Twisted Veil of Devotion

Part 6

If I speak, will he appear,
And turn my world to dust and fear?
What if his rage, unleashed, takes flight,
And those I love are caught in night?

My voice, a captive, locked inside,
Bound by the secrets that I hide.
I long to scream, to break, to fight....
But silence feels like my only light.

====================================================

Stella POV:

I stood there, my heart pounding as I faced the three police officers and Ryan. 

They were all looking at me, their expressions a mix of concern and determination, but all I could see was the growing darkness that surrounded me. 

The walls felt like they were closing in, suffocating me with every passing second.

"Stella," one of the officers said gently, his voice steady and calming. "We're here to help you. But we can't do anything unless you tell us what's going on. You need to trust us."

Trust. I wanted to trust them; I really did. But how could I? How could I tell them everything and risk putting Ryan in danger? I glanced over at him, and he looked back at me with those intense, hopeful eyes. 

He was so willing to fight for me, to protect me. The thought of what the psycho would do to him if he found out was enough to send a shiver down my spine.

I was tired of living in fear. Tired of letting the darkness consume me. I had to find a way to take back control.

I took a deep breath, my mind racing as I weighed my options. The only way to truly protect Ryan was to make this situation clear, to put everything out in the open. The police could help, but only if I let them in.

"I... I'll talk," I finally said, my voice shaking but firm. The words felt heavy on my tongue, but they were freeing, too. "I'll tell you everything."

Ryan's expression shifted from concern to relief, and I saw him take a small step forward, his eyes bright with hope. But that hope also brought a wave of guilt crashing over me. I was putting him in danger, and I had to remind myself of that, even as I chose to share my truth.

The officer who had spoken stepped forward, nodding encouragingly. "Thank you, Stella. We really appreciate you coming forward. Can we step inside so we can talk in private?"

I hesitated, glancing back at Ryan one more time. I could see the determination in his eyes, but also the flicker of worry. I didn't want to involve him in this mess any more than I already had.

"Please," he urged softly, and his voice was like a lifeline. "You're not alone in this."

I nodded, the decision made. I stepped back and opened the door wider, allowing them to enter. As they walked inside, I closed the door behind them, the click of the latch echoing in the silence.

The officers took seats on the small couch, their expressions shifting to a more serious tone. Ryan remained standing, just a step away, watching me like a hawk. His presence was both comforting and frightening, a reminder of everything I was risking.

I took a seat across from the officers, my heart racing as I prepared to speak. "I,......there's someone who's been stalking me," I started, my voice barely above a whisper. "For months now."

The officer closest to me nodded, taking out a small notebook and pen. "Can you tell us about this person? How did it start?"

I swallowed hard, trying to gather my thoughts. "It started with strange messages at first. Texts, emails... he would tell me he was watching me. I thought it was a prank, at first, but then things escalated."