AllFreeNovel
Share Us
Lou tugs on my hand, pulling me from my thoughts. “Can we get hot chocolate there sometime?”
“Sure, sweetie,” I reply, pushing thoughts of Angelo aside.
But they creep back in as we wait at a crosswalk. The memory of our night together sends a warmth through me. It was undoubtedly the best I’ve ever had, but I can’t let my heart get involved. Relationships are unpredictable, spontaneous. They don’t fit into my carefully ordered life.
We turn onto a tree-lined street, the leaves just starting to show hints of autumn colors. Lou chatters about her upcoming science project, and I force myself to focus on her words.
Relationships might not be for me, but this—walking my daughter to school, manning our shop, maintaining the predictable routine we’ve established—this is what matters. It’s safe. It’sknown.
The school looms large, a brick behemoth, as we cross the street. I see a swarm of students with their parents buzzing around the gates.
“Sofia?”
I whip my head around, my breath catching in my throat. My eyes lock onto him. Tall, blond, and those familiar blue eyes are staring at me in disbelief. Jonah Ansel. My stomach twists into knots.
No. There’s no way.
Panic starts to rise, a cold dread creeping into my bones.
I force myself to inhale deeply, to ground myself. Lou’s small hand is warm in mine. I bend down and kiss her cheek, a silent promise of safety. “Have a good day, sweetheart,” I whisper, my voice barely audible over the morning traffic. With a final reassuring squeeze of her hand, I watch her disappear through the school gates, seeking refuge in the familiar.
“Sofia!”
I hear Jonah’s voice again, closer this time. My legs turn to jelly. I have to get away. I start walking faster, my gaze fixed on the sidewalk. But his footsteps are gaining on me.
This can’t be real. A sick feeling creeps into my gut. Last night, I dreamed about his assault on me. And now, here he is, a ghost from my worst nightmare.
How did he find me? How? My mind races, searching for answers. And then, the terrifying realization hits me. Lou.
My heart pounds in my ears. She looks just like him, those same piercing blue eyes, the same blonde hair. It would besoeasy for him to connect the dots.
Please let him not have seen her. Please.
Tears prick my eyes, blurring my vision. I quicken my pace, but he’s right behind me. I can feel his presence like a physical weight. He catches up easily, his breath warm on my neck.
“Sofia,” he says, his voice hesitant. “How have you been?”
His question hangs in the air, heavy and loaded. I don’t know what to say. How can I possibly answer that? My mind is a whirlwind of fear and anger. I want to scream at him, to tell him to stay away. But the words won’t come out.
“I saw the news this morning about the fire,” he continues, his voice filled with a strange mix of concern and something else I can’t quite place. “I saw you on there. I was on my way to check on you.”
My heart stops. He saw me on the news? And now he’s here, claiming to care. Where was that care nine years ago when he fucking raped me and impregnated me with his child? Anger surges through me, hot and violent. How dare he?
The memories of last night’s nightmares claw at my mind, his hands pulling my skirt up, his hot breath in my ear as he raped me. I’m trapped in a suffocating nightmare, and he’s the monster in it.
“Leave me alone,” I manage to whisper, my voice barely audible over the morning traffic. The words feel like a tiny pebble thrown at a giant.
“I just want to talk,” he says, his voice soft but insistent.
“There’s nothing to talk about,” I retort, my voice rising in pitch.
“I didn’t know you had a daughter,” he says, his eyes scanning my face.
Fear nearly paralyzes me.Oh, God, he saw her.“It’s none of your business,” I spit out, my anger boiling over. I turn to walk away, but his hand clamps down on my arm, halting me in my tracks.
Fear, cold and sharp, slices through me. I wrench my arm away from his grasp, my nails digging into my palms. “Don’t touch me!” I hiss.
Jonah looks taken aback for a moment, then his expression hardens. “How old is she?”
