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.

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Stella POV

A sharp knock pulled me from the haze of sleep. My eyes blinked open, adjusting to the dim light of my apartment. I must have drifted off on the couch, the weight of the day's chaos finally dragging me under. I rubbed my eyes and glanced at the clock. 11:00 PM.

Another knock, louder this time. My heart stopped. Who was at my door this late? Fear clawed its way up my chest. Was it... him?

I held my breath, frozen in place, until a deep voice called out.

"Open up. It's the police."

The police? Confusion quickly replaced fear, and I hesitated before standing. My legs felt shaky as I walked toward the door. Peeking through the peephole, I saw three uniformed officers—and someone standing slightly behind them. My stomach dropped.

Ryan.

I unlocked the door slowly, dread pooling in my chest. As it opened, the officers looked at me with a mix of professionalism and concern. Ryan's face, however, was unreadable, his jaw tight.

"Miss Thompson?" one of the officers asked, his tone gentle but firm.

"Yes?" My voice trembled.

"We're here to check on your welfare," he continued. "Your coworker, Mr. Woodman, called us, concerned about your safety."

My eyes snapped to Ryan. His expression softened slightly, but there was still an intensity in his gaze.

"I'm fine," I said quickly, too quickly, stepping back from the door. "There's no need for this. I'm okay, really."

The officer raised an eyebrow, his gaze scanning me. "Miss Thompson, are you sure? You seem shaken."

"I... I've just had a rough day, that's all. I appreciate your concern, but I promise, I'm fine."

Ryan stepped forward then, his voice quiet but firm. "Stella, I know something is wrong. You can't keep shutting me out. Let us help you."

"I don't need help," I snapped, my voice sharper than I intended. My throat tightened as I forced myself to stay calm. "I just need... space."

Ryan's jaw clenched. "Space isn't going to stop whoever's sending you those messages."

The air felt like it had been sucked out of the room. My stomach dropped, and I could feel the blood draining from my face.

One of the officers perked up, his brows furrowing. "Messages? What messages?"

I shot Ryan a glare, my heart pounding. "Ryan, stop—"

"No, Stella." He cut me off, his voice firm but full of worry. "You've been getting threatening texts. I saw them. Don't lie to me right now." He turned to the officers. "She's being harassed by someone. These messages are dangerous, and she's scared."

"No," I protested, my voice cracking as I stepped forward. "It's nothing. I can handle it."

One of the officers spoke up, his tone professional and cautious. "Miss Thompson, if someone is threatening you, we need to know. These things escalate quickly if they're ignored."