The Strange Man

Lisa scrolled through her phone until she found the voicemail I sent her. The recording played, and each word, each scream, sounded so painful. But I couldn’t hear the words clearly. Still, I listened in stunned silence, grasping my chest as the sorrow-filled cries from the recording painted a vivid picture of the pain I felt at that time.

“That was hell!” I gasped, my eyes wide. “Such a man doesn’t deserve my love,” I said bitterly. “I’ll make sure to avoid him in the future and start anew.”

*******

A MONTH LATERAfter a month in the hospital, I was finally discharged. My mom couldn’t make it to pick me up, so Lisa helped me.

“Let’s go out and enjoy the evening, Selena.” Lisa suggested excitedly as we arrived home from the hospital.

“I’d love that,” I said. “The hospital has been suffocating!” Although I wasn’t very strong yet, I still needed some fresh air.We quickly got dressed and headed out a short while later. Soon after that, we arrived at a club named MX Bar/Club. Lisa took the lead. We entered, and the place looked empty aside from the bartender.

“How can this place be so emp—”

“Surprise!” My friends appeared from out of nowhere, all smiling and cheering.

My eyes grew wide as I took in the sight. I looked at Lisa. “You planned this?”

“You survived a terrible accident and we almost lost you, so of course, I did.”

No wonder she was busier than usual leading up to my discharge.

I stood, overwhelmed by the outpouring of love as balloons popped and shouts of “Hurray!” rang throughout the room.

“Congratulations, Selena. So happy you’re still with us,” one of my friends said, while giving me a hug. One at time, they offered their warm welcomes and well-wishes.

Amidst the crowd, Jasper Santos approached me. “So glad you survived, Selena.” His words came out soft and soothing.“Oh, Jasper!” I exclaimed, feeling the warmth from the way he looked at me. I couldn’t help but give him a broad smile, recalling the care he’d always shown me during our college days.His face had matured over the years, and he was more handsome than ever with his striking appearance.

“Can we sit over there?” Jasper asked, gesturing towards a cozy spot at the bar.

I followed his gaze and then met his eyes and nodded. “Sure,” I replied.

We made our way to the stools and settled down. Eager to catch up after years apart, I asked him about his life.

“I’ve been in London all these years,” he said. “My main company is out there, but I have a branch here, too. So I’m back in Boston Hills now.”

“Your company?” I probed, intrigued.“I’m the CEO of ByteForge Technology.”“The famous tech company that got listed?” I exclaimed, impressed.He told me all about his company and gave me the highlights about his life as we enjoyed a few drinks. It felt great, yet different, hearing so much from him because, previously, all we’d done was exchange greetings and nods. As we talked, the crowd became livelier around us, with many dancing. Eventually, Jasper set his wine glass down and extended his hand. “Can I have this dance?”I met his eyes and accepted his offer with a smile. Together, we made our way to the bustling dance floor. His hand settled on my waist, and I placed mine on his chest as we swayed to the music.Amidst the swirl of movement and laughter, my eyes caught sight of a man in the distance. Unlike the others who danced around us, he stood still, his gaze fixed on me. Something about the way he looked at me made me uncomfortable. I quickly averted my eyes and focused on the dance with Jasper, trying to shake off the unease.Yet, I could still feel the man staring, so I couldn’t stop myself from looking again. My eyes locked with the man’s once more. Unease washed over me a second time, the angry look on his face squeezing my insides.

He pulled his suit jacket off and walked onto the dance floor. Before I could fully comprehend the situation, he forcefully pulled Jasper away from me and shoved him aside.

He placed his suit jacket over my shoulders before seizing my hand. “Are you out of your mind, Selena? How dare you dance here?” he said, his words leaving me stunned.

“Sir, please let go of me!” I pleaded, pulling my hand from his.

Jasper intervened and tried to push the man away. However, instead of backing down, the man punched Jasper, delivering a blow so forceful it sent Jasper crashing to the ground.

I wrenched my hand free of the man’s grasp and rushed to Jasper’s side.

But the man grabbed my hand once more. “That’s enough, Selena! You’ve been out here for a month; it’s time to come home with me.”

I peered at him with anger in my eyes. “Who the fuck are you to tell me what to do?”