The Wife You Buried Is Back from Hell novel Chapter 1055

Two consecutive nights of frayed nerves had left her utterly exhausted. The faint blue shadows under her eyes were too dark for her concealer to hide. She closed her eyes for a moment, then pushed the car door open and dragged her heavy feet toward the elevator bank.

The elevator doors slid open to reveal a stranger inside—a man in a black hoodie, his head bowed so she couldn't see his face. Danielle's heart stuttered, and she hesitated for a second before steeling herself and stepping inside. The air in the elevator was heavy and oppressive, the only sound the soft hum of its ascent. The man kept his head down, his fingers absently picking at the hem of his sleeve, which only heightened Danielle's anxiety. She stared at the illuminated numbers on the panel, silently counting the floors, praying for the ride to end.

Finally, with a soft 'ding,' the doors opened. Danielle practically lunged out, and just as she let out a breath of relief, she saw Gian standing at the elevator entrance, a familiar smile on his face. "There you are." Gian walked toward her, holding out a paper bag. "I figured you'd be too busy with Niki this morning to eat." He said, "I made a detour to that bakery you like. It's still warm."

Danielle took the breakfast, the warmth seeping from her fingertips through her arm and into her chest, instantly chasing away most of the lingering chill and fear. She looked into Gian's concerned eyes and felt a wave of warmth. "Thank you, Gian," she said, her voice raspy. "Don't mention it." Gian's brow furrowed as he took in her pale face. "What's wrong? You look awful. Didn't you sleep well last night?" Danielle shook her head, not wanting to worry him with the details of the previous night. "It's nothing, I'm probably just tired." "Let's head to the office. There are a few contract details I need to go over with you." Gian didn't press further, simply nodding and walking with her toward her office.

Danielle threw herself into her work for the rest of the day. But when it was time to go home, a familiar dread began to creep in. She tried to reason with herself, telling herself not to get worked up over nothing. She'd been drinking yesterday; the red dot and the footsteps were probably just hallucinations. There was no reason to dwell on it.

Taking a deep breath, Danielle grabbed her bag and walked briskly to the elevator. By the time she drove into her building's underground parking garage, the sky was already dark. The garage's stark fluorescent lights cast an eerie pallor over the empty space, making her footsteps echo loudly.

Danielle locked her car and had just turned toward the elevators when she caught a flicker of movement out of the corner of her eye—a blurry silhouette shifting behind a concrete pillar. Her heart leaped into her throat. She froze, pretending to rummage through her bag while she watched the figure from the corner of her eye. The silhouette slowly emerged. It was a person dressed in dark clothing, who began following her, maintaining a distance of several yards, neither too close nor too far.

Danielle's breath hitched. Her hand tightened on her bag strap, her knuckles turning white. She tried slowing her pace, her eyes still glued to the space behind her. The figure also slowed down, their steps so light they were almost silent, yet they stuck to her like a shadow. Danielle's heart began to race, and a cold sweat broke out on her back. She abruptly picked up her pace, walking quickly toward the elevators, but the person behind her immediately sped up too. The sound of their footsteps echoed in the cavernous garage, like a drumbeat chasing her down. Danielle didn't dare look back. She moved faster, almost breaking into a run. The footsteps behind her grew more urgent, the distance between them seeming to shrink.