When Portia wakes up to find her husband Hunter missing in the middle of the night, she’s consumed by suspicion. The next night, she follows him, uncovering a secret that threatens to unravel their fragile bond. Can their love survive the truth she discovers?
I’ve always been the type of person who holds on too tight. It’s not that I want to be overbearing; it’s just that I’ve always been afraid of losing the ones I love.
Growing up in a house that felt more like a battlefield than a home does that to you.
A woman looking thoughtful | Source: Pexels
My parents were neglectful at best and downright abusive at worst. They left me with deep-seated insecurities and an unshakable fear of abandonment.
So when Hunter came into my life, he was like a lifeline. My savior. He was everything I had ever wanted—kind, attentive, and, most importantly, stable. I clung to him with all my might.
I guess that’s where the problems started.
Hunter needed his space, but I couldn’t give it to him. I was terrified that if I loosened my grip, I’d lose him, too.
A woman clinging to her husband | Source: Pexels
Our arguments were frequent and intense. Hunter would accuse me of being too clingy, of suffocating him.
“Portia, you need to give me some space!” he’d shout.
And I’d counter, tears streaming down my face, “I just love you so much, Hunter. Can’t you see that?”
In the end, I always managed to manipulate the situation in my favor. I’d play the victim card, and Hunter, with his big heart, would relent. But I knew, deep down, that this wasn’t sustainable.
A woman hugging her knees | Source: Pexels
One night, something strange happened. I’m usually a heavy sleeper, but for some reason, I woke up in the middle of the night. I reached out for Hunter, but his side of the bed was cold and empty.
Panic set in immediately. I got up and searched the house, calling out his name.
I glanced over at Portia, who was still asleep, her face streaked with dried tears. I sighed, rubbing my face, trying to shake off the lingering frustration.
“Hunter? Hunter, where are you?” But there was no response. He was nowhere to be found, and his car wasn’t in the garage.
He must’ve gone out, but where?
A woman standing in a hallway at night | Source: Midjourney
I eventually went back to sleep, certain I’d hear the full story in the morning. I was wrong. I woke up to Hunter bringing me my first cup of coffee with a big grin on his face.
“Morning,” he said, kissing me on the cheek like it was just another day.
“Uh, morning. Is everything okay?” I asked, trying to keep my voice steady.
“Great! It’s a beautiful day, and I slept like a baby. Didn’t wake up at all,” he replied with a casual smile.
A couple in bed early in the morning | Source: Pexels
That lie hit me like a punch to the gut. I felt like the ground had shifted beneath my feet.
“You were gone,” I whispered, more to myself than to him.
“What was that?” he asked, clearly not hearing me.
“Nothing,” I said, forcing a smile. But inside, I was a storm of emotions. I couldn’t shake the feeling that he was hiding something from me.
The next night, I decided to find out the truth.
An emotional woman with a determined look on her face | Source: Pexels
I pretended to fall asleep, lying there with my heart pounding in my chest. After a few hours, I felt Hunter stir beside me. He quietly slipped out of bed, got dressed, and tiptoed out of the room.
As soon as he was gone, I sprang into action. I threw on some clothes and followed him, my mind racing with possibilities. What was he up to? Where was he going?
I trailed him through the silent streets, keeping a safe distance. My heart felt like it was about to burst out of my chest.
A woman driving her car at night | Source: Midjourney
When he finally stopped, it was in front of a bar. I paused, taking a deep breath before following him inside.
The bar was dimly lit and filled with the low hum of conversation and clinking glasses. I spotted Hunter immediately. He was at a corner table, surrounded by a group of men, laughing and drinking like he didn’t have a care in the world.
The sight of him so carefree while I had been spiraling into a frenzy of anxiety and suspicion made my blood boil.
The interior of a bar | Source: Pexels
“Hunter!” I called out, my voice cutting through the noise. The bar seemed to fall silent as all eyes turned towards me.
Hunter looked up, his eyes widening in surprise. “Portia? What are you doing here?”
We settled in the living room, catching up and joking around. But I couldn’t shake off the feeling of unease. I kept expecting Portia to call or suddenly appear, but she didn’t.
“What am I doing here?” I repeated, my voice trembling with anger and hurt. “What are you doing here, sneaking out in the middle of the night to drink with your buddies while I’m at home worried sick?”
A furious woman shouting | Source: Pexels
He stood up, a mixture of guilt and frustration flashing across his face. “Portia, this is my only chance to hang out with my friends without you breathing down my neck.”
“Breathing down your neck? Is that what you think I do?” My voice was rising, my emotions bubbling over.
“Yeah, it is,” he said, his voice hardening. “You treat me like a child, Portia. You don’t let me live my own life. You’re like a mother who doesn’t allow anything.”
An emotional man | Source: Pexels
I felt like I’d been slapped. The words stung, each one hitting deeper than the last. “I just want to be with you, Hunter. I love you.”
“You don’t love me,” he snapped. “You smother me. You don’t let me breathe. I can’t even have a night out with my friends without you losing your mind.”
Tears welled up in my eyes. “That’s not fair. I’m just scared of losing you.”
“Scared of losing me?” He laughed bitterly. “Portia, you’ve already lost me. I need space, and if you can’t give it to me, then we’re done.”
A woman arguing with her husband in a bar | Source: Midjourney
The bar was dead silent now, everyone watching our drama unfold. I felt a sob rising in my throat. “Please, Hunter. Don’t do this. I’ll change. I’ll give you space.”
He shook his head. “I need to live my own life, Portia. You’re selfish for not letting me have that.”
“Selfish?” The word echoed in my mind. “I’ve given everything to you. My whole life revolves around you.”
“And that’s the problem,” he said quietly. “I need a partner, not a caretaker.”
A couple having a heated discussion in a bar | Source: Midjourney
I left the bar, my vision blurred by tears. I wandered the streets, my mind racing with everything that had happened. His words echoed in my head, each one a painful reminder of how I had been smothering the man I loved.
I spent hours walking, thinking about my past, my fears, and the future I wanted. I realized that Hunter was right. I had been selfish, clinging to him out of fear and insecurity.
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