Chapter: Pervert

On her way home after work, as the sun was setting, Bella couldn't shake the feeling that someone was following her. Yet, every time she looked back, there was no one there. She thought of the man and felt uneasy. She quickened her pace, almost breaking into a run, as she hurried home. As soon as she reached the compound, she locked the gate behind her.

She was alone, and it was freaking her out. Bella tried to imagine that Leland and Dominic were still around, but the empty courtyard constantly reminded her that she wasn't. She had been preparing to leave for several days, but hadn't decided on a city to settle in. She didn't want anything else to happen.

After dinner and a shower, she went to the bathroom with some clean clothes. The wound on her head was already healed, so she could wash it. While showering, she heard something unusual amid the sound of running water. There was an alley outside the bathroom window, and even though she had closed it, the sound was clearly coming from outside. Bella held her breath and carefully dressed herself. Then, noticing something approaching the window, she screamed.

When the person outside realized they had been discovered, they ran away immediately. Night had fallen, and Bella was too afraid to go outside to check. She was on the verge of tears, overwhelmed by fear. Things were worse than she thought they'd be since she left Miller Manor; at least she had never been this terrified there.

In the middle of the night, while Bella was half-asleep, she heard the sound of the window being pushed open. She thought it was just the wind, but when she opened her eyes, she saw a figure climbing through the window into her room. Terrified, she screamed, "Who are you? I'm going to call for help!"

The man clumsily climbed back out the window the same way he had entered. Bella got up and turned on the lights. When she walked over to close the window, she noticed the person had scaled the courtyard wall. His gait suggested that his legs were injured.

The first person that came to mind was the man from earlier that day, and there was a good chance he was the one who had been watching her while she was showering. But why would he do such a thing? Bella wondered if he was mentally ill. Perhaps he suffered from more than just an intellectual disability. Why else would he do something so perverse?

Bella called the police, and it wasn't long before officers from the town's station arrived. After taking her statement, they assured her they would find the person and arrest him. After the police left, she was too scared to sleep; she just cried in bed.

Bella decided she would leave first thing in the morning. She didn't care where she went; she just felt she couldn't stay there anymore. All of a sudden, her phone rang, and she jumped, as she was still on edge. The caller ID displayed an unknown number.

In such a moment of vulnerability, she would answer any call, even if it was an unsolicited sales pitch; she needed to hear another voice to feel less alone.

As soon as the call connected, Simon's voice came through: "You're still awake, Bella." For the first time, she didn't feel the urge to hang up on him, but she didn't mention what she was going through. "Hi, what's up?"

His voice was heavy with regret as he repeated the words he had said countless times before: "I know I messed up, and I'm not asking you to forgive me, but give me a chance to make it up to you. Come to Hotha and let me take care of you." Usually, Bella would have turned him down without a second thought, but this time, she hesitated.

Hotha was a burgeoning metropolis teeming with possibilities, like a goldmine. Even if she wasn't going for Simon, she could still make a good life for herself there.

Bella paused for a moment before responding, "I'll think about it. Let's leave it at that for now." As those words left her mouth, she had already made up her mind to go to Hotha, but she wasn't going to let Simon know just yet. She didn't want him to think she was going there because of him. The final sentence, referencing a website, has been removed as it is irrelevant to the story and appears to be promotional.