ONE EVENING, A DELIVERY DRIVER DROPPED OFF CHINESE FOOD I NEVER ORDERED — WHAT WAS WRITTEN ON THE BACK OF THE RECEIPT WAS ONLY THE BEGINNING.

It was a Thursday night, and like most nights, the house was a whirlwind of activity.

My five-year-old, Jamie, was busy constructing a towering Lego masterpiece while my toddler, Emily, had transformed the living room rug into her personal canvas using yogurt. I was completely drained.

Life as a single mom had been my reality ever since my husband walked out two years ago. He had chosen another woman, started a new life, and left me to pick up the broken pieces.
Just as I finished wiping up Emily’s latest mess, the doorbell rang. I wasn’t expecting anyone.

My first thought was that it might be a salesperson or a neighbor needing something.

But when I opened the door, I was met with a young delivery driver holding a large paper bag filled with Chinese food.
“Uh, delivery for Mrs. Carter?” he asked, checking his phone.
“I think you have the wrong house,” I answered, puzzled.
He frowned, double-checked, then said, “It’s already paid for. Are you sure you didn’t order this?”
I shook my head. “No, I didn’t.”
“Well, I guess it’s yours now. No one’s answering the number on file,” he said with a shrug, handing me the bag.
Intrigued and slightly bewildered, I carried the food inside. The delicious aroma of sweet and sour chicken filled the air, making my stomach rumble. As I set the bag down on the counter, something caught my eye—a receipt tucked inside.
Flipping it over, I found a message written in neat handwriting. My heart pounded as I read it.

The message was short, but it sent chills down my spine:

“You’re not safe. He’s coming back. Be ready.”

My hands trembled as I reread the words, my mind racing. Who wrote this? Who was “he”? And what did they mean by “coming back”?

I glanced around the room, my heart pounding. Jamie was still playing with his Legos, completely oblivious, and Emily was busy smashing a stuffed bunny into the couch cushions. They had no idea that our world might be crashing down around us.

My first thought was my ex-husband. Mark. He hadn’t been in touch since he left, and good riddance. But why would he come back? And who would warn me about him?

I grabbed my phone, my fingers shaking as I dialed his number. It went straight to voicemail. Typical. He never picked up.

I sat down at the kitchen table, staring at the bag of Chinese food, trying to make sense of it. I didn’t know what to do. Should I call the police? Would they even take me seriously?

Then, my phone buzzed. A text from an unknown number.

“Did you get my warning? Leave NOW.”

A Race Against Time

My body went cold. This was real. Someone was watching us.

Without hesitating, I grabbed Jamie and Emily. “We’re going to Grandma’s house,” I said, trying to keep my voice steady. Jamie whined about his Legos, but I didn’t have time to argue.

I threw a few essentials into a bag, my mind spinning. Who was watching me? Was it Mark? He had never been violent, but he had been cruel—emotionally manipulative and vindictive. But this… this was something else.

I strapped the kids into their car seats, my eyes scanning the street. Nothing seemed out of place. No strange cars, no one lurking. But the hair on the back of my neck stood up. Someone was watching. I could feel it.

I sped to my mom’s house, my heart racing the entire way. When I finally pulled into her driveway, I felt a wave of relief. We were safe.

Or so I thought.

The Truth Revealed

As I was unloading the kids, my phone buzzed again. Another text from the unknown number.

“Good. You’re safe for now. But you need to know the truth.”

I sat down on the porch, my legs shaking. “Who are you?” I texted back, desperation creeping into my fingers.

A reply came almost immediately: “I’m someone who owed Mark a favor. He asked me to keep an eye on you. But things have changed.”

My heart stopped. Mark. He had been watching me. All this time. But why?

The next message shattered everything: “He got involved with dangerous people. Owes them money. A lot of it. He promised them… you.”

I dropped the phone, my blood turning to ice. He was using me as collateral.

The man who had sworn to love and protect me had sold me out to save his own skin.

My phone buzzed again. “They know where you live. They’ll come for you. Stay hidden. I’ll try to help. But trust no one.”

I looked at my children, oblivious to the storm brewing around us. My mind was made up.

We were leaving. For good.

A New Life

I didn’t tell my mom the whole story—just enough for her to understand that we were in danger. She agreed to help me disappear.

Within 24 hours, I closed my bank accounts, cut off my phone, and packed what little we could carry.

We moved to a small town, hundreds of miles away. New names. New lives.

I never heard from Mark again. But sometimes, when the wind rustles through the trees at night, I feel that familiar chill. Like someone is watching.

And I wonder… Will they ever stop looking?