For six months, I lived in the shadow of a man I never met. He left notes on my windshield. He knew my work schedule better than I did. He called my landline at 3:00 AM just to hear me breathe. The police called it "harassment." I called it living in a fishbowl.
The Admirer’s violence against the stalker should be shocking. If the Admirer beats the stalker nearly to death, the protagonist should be grateful but terrified. Use the line: "He did it for me. He would do it again. And that is why I can never make him angry." the admirer who fought off my stalker was an even worse hot
Liam? Liam showed up at my office twice before a restraining order stuck. He’s dating someone new now—I saw her tagged in a photo. She looks tired. She looks like I looked, three weeks in, pretending to shower and actually crying. For six months, I lived in the shadow of a man I never met
The aftermath was a gilded nightmare. He began showing up everywhere, but unlike the first stalker, he didn't hide. He leaned into the role of the "protective boyfriend" I never asked for. He bought me flowers that smelled like the ones at my grandmother’s funeral. He "happened" to be at every restaurant I visited. When I tried to set boundaries, he would simply smile—that devastating, heart-stopping smile—and remind me how dangerous the world could be without him. He called my landline at 3:00 AM just to hear me breathe
And as you looked at them, you couldn't help but feel a spark of attraction. You couldn't help but wonder what it would be like to be with someone who was so brave, so loyal, and so protective.
Then came Eli.
As you watched the admirer stand up to the stalker, you couldn't help but feel a sense of gratitude. You were thankful for their bravery, for their willingness to put themselves in harm's way.