It didn’t matter what he said because I knew one thing: I wasn’t going to fall for their manipulation anymore. It had taken me a while to realize it, but I was done.
I was done being the one to bend over backward while they walked all over me.
But the real twist, the real reason they were going to regret this? They weren’t done with me yet.
Oh no. They still needed something. Something big.
And when they came crawling back, I would be ready.
A couple of weeks went by, and I settled into my routine: work, gym, Netflix, sleep. It wasn’t glamorous, but I felt more at peace than I had in months.
The guilt they tried to make me feel had slowly faded away, replaced with a quiet satisfaction. I had taken control. I had done what was right for me.
But just when I thought I was safe from their drama, the storm hit.
One afternoon, as I was finishing up a shift at the cafe, I saw a notification pop up on my phone. It was a message from my dad. I hadn’t heard from him directly in ages.
It read, “We need to talk urgently.”
I felt a nod in my stomach, the familiar anxiety creeping back in. I stared at the message, trying to figure out what was going on.
It had been so quiet for so long, I was beginning to think they’d just give up on me. I was about to reply when another message came through, this one from Alex.
“It’s about Grandpa’s house,” he wrote. “Dad’s asking for your help.”
I stared at the message for a long time.
Help with Grandpa’s house? What the hell did that even mean?
I could already feel my blood pressure Rising. They couldn’t possibly be serious.
I decided to call my dad. It rang a few times before he picked up.
“Jess,” he said, his voice strained. “We need to talk about something important.”
“Dad, what’s going on?” I asked asked, keeping my voice steady, though I could feel my heart thuing in my chest.
“Look, it’s a long story, but we need you to come by the house. There’s something you need to know, something urgent about the property.”
I felt a sudden chill.
“What do you mean, urgent?”
“We can’t explain it all over the phone. You need to come in person.”
“Why now? Why are you asking me for help again after everything?” I asked, my frustration creeping in.
“Please, Jess,” he said, the desperation clear in his voice. “Just come over. This this is really important.”
