Page 53 of Venomous Desires

Everywhere I looked, there were reminders of the emptiness that had taken root in my life.

The discarded book on the nightstand, the unmade bed, the lonely glow of my phone screen as it pinged.

I wanted to scream, to cry out for help, but my voice felt trapped in my throat, strangled.

I curled up on the bed, clutching a pillow to my chest as if it could provide some comfort. But it was a poor substitute for warmth. My tears soaked into the fabric, and I trembled, feeling more lost and vulnerable than I ever had before.

In moments like these, the darkness felt most oppressive, the pain most acute.

The gap between what I needed and what I had was so vast that it seemed impossible to bridge. I lay there, consumed by my misery, feeling as though I was drowning in a sea of my own despair, with no lifeline in sight.

?

I stared at my phone in horror.

Unknown: Careful, kitten.

My heart slammed against my ribs as I read the message again.

I couldn’t look away from the screen. My thoughts were all over the place, jumping from one fear to another. This had to be a joke. There was no way that stalker had gotten my number.

My first instinct was to call Alina or Ivan, but realised I’d be putting them in danger. The isolation I felt deepened.

I glanced around the indoor basketball court where the fest was going to take place, half expecting to see someone looking at me with a grin on their face, saying it was a joke.

I typed a response with shaking hands, then deleted it.

Suddenly, my phone buzzed again, making me jump. I stared at the screen, dread pooling in my stomach.

Unknown: I see you.

My breath hitched. It felt like the ground had been pulled out from under me.

“Hey, are you okay?”

I turned quickly. Alina stood beside me, concern written all over her face.

I forced a shaky smile. “Yeah… I’m just feeling a little dizzy.”

She frowned. “Are you sure?”

“Y-yeah. It’s just… work stress.”

Before she could say more, someone called her name. I nodded at Alina, silently urging her to go. She hesitated, stillwatching me, then finally turned away.

I exhaled slowly, trying to steady myself. The fact that I couldn’t focus on anything these days was more concerning.

I had a stalker.

My boss was a heartless demon.

And the man I thought was my friend was being suspicious.

Another ping and I looked at my phone in horror, expecting another warning, but instead, it was from Kyle.

Kyle: Take a day off tomorrow. Mr. Romanovski will be busy.

I stared at it. Then blinked. It wasn’t going away. That meant it was a dream or my imagination.