For illustration purposes only. | Source: Midjourney
His voice was calm yet threatening as he said he’d have to call the police if I didn’t respond. Panic surged through me. With Officer Ryan still not answering, I grabbed my things and headed straight to the police station, seeking safety.
I arrived at the station, spotted the first officer I could find, and hurried over to him. “Excuse me, is Officer Ryan here?” I asked.
The officer looked at me, puzzled. “Officer Ryan? We don’t have anyone by that name,” he replied.
Confusion washed over me. “What do you mean? He was at the hospital when I woke up after being chased by the stalker,” I insisted.
For illustration purposes only. | Source: Midjourney
The officer shook his head, his expression firm. “Ma’am, we don’t have, and never had, an Officer Ryan.”
I stared at him, disbelief flooding my mind. “No, that’s impossible…” I stammered. I began to describe Officer Ryan, his appearance, his demeanor, everything I could remember.
The officer’s face shifted slightly as he listened. “You’re the woman who reported being followed, right?”
“Yes,” my voice barely a whisper.
For illustration purposes only. | Source: Midjourney
“Come with me,” he said, gesturing for me to follow him.
I walked behind him, and he led me down a hallway to an interrogation room. My breath caught in my throat as I entered the room and saw another officer sitting at the table… and Officer Ryan… in handcuffs.
“What’s going on?” I asked.
“We’ve found the man who was stalking you. He’s been on the run for a long time, but we finally caught him about three hours ago.”
For illustration purposes only. | Source: Midjourney
“No, no, that’s impossible,” I said, panic rising. “Officer Ryan was helping me.”
The officer looked at me with sympathy in his eyes. “Ma’am, he’s not a police officer.”
At that moment, my phone buzzed. I checked it and saw a message from Catherine in response to the yearbook photo I had sent. “Yes, that’s Ryan. You turned him down for prom.”
And then another message from Stacey, “Oh, sorry! We went to the baseball game with your ex, not Ben.”
For illustration purposes only. | Source: Midjourney
Suddenly, it all came rushing back, like a dam breaking in my mind. I remembered everything—how Ben and I had first started dating, the way he made me feel safe.
And then there was Ryan. He had been stalking me for months, always lurking in the background. His obsession had grown darker, more dangerous, with threats that he would take me away and never let me go.
The realization hit me hard—those ropes in his apartment weren’t for rock climbing; they were meant for me.
For illustration purposes only. | Source: Midjourney
Overwhelmed, I sank to the floor, the weight of everything too much to bear. I started crying, the tears pouring out uncontrollably. Ben rushed in, his face full of concern.
He wrapped his arms around me, holding me tight. I couldn’t believe how trusting and naive I had been, how easily I had let myself be deceived.
For illustration purposes only. | Source: Midjourney
Tell us what you think about this story and share it with your friends. It might inspire them and brighten their day.
If you enjoyed this story, read this one: Emily’s day couldn’t get any worse—until she overheard a shocking plan on the bus. A woman plotted to frame her boyfriend’s daughter, and Emily couldn’t just sit back and do nothing. What happens when a stranger steps in to save a child from a twisted scheme? Read the full story here.
