Twisted Veil of Devotion

Part 5

Thoughts collide, they twist, they tear,

I'm drowning in the thick of air.

My mind's a blur, my body's still,

Frozen by a nameless thrill.

I cannot speak, I cannot move,

Lost in fear I cannot prove.

The silence roars, the darkness near.....

I'm trapped inside this cage of fear.

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Stella POV

My heart pounded in my chest as the words left his lips, his voice smooth and chilling, like something that should never have been spoken aloud. Every instinct in me screamed to run, to get away from this man, but I stood there, unable to move.

I couldn't bring myself to speak, my mouth dry as I took a cautious step back. The room suddenly felt smaller, suffocating, like the air was thick with his presence.

He didn't stand up, didn't make any move to get closer. He just sat there, watching me, his eyes never leaving mine. His gaze was unnerving, like he already knew everything about me.

I clutched the towel tighter around my body, trying to steady my breath. This wasn't real, this couldn't be happening. This was my apartment, my safe place. How did he get in here? How long had he been here?

"Who... who are you?" I managed to force the words out, my voice shaking despite my attempt to stay calm.

The man gave a soft, almost amused chuckle, as though my question was a mere formality. "I think you know who I am, Stella. But I'll tell you again, just in case you forgot. I've been watching you for a while now."

My blood ran cold. I wanted to scream, to run, to lock myself in the bathroom and pretend none of this was real. But something told me if I moved, if I showed fear, it would only make things worse.

"I... I don't understand," I finally managed to say, my voice barely above a whisper. "Why... why are you doing this? Why are you in my apartment?"

He leaned back slightly, still watching me with that unsettling, unreadable expression. "I told you, I've been waiting for this moment. Waiting for you to understand who I am."

I shook my head, disbelief making it hard to think. "No... I don't... Why are you doing this to me?"

His lips curled into a smile, but it wasn't kind. "Because I want you, Stella. And I'm not going anywhere until I have you."

I took a shaky step back, but my legs felt like they were made of stone. I couldn't move. Couldn't escape. This man—this stranger who wasn't a stranger—had been watching me for God knows how long. The creepy encounters, the feeling of being followed... it had all been him.

I wanted to scream, to call for help, but I didn't know what good it would do. He was already here, in my home, in my safe space. The overwhelming terror of it all made me feel like I was suffocating.

"Get out," I whispered, barely able to find my voice. "Get out of my apartment."

He didn't respond immediately, just continued to stare at me, his expression hardening slightly. "You know, Stella," he said, standing up slowly, "I never liked that you were always running from me. I gave you time to come to me on your own, but now... I'm done waiting."

I didn't know what he meant, didn't want to know. My hands trembled as I backed up slowly, my pulse racing.

"You're crazy," I managed to choke out. "You need help."