Chapter 650

Chapter 650:

The brief conversation he had just had replayed in his mind. The man on the other end of the line had confessed how much he missed him and wanted to meet. Neal, however, hadn’t hesitated to turn him down.

The man’s voice hadn’t turned angry; instead, it was laced with a chilling laugh. “I really miss you, Neal. It’s been… what, two years? I won’t feel at ease until I see you again.”

Neal’s response was simple and curt: “Not necessary,” before he ended the call.

His journey home felt suffocating, his heart lodged in his throat, dreading the possibility of another call. But his phone remained still and silent. The man didn’t try to reach him again.

Only then did Neal feel a slight easing of the tension in his body, his nerves slowly unwinding.

However, as the relief faded, a heavy emptiness settled in, followed by a gnawing feeling of defeat and disappointment.

The alley leading to his apartment was dimly lit, with several broken streetlights casting long shadows across the cracked pavement. Neal’s mind wandered as he stumbled along, lost in thought.

When the familiar entrance to his apartment building came into view, an unexpected feeling of belonging flooded over him. He quickened his pace, eager to reach the comfort of home.

The idea that a bare, sparsely furnished room could feel like home was almost laughable to Neal. Yet, it was the truth.

He entered the complex and wandered through the halls, the sound of his footsteps growing louder with each passing second. Finally, he reached his floor and pushed open the heavy door. The echo of his movements bounced off the empty stairwell.

Neal’s pace slowed, and with each step, his breath grew shallow as his body finally began to unwind from its tension.

By the time he reached the last flight of stairs, his footsteps became deliberate. The motion-activated light flickered to life above him. Absentmindedly, he fumbled for his keys and glanced up—only to freeze, his body locking in place.

A chill swept over him, and his face contorted in fear and disbelief. His eyes widened, his pupils dilating in a reaction he couldn’t control. At the foot of the stairs stood a man, casually leaning against the wall plastered with outdated ads, a grin stretching across his face. Under the yellowed glow of the overhead light, the figure looked almost otherworldly, like something pulled straight from a nightmare.

𝘽𝙚 𝙨𝙪𝙧𝙚 𝙮𝙤𝙪’𝙧𝙚 𝙧𝙚𝙖𝙙𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙛𝙧𝙤𝙢 𝖌ⲁ𝗅𝗇𝗈ν𝖊𝗅𝘀．𝖼𝗈𝗺

“Well, look who’s finally home,” the man said with a sinister chuckle. “I’ve been waiting a long time for you.”

Neal’s instincts kicked in, and he tried to back away. But before he could react, the man lunged down the stairs and seized him. “Where do you think you’re going? Not happy to see me?”

The man’s words boomed, filling the narrow stairwell and weighing down on Neal’s chest, making it hard to breathe. Neal’s throat felt tight, but no sound could escape. His body remained frozen in place.

“Come on, let’s move,” the man sneered. “You gonna leave your old man standing here all night?” He reached for the keys in Neal’s hand, pulling him toward the stairs.

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Message from Noa: Have a great Tuesday dear readers. God loves you and Noa wishes you all the best. (=◡=) /

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