The Poisoned Gift
Ella's POV:
The day had started like any other, with the faint hum of city noise outside my window and the sun peeking through half-closed blinds.
I had just returned from a long day at work, my feet sore from running errands, and my mind swimming with the whirlwind of thoughts that had become my constant companions.
Arec's insistence on me taking a break from work, my pregnancy, the paranoia that someone was out to get me, it was all too much.
I was grateful to finally be home, in the safety of my apartment.
I was halfway through setting my bag down when the doorbell rang. It was strange; I wasn't expecting anyone.
My heart leapt, the jolt of anxiety instantly making me alert. For a moment, I considered ignoring it, but curiosity won out. I approached the door cautiously, peeking through the peephole, expecting to see a delivery person or a neighbor.
But there was no one there.