Emily couldn't shake off the feeling that something was off. Alex's friend, Rachel, seemed nice enough, but there was something in her eyes that made Emily's skin crawl. She couldn't quite put her finger on it, but she felt like Rachel was hiding something.
As the days went by, Emily started to notice that Rachel was always around. She would show up at the office, at Alex's favorite coffee shop, even at his apartment building. It was like she was following Emily, watching her every move.
At first, Emily tried to brush it off as paranoia. After all, Rachel was Alex's childhood friend, and she was probably just trying to be friendly. But as the encounters kept happening, Emily started to feel like she was being stalked.
One evening, as Emily was walking home from the office, she heard footsteps behind her. She quickened her pace, but the footsteps kept pace with her. She could feel a presence closing in, and her heart started to pound.
Suddenly, Rachel appeared beside her, a fake smile plastered on her face. "Hey, Emily," she said, her voice dripping with sweetness. "Fancy running into you here."
Emily tried to play it cool, but she could feel her heart racing. "Rachel, hi," she said, trying to sound casual. "What are you doing here?"
Rachel's smile never witched. "Oh, just out for a walk," she said. "I love this neighborhood. It's so... quaint."
Emily nodded, trying to edge away from Rachel. But Rachel kept pace with her, her eyes fixed on Emily's face.
"You know, Emily," Rachel said, her voice taking on a menacing tone. "I really think you should back off. Alex is mine. He's always been mine, and he always will be."
Emily's heart skipped a beat. "I don't know what you're talking about, Rachel," she said, trying to sound firm.
Rachel's smile grew wider. "Don't play dumb, Emily. I know you know. Alex and I have a history. A history that goes way back. And I'm not about to let you come in and ruin it for me."
Emily's skin crawled. She knew she had to get away from Rachel, and fast. "I think I'm going to go, Rachel," she said, trying to sound calm.
Rachel's smile faltered, and for a moment, Emily saw a flash of anger in her eyes. But then, the mask was back in place. "Of course, Emily," she said, her voice sweet again. "I just wanted to catch up. Maybe we can do it again sometime?"
Emily nodded, trying to hide her revulsion. "Sure, Rachel. That sounds nice."
As Emily turned and walked away, she could feel Rachel's eyes on her back. She knew she had to tell Alex about this, and fast. Rachel was not going to give up easily, and Emily was starting to feel like she was in danger.
The next day, Emily confronted Alex about Rachel's behavior. Alex's face darkened, and he pulled Emily into a tight hug. "I'm so sorry, Emily," he whispered. "I had no idea she was like this. I'll talk to her, I promise."
But as Alex pulled away, Emily could see the worry in his eyes. He knew, just like she did, that Rachel was not going to go away quietly.
As the days turned into weeks, Rachel's threats grew more intense. She would show up at Emily's apartment, at her favorite coffee shop, even at her writing group. She would leave Emily gifts, notes, even flowers. It was like she was trying to suffocate Emily, to smother her with attention.
Emily was at her wit's end. She was scared, she was angry, and she was starting to feel trapped. She knew she had to do something, but she didn't know what.
As she sat at her desk, staring blankly at her computer screen, Emily knew that she had to take control. She couldn't let Rachel win. She was going to fight back, and she was going to fight hard.
But as she looked up, she saw Rachel standing in the doorway, a smirk on her face. "You can't win, Emily," she said, her voice low and menacing. "I always get what I want. And what I want is Alex."
Emily's heart skipped a beat. She knew that she was in trouble, big trouble