When Portia wakes up to find her husband Hunter missing in the middle of the night, she is consumed by suspicion. The next night, she follows him, only to discover a secret that threatens to unravel their fragile bond. Can their love survive the truth she has uncovered?
I’ve always been the type of person who clings too tightly. It’s not that I want to be bossy, but I’ve always been afraid of losing the people I love.
Growing up in a house that felt more like a battlefield than a home, that’s what it feels like.
A woman with a pensive look | Source: Pexels
My parents were neglectful at best, abusive at worst. They left me with deep insecurities and an unshakable fear of abandonment.
So when Hunter came into my life, he was like a lifeline. My savior. He was everything I’d ever wanted—kind, caring, and, most importantly, stable. I clung to him with all my might.
I think that’s where the problems started.
Hunter needed space, but I couldn’t give him any. I was terrified I’d lose him if I loosened my grip.
A woman clinging to her husband | Source: Pexels
Our arguments were frequent and intense. Hunter accused me of being too clingy, of smothering him.
“Portia, you have to give me space!” he shouted.
And I would reply, with tears in my eyes, “I love you so much, Hunter. Can’t you see that?”
In the end, I always managed to manipulate the situation in my favor. I played the victim card, and Hunter, with his kind heart, gave in. But I knew, deep down, that this was untenable.
A woman hugging her knees | Source: Pexels
One night, something strange happened. I’m usually a good sleeper, but for some reason, I woke up in the middle of the night. I reached out to Hunter, but his side of the bed was cold and empty.
Panic immediately seized me. I got up and searched the house, calling his name.
I glanced at Portia, who was still asleep, her face streaked with dried tears. I sighed, rubbing my face, trying to rid myself of the lingering frustration.
“Hunter? Hunter, where are you?” But there was no answer. He was nowhere to be found, and his car wasn’t in the garage.
He had to go out, but where?
A woman standing in a hallway at night | Source: Midjourney
I eventually fell back asleep, convinced I’d hear the whole story in the morning. But I was wrong. When I woke up, Hunter brought me my first cup of coffee with a big smile.
“Good morning,” he said, kissing me on the cheek as if it were just another day.
“Um, hello. Is everything okay?” I asked, trying to keep my voice steady.
“Great! It’s a beautiful day, and I slept like a baby. I didn’t wake up at all,” he replied with a casual smile.
A couple in bed early in the morning | Source: Pexels
This lie hit me like a punch in the gut. I felt like the ground had shifted beneath my feet.
“You were gone,” I whispered, more to myself than to him.
“What?” he asked, clearly not hearing what I was saying.
“Nothing,” I replied, forcing a smile. But inside, I was in a storm of emotions. I couldn’t shake the feeling that he was hiding something from me.
The next night, I decided to find out the truth.
An emotional woman with a determined look | Source: Pexels
I pretended to fall asleep, lying there, my heart pounding in my chest. After a few hours, I felt Hunter stir beside me. He quietly slipped out of bed, got dressed, and tiptoed out of the room.
As soon as he disappeared, I got to work. I put on some clothes and followed him, my mind filled with possibilities. What was he planning? Where was he going?
I followed him through the silent streets, keeping a good distance. My heart was about to burst.
A woman driving her car at night | Source: Midjourney
When he finally stopped, it was in front of a bar. I paused, took a deep breath before following him inside.
The bar was dimly lit and filled with the low hum of conversation and clinking glasses. I spotted Hunter immediately. He was at a corner table, surrounded by a group of men, laughing and drinking like he didn’t have a care in the world.
Seeing him so carefree while I was spiraling into anxiety and suspicion made my blood boil.
The interior of a bar | Source: Pexels
“Hunter!” I called, my voice breaking through the noise. The bar seemed to fall silent, and all eyes turned to me.
Hunter looked up, his eyes widening in surprise. “Portia? What are you doing here?”
We settled into the living room, catching up and joking. But I couldn’t shake an uneasy feeling. I expected Portia to call or suddenly appear, but she didn’t.
“What are you doing here?” I said, my voice shaking with anger and hurt. “What are you doing here, sneaking out in the middle of the night to drink with your friends while I worry at home?”
A furious woman screaming | Source: Pexels
He stood up, a mixture of guilt and frustration showing on his face. “Portia, this is my only chance to spend time with my friends without you pestering me.”
“Harass you? Is that what you think I do?” I said, raising my voice, my emotions boiling.
“Yes, that’s it,” he said, his voice hardening. “You treat me like a child, Portia. You don’t let me live my own life. You’re like a mother who forbids me everything.”
An emotional man | Source: Pexels
I felt like I’d been slapped. The words stung, each one hitting deeper than the last. “I just want to be with you, Hunter. I love you.”
“You don’t love me,” he snapped. “You’re suffocating me. You don’t let me breathe. I can’t even go out with my friends without you losing your mind.”
Tears welled up in my eyes. “It’s not fair. I’m just afraid of losing you.”
“Afraid of losing me?” he said, laughing bitterly. “Portia, you’ve already lost me. I need space, and if you can’t give it to me, then it’s over between us.”
A woman arguing with her husband in a bar | Source: Midjourney
The bar was silent, everyone watching our drama unfold. I felt a sob rise in my throat. “Please, Hunter. Don’t do this. I’ll change. I’ll give you space.”
He shook his head. “I need to live my own life, Portia. You’re selfish not to let me.”
“Selfish?” The word echoed in my mind. “I gave you everything. My whole life revolves around you.”
“And that’s the problem,” he said quietly. “I need a partner, not a keeper.”
A couple having a heated discussion in a bar | Source: Midjourney
I left the bar, my vision blurred by tears. I wandered the streets, my mind reeling from everything that had happened. His words echoed in my head, each one a painful reminder of how I had smothered the man I loved.
I spent hours walking, reflecting on my past, my fears, and the future I wanted. I realized Hunter was right. I had been selfish, I had clung to him out of fear and insecurity.
When I got home, I felt a strange sense of clarity. I knew what I had to do.
A woman walking alone at night | Source: Pexels
A Night Apart: Hunter’s Quest for Freedom
From the outside, you might think Portia and I had the perfect marriage. But behind closed doors, things were different.
Growing up, I’d always been an independent guy, used to having my space. But when I met Portia, I was drawn to her intensity and the way she seemed to need me like no one ever did.
She came from a difficult background, a neglectful and abusive family, all that. I wanted to be her rock, her safe place.
But over time, her need for constant reassurance began to weigh on me.
A couple linking arms | Source: Pexels
She clung to me, always needing to know where I was and what I was doing. I understood her fears, but I felt suffocated. We argued constantly about it. She would get emotional, and I would give in, feeling guilty for wanting some space.
Then came that night. I thought I’d managed to slip away unnoticed. I just needed a break, a moment to breathe.
Hanging out with the guys at the bar was my escape, my way to relax without feeling like I was under a microscope. But when Portia arrived, hurt and angry, I knew things had to change.
Seeing her there, accusing me of hiding, I finally broke down.
A man with a dark expression | Source: Pexels
All the frustration and resentment I’d pent up came out. I told him I felt suffocated, treated like a child. It was hard, but it was the truth.
Her reaction broke my heart. She was devastated, and I realized how much I’d been holding myself back. We both needed to change if we wanted this to work. That’s when she suggested giving me space, a gesture that showed she was ready to trust me.
This brings us to the aftermath of the confrontation, where Portia’s surprising offer marked a turning point in our strained relationship.
A sunrise | Source: Pexels
Morning light filtered through the curtains, casting a soft glow over the bedroom. I woke up, my head still buzzing from the previous night’s confrontation.
I glanced at Portia, who was still asleep, her face streaked with dried tears. I sighed and rubbed my face, trying to rid myself of the lingering frustration.
Portia stirred, her eyes opening. She looked at me with a mixture of fear and sadness.
“Hunter, can we talk?” His voice was barely a whisper, but I could hear the tremor in it.
An emotional woman | Source: Pexels
“Yes, I must,” I replied, sitting up and leaning against the headboard.
She took a deep breath and sat up too. “I’m sorry about last night. I didn’t realize how much I smothered you. It’s just… I was so scared of losing you.”
“Portia, it’s not that I don’t love you,” I said, trying to keep my voice steady. “But I need room to breathe. I need to feel like I have my own life, too.”
A couple having an intense conversation | Source: Unsplash
She nodded, tears welling up in her eyes again. “I understand. I know I’ve been there too much. I don’t want to lose you, Hunter. I’ll do better.”
I reached out and took it. “I don’t want to lose you either, Portia. But we have to find a balance.”
She squeezed my hand, a small, hopeful smile playing on her lips.
“What do you think? Invite your friends over tonight. I’ll buy you some beer, and I’ll stay at my friend’s house for the night. That way you can spend time with them without me hanging around.”
A smiling woman | Source: Pexels
I blinked, taken aback by his suggestion. “You would really do that?”
“Yes,” she said firmly. “I want to show you that I trust you. I want to make things right.”
I felt a lump in my throat, touched by his gesture. “All right, let’s try it. Thank you, Portia.”
That evening, I invited my friends over. They were surprised but happy to be invited to my house for once. Portia had gone out, true to her word, leaving us a fridge stocked with beers and snacks.
A woman puts food in a refrigerator | Source: Pexels
We settled into the living room, catching up and joking. But I couldn’t shake an uneasy feeling. I expected Portia to call or suddenly appear, but she didn’t. Hours passed, and slowly, I began to relax.
“Hey, man, how are you?” my friend Jake asked, noticing my distracted state.
“Yeah, I’m just… adjusting,” I replied with a smirk. “It’s been a little tough at home lately.”
“You mean with Portia?” Jake guessed. “I must say, it’s nice to see you out and about more often.”
A group of men watching television together | Source: Pexels
“Yes, we’re working on it,” I said, feeling a pang of guilt. “She’s really trying, and so am I.”
The night dragged on, and I finally felt a sense of normalcy. It was refreshing, and I realized how much I’d missed that simple camaraderie. As my friends began to leave, I thanked them for coming and promised we’d do it again soon.
After the last of them left, I sat on the couch, the house feeling eerily quiet. Portia still hadn’t called. I checked my phone, expecting a dozen messages, but there was nothing.
A man checks his phone for messages | Source: Pexels
For the first time, I felt a glimmer of hope that maybe things could change.
The next morning, Portia returned, looking a little tired but determined.
“How was your night?” she asked, putting down her bag.
“That was good,” I replied with a smile. “Thanks for giving us space. It really meant a lot.”
She nodded, looking relieved. “I’m glad. I want this to work between us, Hunter. I’ll do whatever it takes.”
I hugged her, feeling a weight lift off my shoulders. “We’ll make this work. Together.”
A man tenderly hugging a woman | Source: Pexels
As we held each other, I knew this was only the beginning of a long road ahead. But for the first time in a long time, I felt hopeful.
Portia was beginning to understand the importance of trust and independence in our relationship, and I was willing to go halfway. We would take it one step at a time, rebuilding the trust and balance we both needed.
Click here to find out how Alice teams up with her mother-in-law to teach her husband a lesson after he goes to live with a friend because their newborn is “too noisy.”
This work is inspired by real events and people, but has been fictionalized for creative purposes. Names, characters, and details have been changed to protect privacy and enhance the story. Any resemblance to real persons, living or dead, or to actual events is purely coincidental and not intended by the author.
The author and publisher make no claims regarding the accuracy of events or character portrayals and are not responsible for any misinterpretations. This story is provided “as is,” and the opinions expressed are those of the characters and do not reflect the views of the author or publisher.
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