" We'd like to believe you , miss , " the other officer explained patiently . " But before we came up , we had our dispatcher check the sec- urity footage for the building . There were no delivery drivers who entered the complex tonight , let alone this building . We can't very well arrest someone who doesn't exist , can we ? " His words made me even more frantic . Doesn't exist ? No driver ? Impossible ! I pulled out my phone to show them my call log . The virtual number labeled " Food Delivery " was gone . Seeing my distress , the officers tried to calm me down . It was no use . But even if the number was gone , I still had Liam ! I called him immediately , putting the phone on speaker . A robotic voice extinguished my last hope : " We're sorry , the number you have dialed is not in service . " Chapter 2 11.15 C The police left , leaving me slumped on the floor in a heap . I clutched my head , a dull ache throbbing in my temples . I remembered it so clearly . The knife , plunging into my chest , over and over . The pain was so real , so excruciating . I could never forget that kind of pain . But why was Liam gone , too ? I opened my messaging app . The chat pinned to the top was no longer with my boyfriend , Liam . It was with my best friend , Jess . My mind was a complete fog . Was I actually going crazy ? I thought about how poorly I'd been doing at work lately , the crushing pressure from my boss , and how I was too broke to quit . The stress had been giving me terrible insomnia , forcing me to rely on sleeping pills . I shook my head , trying to clear it . And these slippers ... they'd felt so uncomfortable when I put them on . Sticky . I had wanted to wash them but kept getting interrupted . I slowly stood up and headed for the bathroom to take a shower and go to bed . It was late . I had work tomorrow . I couldn't afford to lose my mind . As I stood under the hot water , my eyes half - closed , I saw a dark shape standing in the bathroom doorway . 9 I froze . The shadow in the doorway looked distinctly male . My heart hammered against my ribs . I quickly rinsed off , threw on a robe , and rubbed my eyes . The shadow was gone . Damn it . Was this a side effect of the sleeping pills ? The police had just left . Could someone really have gotten into my apartment ? I pressed my palms to my forehead , took a deep breath , and tried to think rationally . The windows were locked . The door was lock- ed . I'd been home for hours . If someone was here , surely I would have noticed by now . I sat on the toilet , haphazardly drying my hair with a towel . I idly checked my phone and saw a message from Jess with a link to a forum post . " Aubrey , look at this ! You live alone , you need to be careful . So many creeps out there these days . " I texted back , trying to make a joke of it . " Tell me about it . I think all the creeps are giving me paranoia . I'm starting to have halluci- nations about being murdered . " After sending the text , l'clicked the link . My blood turned to ice . The post had a photo , taken from a low angle , as if from under a bed . The wardrobe in the picture was identical to the one in my bedroom Even more terrifying , the pair of slippers in the center of the photo were the exact same ones on my feet . A cold dread crept up my spine . No. There was no way this was a coincidence . I swallowed and scrolled down to the comments . The top comment , from the original poster , read : " I broke in last night and hid under her bed . She's a real beauty . Sleeps like the dead , she'll never know what I did to her . I licked her slippers for so long and she didn't even stir , hehe . " Below it were dozens of replies , praising him . The original poster then replied to his own comment : " Couldn't wait any longer . Just went to the bathroom door for a little peek , hehe . " A cold sweat broke out on my forehead . I hadn't imagined it . There really was a shadow . 1 fought down the rising panic , pinching myself hard on the arm . 11:15 Chapter 2 " Ow . " It hurt . A lot . This time , the danger was real . First , I silently texted 9-1-1 . Then I messaged Jess back . " HELP ME REPORT THAT POST ! I'VE CALLED THE POLICE ! THAT CREEP IS IN MY APARTMENT , HE'S FILMING MY HOME ! " Jess told me to stay safe and that she was coming with her brother to help . I thanked her and opened the security app on my pho- ne , trying to find where the psycho was hiding . The footage showed that someone had indeed entered my apartment last night while I was knocked out from the sleeping pills . I panned the camera around , but I couldn't see him anywhere . Until the camera swiveled to face the bathroom door . A man in a baseball cap was pressed tightly against the wall , just outside . I nearly dropped my phone . The forum post was still being updated . " She's like a corpse at night . No more messing around , boys . Tonight , I'm taking what I want . " A maniac ! A complete and utter maniac ! I was terrified , but I forced myself to stay calm . I carefully slipped my feet out of the slippers , not wanting to make a sound . Barefo- ot , I lifted the detachable shower head from its cradle . I would wait here for the police . I couldn't risk moving . If he came in , I would surprise him , smashing the heavy metal shower head into the back of his skull . I pressed myself against the wall next to the bathroom door , not even daring to breathe too loudly . My previous " hallucination " had been a brutal lesson . I had to be careful . Holding the shower head like a weapon , i checked the forum one last time . Someone had asked the poster , " How's it going ? You gonna livestream it for us ? " He replied instantly . " Something's not right . Tonight's a no - go. My gut tells me she knows I'm here . Why else would she be taking such a long shower ? I'm getting out of here . I'll try again another time . " I backed out of the forum . A notification popped up : This post has been removed for violating community guidelines . ! crept to the door , listening intently . I heard the faint sound of footsteps moving away from me , followed by the heavy slam of the front door , which made my heart leap . 10 That hallucination had taught me one thing : be cautious . Even though it sounded like he'd left , I didn't dare leave the bathroom . I pulled up the security feed for the living room again . I pan- ned the camera around , and when it reached the front door , my heart stopped for a second . Thank God I was careful . He was standing right there , by the main entrance , pretending he had left . He really thought I was an idiot . I felt a small surge of triumph . If I had just run out , it would have been over . But then , the footsteps in the living room suddenly grew louder . The man walked over to the refrigerator , reached into the fake plant I kept on top , and pulled out my hidden camera . The feed showed the camera being thrown to the floor , then a foot stomping down , crushing it into pieces . A scream was trapped in my throat . How did he know ? How did he know exactly where my camera was ? 11 15 Chapter 2 Suddenly , a frantic banging started on the front door. Several messages popped up on my phone . " Aubrey , open up ! Are you okay ? My brother and I took a cab ! " " Aubrey , don't be scared ! I know you're afraid to open the door , but you have to ! If something happens , we can help you ! " " If you just stay in there hiding , you're going to scare yourself to death ! " My original plan was to wait for the police , but then another text message came through : " Ma'am , please do not waste police reso- urces . We insist you only call again when you are facing immediate , tangible harm . " Because of the last incident , the police had flagged me as unreliable . Jess was right . The camera footage proved the psycho was lying about leaving . If he was determined to get to me , waiting here was just waiting to die . I texted Jess back , my fingers flying . " Okay , wait for me , I'm coming to let you in . I'll run for it . He's probably hiding now that he hea- rs you knocking . I might have time to open the door . " Jess : " Okay , be careful ! " I closed the chat , gripped the shower head tightly , and put my hand on the doorknob , turning it slowly . In "CEO, Those Twins Look Just Like You" by CrushReel, a single mother's life takes an unexpected turn when she crosses paths with a charming playboy who unknowingly holds a billionaire secret. As their worlds collide, secrets unravel and hearts intertwine in this captivating romance novel set in a modern office backdrop. Amidst the challenges of raising twins solo, our protagonist finds herself drawn to the enigmatic playboy, unaware of the wealth and complexity hidden beneath his charismatic facade. The juxtaposition of their contrasting lives sets the stage for a tale of unexpected love, where opposites truly attract in ways neither could have imagined. This sweet romance novel delves into themes of family, identity, and the power of love to transcend social boundaries. With its blend of heartwarming moments and intriguing twists, "CEO, Those Twins Look Just Like You" stands out as a refreshing take on the billionaire CEO trope, offering readers a glimpse into a world where love knows no bounds. Experience the magic of this ongoing story at CrushReel and dive into a narrative that promises to captivate your heart and leave you eagerly awaiting what unfolds next. Read online at CrushReel for a journey that will keep you hooked till the very end.