The Wife You Buried Is Back from Hell novel Chapter 1054

She lay with her eyes open, staring at the ceiling, her mind racing with terrifying possibilities. She thought about the recently signed deal with Cole. Could a competitor be trying to intimidate her? Or maybe it was Lorie, seeking revenge after their argument earlier that day? Or perhaps, she was just being paranoid, and it was all a series of coincidences. The more she thought, the more her panic grew.

She picked up her phone, intending to call Gian, but then she saw the time on the screen. Two-thirty in the morning. She put the phone down. Calling now would only wake him, and if it turned out to be nothing, she'd feel foolish for overreacting.

Taking a deep breath, she crept quietly toward Niki's room. Right now, the only thing that could calm her was seeing that her daughter was safe. The door was slightly ajar, leaving a small crack of darkness. Danielle pushed it open gently. Niki was lying on her side, her little cheeks flushed, her long eyelashes resting on her skin. Her breathing was even and peaceful. She was clutching a new figurine she'd gotten from a mystery box the night before, sleeping soundly.

Danielle tiptoed to the bedside and knelt, her fingers gently brushing a stray hair from her daughter's forehead. The warmth of Niki's skin against her fingertips finally allowed the knot of fear in her chest to loosen. As if sensing her presence, Niki murmured something in her sleep and snuggled deeper into her blanket. Seeing her daughter so peaceful and unguarded, Danielle felt a pang of sorrow. She had always wanted to provide a safe and stable home for Niki, but the strange events of the night made her realize that security might be more fragile than she thought.

Danielle sat in the small chair by the bed, watching over Niki until the first light of dawn broke through the window. The sounds of early morning joggers chatting outside and the faint scent of baking bread from the cafe downstairs drifted up, signaling the start of a new day.

As she drove away from the school, her eyes involuntarily drifted to the rearview mirror. It reflected the flow of traffic behind her—a few cars, all moving predictably, nothing out of the ordinary. But the feeling of being followed lingered, a persistent prickle on the back of her neck, as if a pair of hidden eyes were tracking her every move. Her hands tightened on the steering wheel. She instinctively sped up, then slammed on the brakes. The cars behind her slowed down accordingly, maintaining a safe distance. Still nothing.

Danielle frowned. The scare from last night must have left her more rattled than she thought, making her paranoid. But a second later, she couldn't stop herself from glancing at the mirror again. She took a deep breath, forcing her focus back to the road ahead, but waves of anxiety kept washing over her, so intense that even her fingertips on the wheel felt cold. She was on edge the entire way to the Ninesky parking garage. After parking, Danielle leaned back in her seat and rubbed her throbbing temples.