THE LIFE I MADE FOR MYSELF

As we left the hospital, my uncle's expression was a mix of concern and relief. He had been worried sick about me, and the diagnosis had finally given us a clear direction. I, on the other hand, was still trying to process everything. A blood clot in my stomach? It sounded serious, but I was trying to stay positive.

As we drove back home, my uncle reached out and put a hand on my shoulder. "You're going to be okay, kiddo," he said, his voice gentle. "We'll get through this together." I smiled weakly, feeling a surge of gratitude towards my uncle. He had always been there for me, and I knew I could count on him to support me through this tough time.

The next day, I underwent surgery to remove the blood clot. It was a nerve-wracking experience, but my uncle was by my side the entire time, holding my hand and talking me through it. As I recovered in the hospital bed, I couldn't help but think about my brother and my stepmom. My uncle's words kept echoing in my mind - "what had my brother ever done to deserve a wife like that?" I pushed the thoughts aside, focusing on my recovery instead. But the question lingered in the back of my mind, waiting to be answered.

As I lay in the hospital bed, I couldn't shake off the feeling that something was off. My uncle had been acting strange all day, constantly checking his phone and whispering to the nurses. I tried to brush it off as mere paranoia, but the feeling only intensified as the hours passed. I began to feel like I was in some kind of danger, but I couldn't quite put my finger on what it was.

Suddenly, the door to my hospital room burst open and a tall, menacing figure loomed in the doorway. My heart skipped a beat as the figure stepped forward, revealing a cruel smile on her face. It was my stepmom.

"Well, well, well," she sneered. "Look what we have here. The little princess, all alone and vulnerable in her hospital bed." My uncle stepped forward, his eyes blazing with anger. "Get out of here," he growled. "You're not welcome here."

My stepmom laughed, a cold, mirthless sound. "Oh, I think I'll stay," she said. "I have a few things to discuss with the princess." I felt a chill run down my spine as she stepped closer to my bed. What did she want from me? And why did my uncle seem so scared?

"How are you doing, my princess?" she asked, her voice dripping with sarcasm. My body vibrated with fear. I didn't know what to say or do.

"I think it's time for you to leave," my uncle said, his voice firm and authoritative. My stepmom's face twisted in anger. "You can't make me leave," she spat. "I have a right to be here."

My uncle stood his ground. "I'm afraid you don't," he said. "You're not welcome here, and if you don't leave voluntarily, I'll have no choice but to call the police." My stepmom's eyes flashed with anger, but she knew she was beaten. With a final, venomous glance at my uncle, she turned and stormed out of the hospital room.

As the door closed behind her, I let out a sigh of relief. My uncle turned to me and smiled. "You're safe now, kiddo," he said. "I won't let her hurt you again." I smiled back, feeling a sense of gratitude towards my uncle. I knew I could always count on him to protect me.

As the door closed behind my stepmom, my uncle let out a sigh of relief. "I'm sorry you had to see that," he said, turning to me. "But I'm not going to let her hurt you again." I smiled weakly, feeling a sense of gratitude towards my uncle. He had always been there for me, and I knew I could count on him to protect me from my stepmom's wrath.

But as I lay in the hospital bed, I couldn't shake off the feeling that my stepmom was far from defeated. She would be back, and next time, she would be more determined than ever to cause me harm. As the days passed, I began to feel more and more anxious about my stepmom's return. My uncle tried to reassure me that she wouldn't be able to hurt me again, but I couldn't shake off the feeling of unease.

One day, as I was sitting in my hospital bed, I received a mysterious package. Inside, I found a note that read: "You'll never be safe." I felt a chill run down my spine as I realized that the note was from my stepmom. She was still out there, watching me, waiting for her chance to strike.

I showed the note to my uncle, who immediately called the police. They launched an investigation, but my stepmom seemed to have vanished into thin air. As the days turned into weeks, I began to feel like I was living in a nightmare. I was constantly looking over my shoulder, waiting for my stepmom to appear.

And then, one day, I received a phone call from an unknown number. I hesitated for a moment before answering, and when I did, I heard my stepmom's voice on the other end. "You think you're safe, don't you?" she sneered. "But you're not. I'll always find you, no matter where you go."

I felt a surge of fear as I realized that my stepmom was still out there, watching me, waiting for her chance to strike. I tried to stay calm as I listened to my stepmom's menacing words. I knew I had to keep her talking, to try and get as much information out of her as possible.

"Where are you?" I asked, trying to keep my voice steady. My stepmom laughed. "You'll never find me," she said. "But I'll always find you. You can't hide from me forever."

I felt a chill run down my spine as I realized that my stepmom was more unhinged than I had ever seen her before. I knew I had to get off the phone, to get help as soon as possible. "I have to go," I said, trying to sound calm.

My stepmom laughed again. "You can't escape me that easily," she said. "I'll always be one step ahead of you." As soon as she hung up, I called my uncle and told him everything. He immediately called the police and reported the incident.

The police launched an investigation, but my stepmom seemed to have disappeared into thin air. I was left with a sense of unease, knowing that she was still out there, watching me, waiting for her chance to strike.

As the days turned into weeks, I began to feel like I was living in a constant state of fear. I couldn't go anywhere without looking over my shoulder, wondering if my stepmom was lurking in the shadows. And then, one day, I received a package in the mail. Inside, I found a small, silver locket with a note that read: "I'll always be with you."

I felt a chill run down my spine as I realized that my stepmom had sent the package. She was still watching me, still waiting for her chance to strike. I showed the package to my uncle, who immediately called the police again. They increased the security around me, but I couldn't shake off the feeling that my stepmom was getting closer and closer.

I was trapped in a living nightmare, and I didn't know how to escape. My stepmom's obsession with me was all-consuming, and I knew that she would stop at nothing to get what she wanted. I was her target, and I was running out of time.