cottage, leaving Adrian standing alone on the cliffs, his expression unreadable.
---
Secrets Unearthed
The next day, Evelyn decided to go into town, desperate for a moment of normalcy. She hadn’t spoken to anyone outside of Adrian in months. At the local café, she ran into an old woman named Margaret, who had always been kind to her.
“You look pale, dear,” Margaret said, concern etched on her face.
“I’ve just been... tired,” Evelyn replied, forcing a smile.
Margaret hesitated, then lowered her voice. “You know, I’ve been meaning to ask... have you heard about the body they found?”
Evelyn froze. “What body?”
Margaret glanced around before leaning closer. “A fisherman found it washed up on the shore last week. They say it was a man, but he was so badly decomposed they couldn’t identify him. The police are still investigating.”
Evelyn’s blood ran cold. Could it be Victor?
---
A Dangerous Revelation
That night, Evelyn couldn’t stop thinking about what Margaret had said. If the body was Victor’s, it meant he was truly gone. But if it wasn’t...
Adrian noticed her distraction again. “What’s on your mind, Evelyn?” he asked, his tone laced with suspicion.
“Nothing,” she said too quickly.
He stood abruptly, his chair scraping against the floor. “Don’t lie to me!”
Evelyn flinched, and something inside her snapped. “Fine! They found a body, Adrian. Was it Victor?!”
Adrian’s expression darkened. “Why would you even ask that?”
“Because I need to know!” she shouted. “I need to know if this nightmare is over!”
Adrian’s jaw tightened, and for a moment, she thought he might lash out. But then he turned and walked out the door, slamming it behind him.
---
The Truth Beneath the Waves
Evelyn couldn’t sleep that night. The whispers had returned, louder than ever, urging her to go to the cliffs. Finally, she gave in.
With a lantern in hand, she made her way to the edge of the cliffs. The waves crashed below, and the wind carried Victor’s voice.
“Evelyn...”
Her heart pounded as she peered over the edge. Suddenly, something glinted in the moonlight—a piece of fabric caught on a jagged rock below. It was black, the same color Victor had been wearing the night he fell.
Evelyn’s knees buckled. She felt a hand on her shoulder and screamed, spinning around to find Adrian standing behind her.
“What are you doing out here?” he demanded, his voice cold.
“I heard him,” she whispered. “I heard Victor.”
Adrian’s face twisted with fury. “Victor is gone, Evelyn. You need to let him go.”
“I can’t!” she cried. “I can’t escape him, Adrian! He’s still here!”
Adrian grabbed her shoulders, shaking her. “He’s not here! I made sure of that!”
His words hung in the air, and Evelyn’s breath caught. “What do you mean?”
Adrian’s grip tightened. “I didn’t just let him fall, Evelyn. I made sure he wouldn’t come back.”
Realization dawned on her, and she stared at him in horror. “You... you killed him?”
“I did it for you!” Adrian shouted. “Everything I’ve done was for you!”
---
The Final Descent
Evelyn pulled away from Adrian, her mind racing. She realized that Adrian’s love was not love at all—it was an obsession, a need to control her just like Victor had.
“I can’t do this anymore,” she said, her voice trembling.
Adrian’s face hardened. “You don’t get to leave me, Evelyn. Not after everything I’ve sacrificed.”
Evelyn backed away, but Adrian lunged for her. They struggled, and in the chaos, they both slipped, tumbling dangerously close to the edge of the cliffs.
Evelyn managed to grab hold of a rock, but Adrian wasn’t so lucky. He dangled over the edge, his fingers gripping the jagged cliffside.
“Help me,” he begged, his voice filled with fear.
For a moment, Evelyn hesitated. The man who had saved her from Victor was now the man she feared most.
“Please, Evelyn,” Adrian pleaded, tears streaming down his face.
Her heart ached, but she knew what she had to do. “I’m sorry, Adrian,” she whispered, her voice breaking.
With that, she released his hand.
Adrian’s scream echoed into the night as he fell, the waves below swallowing him whole.
---
Freedom’s Price:
Evelyn sat on the edge of the cliffs, staring out at the horizon as the first rays of dawn broke through the clouds. For the first time in months, she felt a sense of peace.
But as the wind whispered around her, she couldn’t shake the feeling that she was no longer alone.
“Evelyn...”
Victor’s voice was gone. Adrian’s presence was gone.
But the shadows of her choices would haunt her forever.
---
