“Pretty bored, aren’t you, deleting all the guys
from my phone?” he replied.
“You don’t need any male friends.”
“You have me.”
This hacker was a creep. I deleted him, re- added my friends, and changed my password. But the next day, another notification. He was back, and he’d linked our accounts, creating a “couple’s page.”
“Why did you add them back?” he messaged.
“You don’t need other male friends.”
“You have me. That’s enough.”
I was getting freaked out. “Are you my mom or my dad? Who are you to tell me what to do?”
“Don’t make me angry.”
I was genuinely scared. My first thought was
Jake. But he was dead. I saw him burn. It
couldn’t be him. This had to be some other
psycho. I ignored him.
11
The following weekend, I was home alone. I
noticed the lilies on my windowsill were fresh.
But I’d bought them last week. They should
have wilted. My parents hadn’t been home all
week. They couldn’t have bought them.
Was it the creep? Had he been in my room?
The thought made me uneasy.
That evening, Sarah invited me to a barbecue at
David’s house. I declined. Then she invited my
parents. And, to my surprise, they all agreed to
- go. As it got darker, the thought of the creep
being in my room, possibly returning, terrified
- me. I gave in and asked my dad to pick me up.
“I know it’s hard for you to accept, but you have
to let go,” my dad tried to reason with me.
I wanted to laugh. How could I let go? Since my
return, no one asked how I was, what I’d
endured in those dark days. Everyone just told
me to let go, forgive, understand.
But I hadn’t said anything about them being
together. I knew the me who’d suffered for
three years didn’t deserve David anymore. I
didn’t complain when they showed their
affection. But now they wanted my blessing? I
couldn’t give it.
“Dad, you said you only wanted me, no other
children,” I said, bitterness lacing my voice. “Why are you having another baby with her?”
See? People change.
My dad was stunned. He sighed. “I struggled for
three years, Emily. Then I gave in. They say a
<
He trailed off. I couldn’t bear to hear any more.
Tears welled up as I looked out the window. He
wanted another daughter, just like me, to
replace me? What was I supposed to do?
A black Mercedes sped past. The driver’s side
window was up, but in the brief moment our
cars passed, I felt a pang of unease. Like
someone was watching me.
At David’s house, my mom was grilling. David
and Sarah were preparing skewers. My two-
year–old brother ran around the lawn. This
picture of domestic bliss… I felt like an
outsider, a hollow ache in my chest.
I picked at my food. My dad kept piling more
onto my plate.
After dinner, Sarah invited us upstairs. Everyone.
went, and I didn’t want to be alone outside, so I
followed.
<
“Careful,” David walked behind me, steadying
me on the stairs.
“I’m fine. Go take care of her,” I pulled away,
walking up on my own.
He looked hurt. The irony wasn’t lost on me.
Upstairs, Sarah opened a door to a room filled
with pink, a fairytale nursery.
“We’re pretty sure it’s a girl, so we decorated
early,” Sarah beamed. “Isn’t it beautiful?”
I looked at David. He avoided my eyes.
He’d once held me tenderly, whispering, “Emily,
we’re going to have a little girl. I’ll make her at
pink room. You’ll both be my princesses.”
He still wanted a daughter. Just not with me..
My heart ached. I excused myself to the
<
“I’ll show you.”
I hurried downstairs, bumping into someone.
The familiar feeling sent a jolt through me. I
looked up.
It was Jake.
I froze, my mind blank.
“What’s wrong?” he asked, amusement.
flickering in his eyes. He looked at me like a
stranger.
“It’s… it’s nothing,” David said, taking a deep
breath. “She’s not my sister–in–law.”
“Oh? You two seemed pretty close. I
assumed…” Jake smiled politely, but his words
sent a chill down my spine.
“This is my cousin, Alex. Don’t be afraid,” David
said, taking my hand.
<
“I thought you weren’t coming back until next
month. What brings you here?” David asked
him.
“Business.”
“What kind of business?”
“A woman.” He glanced at me, then quickly
looked away.
I trembled with fear.
“David, can we go to your room?” I whispered, my voice shaking.
Alex didn’t say anything, just watched as David led me away.
In his room, David told me Alex was his cousin.
“He’s always been a straight–A student. Went to boarding school after middle school.”
<
