Wish Upon A Sunset

Wine...Dine...Duck!

Emma

I stood frozen in the bathroom's doorway, my wet hair dripping onto the floor. My front door was wide open, yet the living room remained empty. The room was silent except for the sound of my pounding heart as I scanned every corner for a sign of an intruder.

"Hello?" I called out, my voice trembling. No answer.

I tiptoed across the room, my bare feet silent on the carpet. When I reached the door, I peeked out onto the landing. Empty.

With shaking hands, I grabbed the door and slammed it shut, only to realize that someone had broken the lock. The metal pieces hung useless, leaving me exposed.

Fumbling for my phone, panic surged through me, clouding my thoughts. I needed Logan.

My fingers struggled to hit the right buttons as I pulled up his contact and pressed the call button.

He answered on the second ring. "Emma? What's up?"

"Logan," I gasped, my voice breaking. "Someone was in my apartment. The door's wide open and the lock is broken. I don't know what to do."

"What? Are you okay? Did you see anyone?" His voice sharpened with worry.

"No, I was in the shower. I heard noises, but when I came out, no one was here. Logan, I'm scared." My heart was still racing, its rapid beats echoing in my ears. I could feel a thin sheen of cold sweat on my palms, and my mouth had gone dry.

"I'm on my way right now. Don't open the door for anyone but me, okay? I'll be there in ten minutes."

"Okay," I whispered, already feeling safer just knowing he was coming.

"Stay on the phone with me until I get there," Logan said, his voice calm but firm.

I nodded, then remembered he couldn't see me. "Okay."

As Logan's comforting words echoed in my ear, my tense muscles relaxed, allowing me to take in the details of the apartment.

Light streamed through my curtains, painting everything in a warm glow. It highlighted the dust motes floating in the air and cast long shadows across my mismatched furniture, making the familiar space feel alien and mysterious.

At first glance, everything seemed fine until I noticed the coffee table.

My breath caught in my throat.

"Logan," I said, interrupting whatever he'd been saying. "The necklace Arlo gave me is sitting out on the coffee table. I swear I put it in my kitchen junk drawer weeks ago."

The delicate silver chain glinted in the fading light, its small pendant-a blue sapphire-casting a faint shadow on the polished wood of the coffee table.

"Don't touch anything," Logan's voice was adamant. "We'll figure it out when I get there."

Those ten minutes felt like an eternity. My mind raced with possibilities, each more terrifying than the last. Who had been in my apartment? What did they want? Was it Arlo? Or worse, could it be Zack? The thought of my ex-husband intruding on my personal space unnerved me.

I paced the small living room, my bare feet sinking into the rough carpet with each step. The walls seemed to close in around me, the garish colors of the outdated decor suddenly oppressive and suffocating.

Finally, I heard Logan's familiar knock. I peeked through the peephole to make sure it was him before opening the door.

Logan's worried face greeted me, his eyes scanning me for any signs of harm. "Are you okay?" he asked, pulling me into a tight hug.