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After Ten Moves, I Was Done Running
Novelix
new
Completed
Nora and her fiancé Daniel moved ten times in three years to escape his obsessive ex, Sienna. Sienna repeatedly broke into their homes, even causing a traumatic pregnancy loss. Then Nora discovered Daniel had never removed Sienna’s smart-lock access—and had secretly encouraged her pursuit. When he gave their nursery to Sienna and dismissed Nora’s pain, Nora ended the engagement, left her job, and returned to her parents. Daniel kept making courthouse appointments, convinced she would come back. This time, Nora refused to move or compromise her life for him again.
Chapters (3)
Chapter 1
In three years, Daniel Pierce and I moved ten times.
His ex-girlfriend, Sienna Gray, kept finding our address. She once broke in and cut my wedding dress to ribbons. Another time, I woke to find her standing beside my bed. The shock sent me to the hospital, where I lost our baby.
Daniel claimed he'd thrown her out and had his attorneys threaten legal action. I thought he was protecting me.
Today she broke into our home for the sixty-second time. Daniel called the police, and I followed them to the station.
While they walked ahead, I saw a local social-media post written by Sienna.
*My first love moved ten times to get away from me, but he never deleted my fingerprint from the smart lock. He even had our mutual friends tell me his new address. He's engaged to someone else, but he obviously still loves me. Should I fight for him?*
Thousands voted no. One account voted yes.
I recognized the profile. Daniel had created it to research marriage-license appointments.
My hands shook as I selected yes too.
At the station, Sienna claimed she'd broken in only because she was being followed. The officer called it a lovers' quarrel. Daniel didn't correct him. When I refused to sign an agreement dropping the complaint, he frowned.
"Why make a scene? No one was hurt this time."
"She destroyed my wedding dress. She frightened me into losing a baby."
"We'll take another honeymoon after this project. Stop dwelling on it."
He was forever offering another gift, another move, another tomorrow.
I pulled my hand out of his.
"We're over."
Chapter 2
Daniel pushed the settlement paper toward me.
"Playing hard to get won't work. Sign it."
"I mean it. I'm leaving you."
Sienna immediately began to cry. Daniel told her it wasn't her fault, making me look unreasonable again.
Then he used the one thing I'd told him in confidence: I had been born outside marriage and had spent years being shamed for it.
"You won't leave," he said. "You don't want our child to grow up like you did."
I was pregnant again. I'd kept hoping this time would be different.
I signed the station's mediation form, not because I forgave them, but because I wanted to leave.
Daniel mistook my signature for surrender.
"See? We can get our marriage license the day after tomorrow. I'll buy you the necklace you wanted."
He'd already used the same necklace as an apology after Sienna ruined a previous plan.
I quietly booked a medical consultation to discuss ending the pregnancy. Whatever I decided would be mine, not a bargaining chip he could hold over me.
Outside, a stray dog ran toward us barking. Instinctively I reached for Daniel's sleeve and grabbed air.
He'd pulled Sienna into his arms and was whispering, "Still scared of dogs after all these years?"
I looked at my engagement ring. It had always been too large. I'd learned to curl my fingers to keep it on.
I slipped it off and set it in Sienna's palm.
"You two should get back together. Clearly you're both waiting for it."
Daniel's expression hardened. "Don't be ridiculous. Our wedding is practically here."
That was the problem. Everything was practically here. Nothing ever truly arrived.
Chapter 3
The next morning, my badge no longer opened the office. I'd helped build Daniel's business, but he'd revoked my access without warning.
My assistant approached nervously. "He's hiring Sienna into your position. He says you'll calm down."
I asked HR for my final paperwork. If Daniel wanted to erase me from the company, I wasn't going to fight to stay where I wasn't valued.
Later, I found him preparing another apartment for us.
"A fresh start," he announced. "After the license appointment, we'll move again. I won't let her disturb us anymore."
"Will the lock still recognize Sienna's fingerprint?"
He didn't answer.
An installer turned to his assistant. "Do we keep Ms. Gray's access on the new keypad, sir?"
Daniel stared at the equipment for a moment.
"We'll decide later."
That hesitation told me more than any confession.
Ten moves hadn't been about protecting our privacy. They'd been an elaborate way of keeping both women within reach.
I made my own arrangements: a final transition at work, a ticket home, and no address for Daniel to find.
