Chapter 43: What happened.

2 weeks ago

Anna's POV

My conscience is eating me, tormenting me with thoughts of what could happen to Ericka.

I'm constantly plagued by the worry that I should have told her already about the person who's obsessed with her.

The weight of this responsibility is crushing me, and my phone is always within arm's reach, tempting me to reach out to her and share the truth.

But every time I consider it, I'm filled with doubts and second-guesses.

I've already taken a drastic step by moving

my father out of the hospital, as I couldn't guarantee his safety while I'm not around.

The thought of him being at the hospital, vulnerable to whatever this person might want to do, was too much for me to bear.

I'm not only ensuring his safety, but also preventing this person from using my father to blackmail me.

But despite my best efforts, I'm still filled with uncertainty and anxiety. I have no idea what this person is capable of, and the thought of them being so close to Ericka's life is keeping me up at night.

I'm torn between the need to protect Ericka and the fear of telling her something that might change her life forever. What if she doesn't believe me? What if she doesn't take it seriously? What if she gets hurt because of my actions?

The uncertainty is suffocating me, and I'm struggling to decide whether to confide in Ericka about the situation. Part of me wants to keep quiet, hoping that this person will lose interest and move on.

But another part of me knows that's a risky strategy, and that I should be honest with Ericka and give her the chance to protect herself.

As I lay in bed, my mind racing with thoughts of what could happen if I don't take action.

I finally make a decision.

I reach out for my phone, my heart racing with anticipation. The phone rings, but Ericka doesn't answer. I'm left wondering if she's already fallen asleep.

I decide to send her a text instead, hoping that she'll wake up and respond.

My fingers hover over the keyboard as I compose a message.

'Meet me tomorrow at ****, I need to tell you something important.'

I hesitate for a moment, wondering if I'm making a mistake. What if she's not interested in hearing what I have to say?

I take a deep breath and press send. The message is sent, and now all I can do is wait.

Will she show up tomorrow? And what will happen when we finally meet? The uncertainty is eating away at me, but I know that I had to take this step. I have to protect Ericka, no matter what it takes.

As I lie back in bed, my mind is racing with worst-case scenarios.

What if Ericka doesn't show up? What if she doesn't believe me? What if this person finds out what I've done and comes after me?

The thoughts are overwhelming, but I know that I had to take this chance. I have to be brave and face whatever consequences may come my way.

Tomorrow can't come soon enough.

Next day

I'm already pacing back and forth at the designated meeting spot, my anxiety growing with each passing minute. It's been two hours since Im waiting, and I'm starting to lose hope. Maybe Ericka is busy, the thought of her not showing up is unbearable. I take a deep breath and try to calm myself down, but my hands are already shaking uncontrollably.

As I look around, I realize that I'm alone. The streets are quiet, and the only sound is the distant hum of traffic. I feel like I'm waiting for a ghost. I take one last look at my phone, checking the time for what feels like the hundredth time. It's almost as if I'm hoping to see a message from Ericka, a sign that she's on her way.

But there's nothing. No message, no response.

And then, out of nowhere, a hand with a cloth over it blocks my nose. The smell of the cloth is intoxicating, I try to struggle, but my arms and legs feel heavy and unresponsive. The world around me is spinning, and I'm powerless to stop it.

My mind is racing with thoughts of Ericka, wondering if she's the one who's behind this. But something tells me it's not her. This feels different. This feels... sinister.

I try to focus on the sounds around me, but everything is distorted and unclear. The only thing that's clear is that I'm in danger. And then, just as suddenly as it started, everything goes black.

________________________________________

3 days ago (The time after Ericka and Marco talked)

Diego's POV

"If I didn't catch you that day, you probably would have ruined my plan already," I say, my voice dripping with satisfaction.

I've been planning this for months, and it's almost too perfect.

"Why are you doing this? What could you possibly gain from this?" Anna ask.

"You want to know what I'll get from doing this? It's her, Anna."

Anna's eyes narrow, her expression darkening.

"You will just hurt her,' she says, her voice low and warning. 'She's too precious for all this madness."

I chuckle, the sound low and menacing.

"You're so naive, Anna. You think everyone has the same feelings for her as you do. But they don't. They don't care about her happiness or her well-being. They only care about using her to get what they want."

Anna's eyes flash with anger, but I press on, my words dripping with venom.

"And I'm willing to do whatever it takes to get what I want and when I do... oh, it's going to be glorious."

I slipped out of the room, leaving Anna behind, and made my way to the place where my new toy awaited. I pushed open the door and stepped inside, the dim light illuminating the space. My eyes scanned the room, settling on the figure lying on the ground.

I moved closer, my footsteps silent on the floor. He stirred, his body slowly coming to life. I waited, my eyes fixed on him as he sat up, rubbing his head. A groan escaped his lips as he took in his surroundings.

I sat down in a nearby chair, my gaze never leaving him.

"Hi Marco"

________________________________________

Marco's POV

I tried to sit up, but a wave of dizziness washed over me, forcing me to lie back down. I looked around, trying to take in my surroundings, but the dim light made it difficult to see. A figure was sitting in a chair, partially obscured by the shadows. I strained my eyes to get a better look, but all I could make out was the outline of his face.

"Who are you?" I demanded, my voice shaking slightly.

The figure chuckled, a low, menacing sound. "Hmm, you know me so well," he said, his voice dripping with sarcasm.

I tried to move, but a jolt of pain shot through my body as I realized that I was chained to the floor. Panic set in as I struggled against the restraints, but they were too strong.

The figure leaned forward, his face still hidden in the shadows. "Don't bother trying to escape," he said. "You're not going anywhere."

I glared at him, trying to see his face more clearly. But it was no use. He might as well have been a ghost.

"What do you want from me?" I demanded, trying to keep my voice steady.

The figure chuckled again. "Oh, I think you'll find out soon enough," he said. "For now, just relax and enjoy the ride."