5. Raven

Chapter 5

Raven

M y fingers danced across the keyboard with practiced ease, the soft clicks a soothing backdrop to my focused thoughts in my home office. A self-made sanctuary for my relentless drive. The room was a haven of success stories bound in leather and achievements framed in gold.

The shrill ring of my phone shattered the silence, an invasive alarm that sounded out-of-place amid the tranquility. I flinched. With a swift motion, I muted the string quartet playing from my speakers. The persistent ringing drilled into my nerves, demanding attention.

My hand, steady as it has always been under scrutiny's gaze, now betrayed a tremor as I reached for the sleek device. The illuminated screen displayed a number shrouded in anonymity, "Unknown Caller" blinking like a warning sign. I hesitated, a sliver of caution wedged in my mind after last night.

Swallowing hard, I pressed the phone to my ear, voice a controlled blend of curiosity and command. "Hello?" I listened, the simple greeting a gate unlatched, opening to whatever lay on the other side of the line. My fingers curled tighter around the phone, knuckles whitening, as I braced for the unknown.

"Raven Fields," the voice slithered through the receiver, a hiss that chilled my bones. "Your life is not your own anymore."

My eyes darted to the door of my home office as if it could provide a sanctuary from the voices reach.

"Who is this?"

"An admirer of sorts," the stalker continued, each word wrapped in malice. "One who sees beyond the fa?ade of your perfect existence."

My mind raced, cataloging every locked window and every security measure I'd installed, yet feeling more exposed than ever. The stalker was peeling back layers of my life, revealing my vulnerability like a raw wound.

"Leave me alone. I've done nothing to you."

"Ah, but it's what you have, dear Raven," the voice crooned, taunting. "You have so much to lose. And I... I have nothing but time."

The threat coil around me, a serpent waiting to strike. The darkness of the room seemed to press closer, whispering secrets I wasn't meant to hear.

"Are you afraid?" the voice asked. "You should be. Fear is the appropriate response when everything you love is on the line."

"Is this what you want? To see me break?" Whoever this was, they were playing games at my expense. "Whatever game you're playing, I won't be part of it."

The stalker's laughter echoed in my ear, a sound void of joy. "Oh, but you are already playing, Raven. And the stakes... They are higher than you can imagine."

The silence that followed was deafening, filled with unspoken threats and the pounding of my heart. I realized then, with a clarity that cut deeper than any knife, that the secure life I built was an illusion—a house of cards ready to tumble with the slightest whisper of danger.

"Goodbye," I whispered, the word escaping my trembling lips before I jabbed at the end call button. My breath was ragged, a stark soundtrack to the pounding fear in my chest. I tossed the phone onto my desk as if it were a venomous creature.

You're in control.

"Raven?" Evelyn stepped into the threshold of the office. Her presence scared me, not knowing she was still here.

I froze mid-step, gaze snapping up to meet Evelyn's wide eyes.

"Is everything alright?" Her petite frame leaned against the doorframe, her curly hair a halo of anxiety.

My voice betrayed me, shaking like a leaf caught in a storm, but nothing came out.

"Raven, talk to me. You're white as a ghost." Evelyn's approach was cautious, her steps slow and measured, as if approaching a wounded animal.

The room seemed to spin, heart a frantic drumbeat in my ears. I wanted to confide in Evelyn, to draw strength from her unwavering support, but the words choked in my throat.

I looked into Evelyn's earnest eyes and saw the fierce determination there. It was the same look Evelyn got when tackling impossible schedules or calming irate clients — a reminder that I wasn't alone in this fight, no matter how isolating the fear felt.

"They called. The voice —" I broke off, gulping back the panic that threatened to overwhelm me.

Evelyn's eyes widened for a fraction of a second before her brows drew together. "This has gone too far."

I nodded, feeling the tremor in my hands beginning to subside. "I thought I could handle it, Evie. But this... this is different. They're not just playing games."

"Listen to me, Raven." Her hand gripped my shoulder with reassuring strength. "I'm here, and I'm going to make sure nothing happens to you. We'll increase security, change routines, do whatever it takes."

"Let's start by checking all the locks and alarm system."

Evelyn strode to the sleek panel on the wall downstairs, her fingers flying over the touchscreen as she engaged the state-of-the-art alarm system. The soft chirp confirmed the house was now a fortress. She then pulled out her phone with practiced ease, dialing the local precinct with a number she knew by heart.

"Officer Hernandez, it's Evelyn Carter. I need to report an incident at the Fields residence—yes, a threatening phone call."

I watched from the doorway, my arms wrapped around myself, as Evelyn paced the room, detailing the call with precision. Despite the turmoil within, my gaze fixed on Evelyn's determined movements, finding an anchor in my assuredness and poise.

"Thank you. We'll expect them," Evelyn concluded, placing her phone on the desk with a decisive click. She turned to me, her eyes locking onto mine. "They're sending a car over."

"Evie, what if that's not enough?" My voice cracked, betraying the veneer of composure I fought to maintain.

"Raven," Evelyn reached for my hands, grip firm and grounding, "I've seen you conquer mountains in heels higher than my ambitions. This is just another obstacle, and you're not facing it alone."

"Obstacles don't usually leave you fearing for your life."

"True," Evelyn conceded, "but we're a team. And I am quite the formidable sidekick, if I do say so myself."

"Formidable doesn't begin to cover it, Evie. You're...you're my rock."

"Then lean on me," Evelyn said, "as much as you need. We'll get through this. And whoever is behind this will regret it."

Things were escalating, and it scared the shit out of me. Why would anyone want to harass me? My success had tripled in the last year, but was that any excuse?

Evelyn picked up her phone again.

"What are you doing?"

She looked over at me. "Hello? Yes, this is Evelyn Carter. I need to arrange for a security detail at Miss Fields' residence. Full coverage, round the clock until further notice."

I watched, my heart a mix of warmth and worry, as Evelyn rattled off instructions with clear-cut precision. The woman who had moments ago offered comfort was now a whirlwind of efficiency, her petite frame seeming to expand with the weight of responsibility she bore.

I left her to make arrangements and needed some quiet. The craziness swirling around in my head was eating at me. Whoever was doing this wanted this exact reaction. As much as I didn't want to give them the satisfaction, the turmoil left behind from the menacing silence ate away at my composure.

I slipped through the doorway of my bedroom, the familiar scent of lavender and linen greeting me like a whispered lullaby. I closed the door with a soft click, leaning back against it for a moment as if to shut the world away. The space was my sanctuary, walls adorned with abstract art that spoke to my soul, and shelves lined with awards and mementos of my hard-earned success. Now, though, those symbols seemed hollow, their shine dulled by the shadow of menace that loomed over me.

The phone call replayed in my head, the stalker's voice a sinister whisper. Betrayal gnawed at my insides, bitter and sharp. I had built a fortress around my life, brick by brick, trust doled out sparingly and only to a chosen few. To think that someone could penetrate those defenses, could observe me so closely to instill such precise fear—was it someone I knew? A former colleague, a spurned lover, an envious acquaintance?

Dammit . Not now. Not after everything I've fought for. Anger flared within me, a brief but potent blaze that seared through the cold tendrils of dread. I was Raven Fields, and I would not cower because of some faceless coward hiding behind threats.

But then the anger ebbed, leaving behind a hollow echo of vulnerability. I wrapped my arms around myself, seeking comfort in the solace of solitude. Trust was a precious commodity, one that was slipping through my fingers like grains of sand. Paranoia crept in, a silent invader probing at the edges of my resolve.

I need to stay strong. I can't let them see me break.

With a deep breath, I rose from the floor and walked to the window, peering out at the night sky. The stars were hidden behind clouds, much like the answers I sought—obscured, distant, untouchable.

The night air was still as my fingers fumbled with the lock on my window, ensuring it was secure. Suddenly, the sharp, insistent buzz of my phone pierced the silence. I jolted, my heart hammering. I snatched the device from the bedside table, eyes widening at the sight of an unknown number flashing across the screen again.

"Hello?" My voice trembled despite the efforts to sound composed.

"Did you think closing the curtains would keep you safe, Raven?" The voice was cold, mocking—a serpent coiling through the wires. "It's quaint how you cling to such fragile threads of hope."

"Leave me alone!" I hissed, my fear twisting into anger. This couldn't be happening—not here, not in my sanctuary.

"Anger suits you," the voice continued, unfazed by my outburst. "But it won't protect you. You're alone, Raven. More alone than you realize."

A chill ran down my spine. Was this a confession or another threat? My mind raced, trying to piece together the puzzle. Who knew me so intimately to exploit my deepest fears?

"Who are you? Why are you doing this?"

"Goodnight, Raven," the voice said, a whisper of silk and malice. "Sleep tight."

The line went dead, leaving a haunting silence in its wake. My hand dropped to my side, the phone slipping from my grasp and thudding onto the carpet.

Sleep tight? It was a threat, a promise of something more—something worse—yet to come.

I stumbled to the door, flinging it open with a sense of desperation. The house was too quiet. The darkness of the hallway stretching before me like a gaping maw.

How was I supposed to get any sleep tonight? Even with police presence, I didn't feel safe. All those scary movies I watched as a teenager came flooding back into my mind where the cop was guarding a house and they get their throat slit.

A knocked sounded at the door.

"Hey, I'm staying here tonight, but we've secured a full-time bodyguard for you starting tomorrow. Okay?"

Tears fell down my cheeks. This was all too much. Even for me.