To this day, I vividly remember the words that Jared said to me.

"Who he is may not matter, but what if... what if he has always been by your side, observing you, admiring you, and ready to invade you again at any moment? Sam, in that case, would you still not care?"

Thinking about this, I shudder all over, feeling uneasy and mostly fearful.

Over the years, I have lost much, even having very few friends left, let alone male friends.

Jared's words planted a deep seed of fear in my heart, which, bit by bit, sprouted and grew, yet I found myself completely at the mercy of where...