Becoming strangers again (Lily and Ryan)

Chapter 103

LILY

I was engrossed in my work at the office when my phone suddenly rang, interrupting my concentration. Frowning at the unfamiliar number displayed on the screen, I hesitated for a moment before deciding to answer it. As a doctor, I knew that it could potentially be an emergency, so I couldn’t afford to ignore it.

Swiping the answer button, I brought the phone to my ear. “Dr. Urch,” I greeted professionally.

To my dismay, a familiar voice scoffed on the other end, instantly souring my mood. “I thought by now, you would have gone back to answering a Williams,” he sneered bitterly.

Rolling my eyes at his bitterness, I put the call on speakerphone so I could multitask while dealing with whatever nonsense he was about to throw at me. “What do you want, Jake? I’m very busy at the moment,” I responded, trying to keep my annoyance in check.

There was a brief silence on the other end, and for a moment, I thought he had hung up. But then his voice came through abruptly. “I think something is wrong with me, doctor,” he admitted.

My finger hesitated over the laptop keys as I processed Jake’s words. “What is wrong with you, Jake?” I asked, my concern mingling with skepticism. Could he truly be serious? Was something genuinely wrong with him? Despite our adversarial relationship, I was bound by my oath as a doctor to provide assistance when needed.

“Can

you explain your symptoms?” I pressed, hoping for a clearer understanding of his condition. Text property © Nôvel(D)ra/ma.Org.

“My heart,” he whispered hoarsely, his voice filled with pain. “It hurts so hard, and it’s filled with anger and resentment.”

I couldn’t help but wonder if his anger was directed towards me and his resentment towards Ryan. Exhaling tiredly, I resumed typing, unable to fully engage with Jake’s plight. “I don’t have time for your games, Jake. And please, stop calling me from different numbers. I blocked your old number for a reason.”

“Not only did you block me, you filed a restraining order against me?!” he erupted,

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Chapter 10a

his voice rising to a crescendo that made me wince, pitying my eardrums. “Of all men to leave me for, you chose Ryan? A married man?”

“I left you for…” I paused, my mind racing with the truth I wanted to express but I kept them to myself. “For such psychopathic behavior,” I finally asserted. “When you behave like this, Jake, I can’t help but feel afraid and wonder how I missed it all those years we were together.”

“You didn’t miss it,” he spat back bitterly. “I just didn’t show it.” His admission sent a chill down my spine, and I couldn’t help but question why I had ever been with someone so toxic.

“That bastard keeps bringing out this side of me every damn time,” he continued, his voice filled with venom.

“Then I should thank him,” I muttered under my breath. “I should thank him for finally seeing through the facade and recognizing the darkness that you desperately tried to hide.”

There was a sniffle on the other end of the line, and I wondered if he was crying, but I dared not ask. “Don’t call me again, Jake,” I warned firmly, my patience wearing thin. “If you do, I’ll take it to the police and report you for harassment.”

Just as I moved to disconnect the call, his voice rang out once more, cutting through the silence.

“You’re going to regret it,” Jake’s ominous words echoed in my mind, sending a shiver down my spine. Dismissing his threat, I disconnected the call, trying to shake off the unease that lingered.

Thirty minutes later, my phone rang again, and I instinctively thought it was Jake calling once more. However, I was surprised to see Becky’s number on the caller ID. Putting aside my work, I answered the call and settled back in my chair, ready to catch up with my friend.

“What’s up, girl?” I greeted enthusiastically. “How are you doing?”

“I’m certainly not okay right now,” Becky responded hurriedly, her tone urgent.

The amusement on my face faded, replaced by concern. “Is everything okay? Is your husband and baby okay?”

“This isn’t about me,” she blurted out. “It’s about you, Lily.”

III

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My heart skipped a beat, a sense of dread asked, my voice trembling slightly.

“There’s news circulating all over the inter ex–husband, despite knowing that he’s mar

My jaw dropped in shock. “How bad is it?”

over me.

“Very bad,” Becky confirmed, her voice fille