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Coming over for the last of my things. Please don’t make a scene like last time. See you soon.
Seeing Andrew's name flash across my screen sent a jolt of anxiety through me, like a shot of adrenaline to the heart. My palms began to sweat, my heart was pounding, a familiar dread sinking into the pit of my stomach.
He'd even added that cheeky "see you soon" at the end of the message, as if we were old pals catching up over coffee, not ex-spouses with a tumultuous past. Andrew never missed a chance to stir the pot.
As I sat there clutching my phone, I could feel the dread slowly ebbing away. I looked around my living room, at the life I'd built without him. The cozy blankets draped over the back of my couch, the half-finished puzzle on the coffee table, Sadie snoozing peacefully at my feet. This was my sanctuary, my safe haven. I wouldn't let Andrew disrupt that.
The dread began to harden into something else entirely, something more akin to determination. I was not the same woman Andrew had cheated on, and I was damn sure not going to let him walk all over me again. I was stronger now, stronger than I'd ever been. I had found someone who treated me with respect, someone who valued me for who I was, not what they wanted me to be. I had a baby on the way, a new life that needed protecting.
I wasn't about to let Andrew disrupt the peace I had finally found. As I prepared myself for the upcoming confrontation, I felt a surge of resolve. I wasn't the same Jude he'd left behind, and he was about to find out exactly how much I'd changed.
Sadie padded over to me, pressing her snout into my knee. She looked up at me with those soulful brown eyes, as if sensing the tension radiating off me. I ruffled her soft fur, drawing a measure of comfort from her company.
But my heart rate spiked again as I heard the unmistakable rumble of Andrew's oversized truck pulling into my driveway. Through the living room window, I watched as he stepped out, Ashley clinging to his arm like a leach, becauseof coursehe’d bring her with him.
A surge of anger coursed through me. He'd given me barely any notice on purpose, hoping to catch me off guard. He'd always thrived on these games of power, games I was no longer willing to play. His intent was clear—he wanted to catch me at my weakest, wanted to see me squirm under Ashley's triumphant gaze.
But he didn't know the woman I'd become.
As they approached the front door, determination swelled within me. This was my home, my safe place. He had no power here. I was not going to crumble, not going to let him see me hurt. I squared my shoulders, held my head high, and strode toward the door.
My hands were steady as I opened it, meeting Andrew's surprise-filled gaze head on. I stood there, a woman transformed, ready to banish the ghost of my past and claim my future. I felt empowered, a force to be reckoned with. And I was ready to show Andrew just how much I had changed.
"Andrew," I greeted him, my voice steady and calm. "Ashley." I nodded at her too, not missing the flicker of shock crossing her face. They had underestimated me, and I was ready to show them just how wrong they were.
As Andrew approached, a wave of unwanted familiarity washed over me. The cocky stride, the overconfident smirk, and the piercing blue eyes that were once my world but now only made my skin crawl.
“Hey Jude, I just came by to get those things in the basement,” he said with an easy drawl.
“I told you the last time, there’s nothing down there of yours.”
“Yes there is,” Ashley shot out, her eyes narrowing into hateful little slits. “And if you don’t give them back, that’s stealing. We could call the police on you.”
I chuckled. “Wow, brainsandbeauty, she’s really the whole package, huh, Andy?”
Before the back-and-forth could continue, Andrew raised his palm, silencing Ashley with a gesture.
He stepped forward, hands on his hips. "Enough is enough, Jude. I want my things."
"I've told you, Andrew," I said, holding my ground, "there's nothing of yours left in the basement. And if I do happen to find anything, I'll pack them up and send them your way."
He shook his head, his brow furrowed. "That won't do, Jude. I need to see for myself."
I folded my arms across my chest, the surge of adrenaline heightening my senses. "I'm not letting you in my house, Andrew. Not now, not ever again."
He stared at me, surprise flashing in his eyes. Clearly, he hadn't expected this level of resistance from me. But I wasn't the same woman he'd left. I was stronger, more confident.
"Jude," he began again, his voice laced with feigned patience, "don't be difficult. I'm not taking no for an answer."
His refusal to respect my boundaries ignited a flame within me. It was high time I showed him who he was dealing with. "Well, you're going to have to start getting used to it, Andrew, because no is exactly what you're getting."
Andrew looked past me into the house. “Where’s your boyfriend? Is he the reason you think you can tell me what to do now?” My cheeks heated, but I pushed down the urge to lash out. "Tony doesn't need to be here for me to handle you, Andrew," I shot back.
“Right,” Andrew said. “But Tony or not, I’m coming in. Now, if you’ll get out of the way…”
He took a step forward in an attempt to stride right on in. Any other point in my life, I might’ve stood aside and let him do it but not this time.
Maybe it was the baby, or maybe I’d just finally had enough. But in that moment, I decided that I was done with him.
