A Quiet Town with Loud Whispers:
In the weeks following Adrian’s disappearance, Evelyn tried to return to a semblance of normal life. She cleaned the cottage, tended the overgrown garden, and walked into town to buy groceries. But Lorne was a small town, and small towns had sharp eyes and sharper tongues.
Margaret from the café was the first to notice Adrian’s absence. “Haven’t seen your husband around,” she remarked, her tone casual but her eyes searching.
“He left,” Evelyn said simply, not meeting Margaret’s gaze.
“Left? Just like that?” Margaret pressed, frowning.
Evelyn nodded, forcing a smile. “He had some... family matters to attend to.”
Margaret didn’t look convinced, but she didn’t push further. Yet, as Evelyn walked away, she felt the weight of curious eyes on her back. The whispers in the town grew louder with each passing day.
---
Ghosts of the Past:
It wasn’t just the townsfolk who were watching her. At night, Evelyn felt a presence in the cottage. Doors creaked open on their own, footsteps echoed in empty hallways, and the pendant around her neck seemed heavier.
One night, she woke to the sound of someone humming. It was faint, almost drowned out by the wind, but it was unmistakable. It was Adrian’s voice.
She bolted upright, her chest heaving. “Adrian?” she whispered into the darkness.
There was no reply, but the air felt colder, heavier. She clutched the pendant, her mind spiraling. Had she truly escaped him? Or was his love still binding her from beyond the grave?
---
The Stranger:
One crisp autumn afternoon, Evelyn was walking back from the market when a stranger stopped her on the path. He was tall, with dark hair and piercing green eyes that seemed to see straight through her.
“You’re Evelyn, aren’t you?” he asked, his voice smooth but edged with something sharp.
She hesitated. “Who’s asking?”
The man smiled, but it didn’t reach his eyes. “Call me Daniel. I was a... friend of Adrian’s.”
Her blood ran cold. Adrian had never mentioned a friend named Daniel.
“I heard he’s gone,” Daniel continued, his gaze unwavering. “I wanted to pay my respects.”
Evelyn forced herself to remain calm. “He left town. That’s all.”
Daniel tilted his head, studying her. “Did he? Funny. That doesn’t sound like the Adrian I knew.”
Evelyn tightened her grip on her basket. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
Daniel’s smile widened. “Of course you don’t. But I’ll be around, in case you ever feel like talking.”
As he walked away, Evelyn’s knees nearly buckled. Something about Daniel felt wrong—dangerous.
---
The Hidden Journal:
Later that night, Evelyn searched the cottage for answers. If Daniel had known Adrian, there had to be something in the house that connected them.
In the back of a closet, she found a wooden box she had never seen before. Inside was a leather-bound journal, its pages filled with Adrian’s familiar handwriting.
As she flipped through the pages, her stomach churned. The journal was a record of Adrian’s obsession with her—his plans to “rescue” her from Victor, his thoughts about controlling her life, and his growing paranoia.
But what sent shivers down her spine was the last entry.
*“Victor’s death wasn’t enough. Evelyn doesn’t trust me anymore. She’s slipping away, and I can’t let that happen. If I can’t have her, no one will.”*
Evelyn dropped the journal, her hands shaking. Adrian hadn’t just been possessive—he had been planning something far worse.
---
Daniel’s Game :
The next morning, Daniel showed up at her door.
“Good morning,” he said, leaning casually against the doorframe. “I thought I’d check on you. You seemed... tense yesterday.”
Evelyn forced a smile. “I’m fine. Thank you.”
Daniel’s gaze wandered over her, lingering on the pendant around her neck. “That’s a beautiful necklace. Did Adrian give it to you?”
She nodded, instinctively clutching it.
His smile turned predatory. “You know, Adrian wasn’t as good a man as you think. He had... secrets.”
Evelyn’s heart raced. “What are you talking about?”
Daniel leaned closer, his voice dropping to a whisper. “Let’s just say Adrian and I were involved in some... questionable activities. He owed me a lot. And now that he’s gone, that debt falls to you.”
She stared at him, her blood turning to ice. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
Daniel’s smile didn’t waver. “Oh, you will. I’ll be in touch.”
As he walked away, Evelyn felt a wave of nausea. What had Adrian gotten himself into?
---
A Deadly Discovery:
Evelyn spent the next few days unraveling Adrian’s secrets. The journal hinted at financial troubles and illegal dealings, but it wasn’t until she searched his workshop that she found the proof—a hidden compartment filled with stacks of cash, forged documents, and a gun.
She realized Daniel wasn’t just an old friend—he was a partner in Adrian’s crimes. And now, he was coming for her.
---
The Final Confrontation:
That night, Evelyn sat by the fireplace, the gun in her lap. She knew Daniel would come. He had made it clear he wasn’t going to let her go.
The knock came just past midnight.
Evelyn opened the door to find Daniel standing there, his smile as cold as ever.
“May I come in?” he asked, though his tone made it clear he wasn’t really asking.
She stepped aside, clutching the gun behind her back.
Daniel walked in, his eyes scanning the room. “Cozy place. Shame Adrian couldn’t enjoy it longer.”
“What do you want?” she demanded, her voice steady despite the fear coursing through her.
Daniel turned to her, his smile fading. “I want what Adrian owed me. And if you can’t pay, well...” He trailed off, pulling a knife from his jacket.
Evelyn didn’t hesitate. She raised the gun, her hands trembling. “Stay back,” she warned.
Daniel chuckled, taking a step closer. “You don’t have it in you.”
But he underestimated her. As he lunged, she pulled the trigger. The gunshot echoed through the cottage, and Daniel fell to the floor, clutching his chest.
Evelyn stood over him, her breathing ragged. “I’m done being a victim,” she whispered.
---
Freedom’s Cost:
The next morning, Evelyn buried Daniel’s body by the cliffs, next to where Victor and Adrian had fallen. The waves crashed below, as if washing away her sins.
For the first time in years, she felt truly free.
But as she walked back to the cottage, the wind carried a familiar whisper.
“Evelyn...”
She froze, her heart pounding. Was it Victor? Adrian? Or was it her own guilt, haunting her forever?
She would never know.
