Chapter: 149

When her strategy seemed to fail, Ashley resorted to a late-night call. "Alan, I'm terrified. There's someone following me, pounding on my door."

Working late in his office, Alan felt his burgeoning headache worsened at her words. "Have you called the police?"

Through her tears, Ashley replied, "No, I'm petrified they might break in before help arrives. Alan, please, I need you to come over.”

Alan paused, uncertainty clouding his judgment, until a scream pierced through the phone followed by Ashley's desperate cries.

“Who's there? Get out!"

The line went dead, leaving Alan gripping the phone, his heart racing with dread.

Concerned that something might have happened to Ashley, he snatched up his jacket and hurried over to her apartment.

He got there quickly, only to find the door open.

Inside, Ashley was surrounded by disarray, tears reddening her eyes.

"What's going on?" he asked.

Without hesitation, Ashley sprang up and flung herself into Alan's embrace. “Alan, I'm so scared," she sobbed.

Alan remained silent, waiting until her tears subsided before pressing for an answer. “Tell me what happened."

Ashley's expression was one of sheer terror, her whole body trembling.

“It's my ex-husband. He's not dead. He came here looking for me!"

“Your ex-husband?"

Alan's voice carried a note of surprise. "He's alive? Why would he bother you after all this time?"

With desperate eyes, Ashley pleaded, "Alan, can we leave? Now that he knows where I live, he'll be back.”

Alan took a moment to survey the chaos in the living room, then he led her out to his car, his decision made.

Ashley packed only a bag, leaving everything else behind. Her expression was one of sheer terror as she clung to Alan.

With the car's heater spreading warmth, Ashley's panic slowly subsided.

“Alan, I need to clear something up. My ex did rescue me once, but I never wanted to stay with him. He was infatuated with me, but I never reciprocated his feelings. He was persistent, initially treating me well, but I had no idea he was actually a jerk."

As she spoke, tears cascaded down her cheeks while she gripped Alan's arm tightly.

"He had these strange obsessions. He watched my every move, isolated me from others, and virtually held me captive. I barely escaped, and that's when you came into my life. I thought returning home would mean he couldn't reach me... I'm so afraid he's still out there.."

Alan pieced together her tormented past through her broken narrative.