Morgan's Point of View
I glance at the notification again, my heart hammering against my ribs. The security camera has captured a figure approaching my property, a female silhouette moving with purpose up the driveway.
My phone slips from my fingers, clattering onto the coffee table as white-hot rage surges through me. I know exactly who it is. After all this time, after everything I've done to keep us hidden away in our perfect bubble, she's found us.
I spring to my feet, smoothing down my clothes with trembling hands as I suppress screaming.
"Morgan? What's wrong?" Adam asks, concern etching across his features. "Where are you going?" he calls as I stride toward the front door.
I force my voice to remain light, casual. "Honey, I'll be right back. I just need to check on the sprinklers, something seems broken with the timer." I gesture vaguely toward the front yard. "Go clean up and I'll be right back, okay?"
"Sure, but do you want me to…"
I'm already out the door before he can finish, pulling it firmly shut behind me. The cool night air hits my flushed skin as I scan the darkness, my eyes adjusting quickly. The motion-sensing lights haven't triggered yet near the house, which means she's still approaching from the perimeter.
I move swiftly across the front yard, keeping to the shadows cast by the moonlight. My bare feet make no sound on the grass as I circle toward the side gate that leads to the upper driveway.
Then I spot her, a figure emerging from the shadows near the garden path. The motion sensors finally trigger, flooding the area with harsh white light that makes us both squint. Lana stands there, blonde hair whipping in the ocean breeze, her stance wide and confrontational. She doesn't even try to hide the raw hatred in her eyes as they lock with mine, her entire body radiating fury.
"Lana, get the fuck out of here," I snarl, stepping forward to block her path to the house. "You're trespassing on private property."
She laughs a brittle sound that carries on the night air. "Trespassing? That's rich coming from you. You've been trespassing in my life for months."
"Your life? Last I checked, Adam chose to leave you." I cross my arms, keeping my voice low enough that it won't carry back to the house. "He's with me now. Willingly. Happily."
Lana takes a step closer, and I notice her hand hovering near her purse.
"He only chose you because you manipulated him," she hisses. "I know everything, Morgan. About RedheadloverX. About how you studied him for months, learned all his secrets, his insecurities."
My blood freezes in my veins. How could she possibly know about that? I maintain my composure, my face betraying nothing despite the panic churning inside me.
"I have no idea what you're talking about," I say coolly. "But whatever delusion you've constructed to explain why Adam left you is your problem, not mine."
"I found his laptop," Lana continues, taking another step forward. "Read all your conversations. You're sick, Morgan. Obsessed."
My instinct is to reach for my phone to call security, but with a jolt of realization, I remember I left it on the coffee table inside. The panic must flash across my face because Lana's eyes narrow with satisfaction.
She takes another step forward, her hand still hovering near her purse in a way that makes my skin crawl.
I straighten my spine, summoning every ounce of intimidation I can muster. "Get out of here before I call the cops, Lana," I bluff.
Lana's face contorts with rage, her blue eyes blazing in the harsh security light. "Call them," she challenges. "I'll tell them everything. How you stalked Adam for months, how you manipulated him away from me."
"You're crazy," I spit back, though anxiety claws at my insides. I need to get her away from here before Adam hears us.
"Let me talk to Adam for five minutes, Morgan. It's all I want," Lana says, her voice suddenly dropping to something almost pleading. "Five minutes to tell him the truth. Then I'll leave."
I laugh, the sound sharp and cruel in the night air. "So you can fill his head with lies? I don't think so."
"They're not lies!" she shouts, stepping closer. "You're the liar! You're the one who created a fake persona to get close to him! You're the one who treated him like a lab rat for months!"
I glance nervously at the house, praying Adam can't hear her accusations through the closed windows. "Lower your voice," I hiss.
"What's wrong, Morgan?" Lana taunts, her voice rising instead. "Afraid your brainwashing will be undone if he hears the truth? Afraid he'll realize everything between you was built on lies?"
Something snaps inside me. The careful control I've maintained shatters like glass. A primal scream tears from my throat as I lunge forward, my body moving before my mind can catch up. I slam into Lana with the full force of my rage, tackling her to the ground.
"HE'S MINE!" I shriek, my fingers tangling in her blonde hair, yanking her head back. "MINE! YOU DON'T GET TO TAKE HIM FROM ME!"
Lana's eyes widen with shock as we hit the ground, but she recovers quickly. Her knee drives upward, catching me in the stomach and knocking the wind from my lungs. I gasp but don't release my grip on her hair.
"You fucking psycho!" she spits, clawing at my face. Her nails rake across my cheek, drawing blood that feels hot against my skin.
We roll across the grass, a tangle of limbs and fury. I'm vaguely aware of how animalistic I must look, hair wild, face streaked with blood, teeth bared like a feral creature. I don't care. All that matters is keeping her away from Adam, protecting what's mine.
"Yeah! I studied him!" I hiss into her face as I pin her down. "I know him better than you ever did! I give him what you couldn't!"
My fist connects with Lana's face with a sickening crunch, the impact sending a jolt of pain up my arm. Her head snaps back, blood spraying from her nose as she howls in agony.
"You bitch!" she shrieks, thrashing beneath me like a trapped animal.
I grab her throat with one hand, pinning her down while drawing back for another strike. Her eyes bulge with panic as my fingers dig into her soft flesh, cutting off her air.
Suddenly, her hand breaks free, diving into her purse. Before I can react, she's pointing a revolver directly at my face, her bloodied hand trembling around the grip.
"Get. Off. Me." Each word drips with venom as she presses the barrel against my forehead.
Ice fills my veins as I stare down the barrel, not fear for myself but terror for Adam. If she fires, he'll hear. He'll come running. He could get caught in the crossfire.
"You brought a fucking gun?" I snarl, keeping my voice low despite my shock. "Are you insane?"
Lana shoves me backward with surprising strength, scrambling to her feet while keeping the revolver trained on my forehead. Blood streams from her nose, painting her chin crimson as she steadies her stance.
"I'm taking Adam with me one way or another, Morgan," she says, her voice eerily calm despite her trembling hand. "I don't care what it takes."
I rise slowly, calculating the distance between us, wondering if I could lunge before she pulls the trigger. My cheek throbs where her nails tore skin, warm blood trickling down my face.
"Listen to yourself," I hiss, rage boiling beneath my skin. "You sound deranged."
"Says the stalker," Lana counters, stepping closer. "Now move. I'm going inside."
Seething fury courses through me as I block her path to the house, my entire body vibrating with protective rage.
"So help me, god, if you hurt Adam with that gun because you tried to shoot me," I growl, my voice dropping to a deadly whisper, "I will make the rest of your short life absolute agony."
Lana's eyes widen slightly at the venom in my voice, the utter conviction behind my threat.
"You think I'd hurt Adam?" she asks, genuine confusion flickering across her bloodied face. "I'm here to save him from you."
"By waving a gun around?" I laugh, the sound harsh and jagged. "Some rescue."
I take a calculated step forward, testing her resolve. The gun wavers slightly in her grip.
"He doesn't need saving," I continue, my voice softening strategically. "Why don't you ask him yourself? Without that thing pointed at my head."
Lana hesitates, uncertainty crossing her features for the first time. "You'd let me talk to him?"
"Lower the gun first," I counter, watching her carefully. If I can get her to hesitate just long enough, I might have a chance to disarm her.
Before Lana can respond, I hear the creak of the front door opening behind me. My entire body goes rigid as I sense Adam's presence, his footsteps halting abruptly on the porch.
"Morgan? What's going…" His voice cuts off mid-sentence. "Lana?"
I spin around, my heart hammering against my ribs as I see him standing there, illuminated by the light spilling from the doorway. His face is a mask of shock, eyes darting between us, taking in my bloodied cheek, Lana's battered face, and the gun still pointed at my head.
"Adam, get behind me!" I plead with Adam.
Lana's entire demeanor changes instantly. The cold determination in her eyes melts into desperate relief as she locks eyes with Adam.
"Adam!" she screams, her voice cracking with emotion. "Everything she's ever said to you was a lie! She's manipulated us! She turned us against each other and ruined us!"
The gun trembles violently in her grip as she gestures wildly with her free hand. "She's RedheadloverX! She fed you lies for months before she ever met you! She orchestrated everything!"
I feel a chill run through my veins as I watch Adam's face. I expect confusion, disbelief, maybe even anger at seeing Lana threatening me with a weapon. Instead, his expression is eerily calm, almost resigned. There's no surprise in his eyes, only a deep, profound sadness that makes my stomach drop.
"I know, Lana," he says quietly, his voice hollow and broken.