The widow next door

night. The house felt smaller than it had yesterday, as if Julian Vale's presence h

e had survived nights far worse than this. And yet, the memory of his fig

trembling though she would not admit it. She tried to read a book, bu

n she s

le-he shouldn't be outside. Not at this hour. Not casually standing, as if waiting for her. B

tain. She wanted to look away. To hide. But curiosit

uldn't see his eyes, she felt the gaze. It burned t

stepped closer to the street, to the curb, and

knotted. He kno

he world made sense, that he was just a neighbor, that s

d the man across the street existed. And yet, when she finally drew back fro

distinct, but t

amed that she should flee, lock hers

she alre

coincidence.

feel strange, alien. Julian's house was quiet. Empty, apparently. But as she passed, she caught him leaning casuall

f it was nothing. That she could just wa

e didn't acknowledge her

Evelyn felt the shift. The unspoken declaratio

, a test, and a wa

k. Yet she could feel him, as if his gaze had be

. The neighborly laughter, distant dogs barking, a car passing-it all rang like noi

d in composure, in calm. He didn't speak, didn't

hard. This is o

one thing with ab

ad chosen to

se... there was

er, heavier when he was around. But rational thought was fragile, brittle against the weight

didn't turn. Instead, she let her body respond as it always did when dang

tanding at the edge of the shadow cast

She had been trained to notice, to anticipate, to react before the threat fully materialized. But he wasn't a threat

ce was smooth, measured, like dark velvet stretched over s

ind the door, to pretend she didn't hear him. But the words were heavy,

? Neighborly chit-chat would betray weakness.

ind that suggested amusement and danger at the same time. "No n

ssumption?" she asked, forci

ead slightly, studying her, weighing her re

, to cover her own trembling heartbeat. But

pause. Broad shoulders, deliberately relaxed posture, hand lightly brushing the doorway as if marking territory without touching anythin

?" His words were a whisper bu

ght she had tried to suppress. That she had be

carefully, masking her in

enough to unsettle her. "It suits you. Observation. Patience

btle signs, to anticipate danger, to act without hesitation. And here was a

came. Julian tilted his head again, his eyes-dark, unreadab

e shadowed doorway of his house. But even as he moved away, the weight of his presence

ings with clarity

her life for a reason,

been ensnared, whether s

necessary, pale and composed, a widow standing at

rickling anticipation, sharp and intoxicating, that this man-this

er... what else

n shi

oon, and already s

g she could not escape: J

.. neither would the co