Becoming Strangers Again by Lily

Chapter 19 LILY I find myself quite uneasy with the idea of my children being around Ryan, so I've made the decision to have them stay with Becky during the holiday season. I must admit, I'm feeling quite grateful that it happens to be the holiday season, as it would have been incredibly challenging to Justify pulling them out of school solely because I want to keep them away from Ryan. Becky has been an absolute gem throughout this ordeal. She went above and beyond by arranging for her husband to travel all the way to Canada to pick up the kids. While Noah and Ethan didn't put up much of a fuss about leaving for the holiday, Liam was a bit more hesitant. He clung to ne tightly throughout the journey to the airport, repeatedly returning for more hugs. Considering Liam isn't one to openly display affection, his actions spoke volumes to me. I found myself on the verge of tears at one point. However, I reassured myself that it's far better for them to be away for an extended period than to find myself entangled in a legal battle with Ryan, especially now that he's expressed an interest in having a baby. One can't help but wonder about his sudden interest in secing a fertility specialist. I stayed back at the airport until their plane departed, feeling a sense of emptiness as I watched it disappear into the sky. It took a while before I could gather the strength to leave. Eventually, I made my way to the car, knowing that trying to work in such a distraught state of mind wouldn't be productive nand I answered the call "Hey, I greeted, A few minutes into the solitary drive, my phone began to ring. Glancing at the screen. I noticed Jake's nan attempting to mask the strain in my voice. "Tm in the car at the moment. Can I call you back later?" There was a brief pause on the other end of the line, during which I could almost hear Jake contemplating my response. "Have you been crying?" He asked suddenly, causing fresh tears to well up in my eyes. "I had a feeling you might be upset. If it weren't for this important meeting. I would've dropped everything to accompany you." Isniffed, hastily wiping away my tears. "It's fine" "No, it's not tokay, Kochanie. I should be there with you," His voice curried the spain I felt in the moment. Where are you now!" "I'm heading home." I muttered, "but I'm thinking of ordering dinner, just in case I eventually get hungry later in the night, though that seemed unlikely. "And from which restaurant do you intend to pick up your dinner?" he asked. I could hear sheets rumbling in the background, followed by the sound of a door closing. "Any random one." I replied. I would have preferred my favorite restaurant, but it wasn't on the way. "When you get to the random restaurant, don't order takeout. Instead, find a seat for both of us, then forward the address to me. We'll be having an early dinner today" I frowned at the thought of putting anything in my stomach at that moment. I'm really not hungry, Jake," | reiterated, feeling certain he must have other presing matters to attend to "Don't forget to forward the address to me," he insisted, seemingly undeterred by my lack of appetite. "I love you, Kochaniez. Without waiting for customary response, he disconnected the call, leavingwith a mix of emotions The Smiling softly to myself, I drove a bit further, eventually spotting a restaurant. I selected a table for us and promptly sent him the address as requested. While waiting for Jake to arrive, I decided to quench my thirst with a bottle of water. Engrossed in the refreshing drink and a medical video playing on my phone, I failed to notice anyone approaching until the sound of artificial. well-painted nails suddenly clattered onto my table, startlingout of my thought. Raising my eyes, I was met with the intense glare of Stephanie, creating an unexpected and somewhat surreal encounter. I observed her hand hitting the table before meeting her gaze. "What is the meaning of this madness?" I questioned, bewildered by the unexpected confrontation She scoffed dismissively. "This isn't madness, at least not yet. I want you to stay away as far as you can from Ryan," she spat, her tone dripping with disdain. "You don't know how deadly and dangerous I can be if provoked, so stay the heck away from him!" Taken aback and feeling a twinge of embarrassment due to the public spectacle, I scanned the restaurant, offering apologetic smiles to the other patrons. "You are a lawyer, aren't you?" I inquired, attempting to address the situation with reason. She smacked her lips together without offering a direct response. "You do realize that this is public assault, and it's a crime," Placing both hands on the table, she leaned forward, intensifying the confrontation. "Does it look like I care? I've invested so much effort in my relationship with Ryan, and I won't sit back and watch you ruin it." "What's happening here?" Jake's reassuring voice cut through the tension, drawing closer as he approached us. He positioned himself beside me, protective hand resting firmly on my shoulder. "Who is this? His inquiry was directed at me, seeking clarity amid the escalating confrontation 11:33 AM Chapter 19 Nestling into his comforting presence, I intertwined my fingers and regarded Stephanie with a serene smile playing on my lips. "An insecure woman," I replied calmly, observing her reaction with a hint of amusement. Stephanie's glare intensified, but I couldn't help but chuckle softly. "I understand her though. This tends to happen when you disrupt other people's happiness. There's a fear that karma might cknocking, or perhaps the person whose happiness you've taken will creclaim it." "I assthis is your man," she spat out, her anger now directed at Jake. "You'd better keep your woman on a leash. I won't tolerate her sneaking around with my man!" Jake blinked at her with an air of indifference, his composure masking any irritation he might be feeling. "How about you direct your concerns to your own man"" he suggested calmly, his voice steady despite the escalating tension, "He's already had his chance and let it slip away, so perhaps he should stay away?" Stephanie pointed an accusatory finger at Jake, promptingto rise to my feet. I stepped forward, coming to Jake's defense-not because I doubted his ability to handle the situation, but because I trusted him to exercise restraint, especially considering Stephanie's gender.. "Keep pointing at him, and I might have to break that tiny finger of yours," I asserted, ready to intervene if the situation escalated. Murmurs began to circulate among the onlookers, and Stephanie, seemingly realizing the attention, suddenly appeared embarrassed by her actions. I, too, felt a pang of embarrassment at the public spectacle "This isn't the last of me," she hissed before storming off, leaving behind a lingering sense of unease and glares from our audience Losing whatever trace of appetite I had managed to muster, I swiftly retrieved my purse. "Please, I want to leave," I requested, not waiting for Jake's response. With a sense of urgency, I made my way to the car, sliding inside and slamming the door shut, hiding from the unwanted attention of passersby.

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