"Blinded by his obsession, he kidnapped her, only to have his life spin out of control when he stumbled upon the revelation that shattered everything he thought he knew."
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I sat in my apartment, surrounded by the familiar comforts of home, yet my mind was a thousand miles away. Last night's events replayed in my head like a broken record, each detail etched into my memory like a scar.
The attack.
The knife.
The tears.
My thoughts swirled, a maddening vortex that refused to release me. Fear lingered, a constant companion I couldn't shake.
As I stared blankly at the wall, my phone pierced the silence, shrill and insistent. I jumped, my heart racing.
"Hello?" I answered, my voice hesitant.
"Amelia, where have you been? I've been trying to reach you all morning!" Rachel's voice burst through the line, a welcome distraction from my dark thoughts.
I took a deep breath, trying to shake off the lingering fear.
"Hey, Rach. I'm sorry. I had a... rough night." I hesitated, unsure how much to reveal.
Rachel's tone softened.
"What happened? Are you okay? You sound shaken."
I glanced around my apartment, ensuring I was alone.
"I'll tell you when you get here. You're coming over, right?" I needed Rachel's level head and comforting presence.
"Yeah, I'm on my way. See you soon. And, Amelia?"
"Yeah?"
"Be honest with me. Is everything okay?" Rachel's concern was palpable.
I hesitated, unsure how much to reveal.
"Just get here, Rach."
We hung up, and I stood, pacing around the room. Lost in thought.
Twenty minutes passed, and the doorbell rang, snapping me back to reality.
Rachel.
Right on time.
I opened the door, and Rachel swept in, concern etched on her face.
"Amelia, what's going on? You look... haunted."
I took a deep breath, letting the words spill out.
"Last night... I was attacked." The words felt heavy, like lead weights.
Rachel's eyes widened, shock written across her face.
"Oh my god! Are you okay? What happened?" She guided me to the couch, her hand firm on my shoulder.
I recounted the events, leaving out no details.
The stranger's rescue.
The knife.
The tears.
Rachel listened intently, her expression changing from shock to outrage.
"That bastard! I'll kill him!" She paced around the room.
