My husband’s cousin is staying with us, and his presence really unsettles me—I’m not sure how to handle this discomfort. From the moment he arrived, I sensed something unusual about him, something that’s hard to pin down. I’ve tried brushing it off, rationalizing that it’s just the awkwardness of sharing our space with someone I don’t know well. But the more time passes, the more this discomfort grows, lingering in the background like a shadow.

It’s the way he moves around the house—quietly, almost ghost-like, slipping into rooms without a sound. He doesn’t say much, and even when he does, his words are minimal, his tone flat. There’s a detachment in his gaze, as if he’s observing more than participating, taking everything in without revealing anything of himself. Sometimes, I catch him staring off into the distance, and when I walk into the room, he doesn’t break his gaze but simply shifts it toward me, a look that lingers just a beat too long. It’s as though he’s dissecting each of my movements, watching closely in a way that makes my skin prickle.

I’ve tried to discuss it with my husband, hinting that his cousin’s behavior feels… off. But my husband only laughs, insisting his cousin has always been “a bit reserved.” He doesn’t understand the full weight of my unease, the sense that I’m being quietly monitored even in my own home. My routines feel disrupted; I’m suddenly conscious of my actions, my words, as if I’m on display. There’s a constant urge to keep my guard up, to avoid being alone in the same room with him whenever possible.

Every evening, as the day winds down, I find myself retreating to our bedroom earlier than usual, grateful for the small comfort of a closed door between us. I wish I could simply ask him to leave, to reclaim the safety and comfort I’m missing so desperately. But with no clear reason to justify my discomfort, I feel trapped in a strange kind of tension, a feeling of dread that I can’t fully explain.

Until his visit ends, I’ll keep a safe distance, holding onto the hope that this unsettling chapter will soon close and that I can finally find peace again in my own home.