Broken Paths || Wen JunHui

Chapter 55: A Whisper in the Dark

⋆˙⟡♡⚕🩺⊹ 🤍

The evening air felt heavy as Da-Rae returned to her apartment, her nerves frayed from the day's events. The detectives' presence at the hospital and their warnings had only heightened her anxiety. She had tried to focus on her work, but Jun's face haunted her thoughts.

Locking the door behind her, she flipped on the lights and checked the windows, an action that had become second nature. The quiet hum of the city outside was a stark contrast to the storm of fear brewing inside her.

She made herself a cup of tea, hoping the warmth would soothe her frayed nerves, but her hands trembled as she held the mug. The thought of Jun out there, so close yet so elusive, made her skin crawl.

Her phone buzzed, breaking the silence. It was a text from an unknown number:

"You looked beautiful today."

Da-Rae's heart stopped. Her hands went cold as she stared at the screen, the tea forgotten. She read the message again, her pulse racing. There was no mistaking the sinister familiarity of it. It had to be him.

Summoning every ounce of courage, she quickly forwarded the text to Detective Park before blocking the number. Her breath came in shallow gasps as she set the phone down and backed away, as if the device itself was tainted.

The walls of her apartment seemed to close in around her. Every shadow seemed to shift, every sound amplified. Was he outside? Watching?

Hours passed, and the apartment grew darker as night fell. Da-Rae tried to distract herself with a book, then a movie, but nothing could quell the unease that gripped her.

Finally, exhaustion won. She curled up on the couch, a blanket wrapped tightly around her, and closed her eyes.

A faint creak jolted her awake.

Her heart thudded painfully in her chest as she sat up, straining to listen. The apartment was silent, save for the distant sounds of the city. But she couldn't shake the feeling that she wasn't alone.

Slowly, she got up, her bare feet soundless against the floor. She moved toward the kitchen, the dim light from the streetlamp outside casting long shadows across the room.

The kitchen was empty. She turned toward the living room—and froze.

Her front door was ajar.

Panic surged through her veins. She was certain she had locked it. Slowly, she stepped closer, her trembling hands reaching for the nearest object—a heavy glass vase on the counter.

"Who's there?" she called, her voice shaky but loud enough to carry.

Silence.

She edged toward the door, gripping the vase tightly, her breaths shallow. The hallway beyond was dark and empty, the faint hum of a fluorescent light the only sound.

Summoning her courage, she slammed the door shut and bolted it. Her hands trembled so violently she struggled with the latch.

Backing away from the door, she clutched the vase to her chest. She glanced around the room, every shadow now seeming more menacing.

Her phone buzzed again.

She hesitated before picking it up. Another text from an unknown number:

"Don't lock me out."

A scream caught in her throat as her legs gave way, sending her to the floor. Tears streamed down her face as she stared at the message, her mind spinning.

Jun was here. He had been inside. And he wasn't planning on leaving anytime soon.

⋆˙⟡♡⚕🩺⊹ 🤍