Maybe This Time

Chapter 2

"Hello SOPHIA......."

She whipped around and came face to face with the bane that has haunted her for the past 5 years. She hasn't heard that name since.

"Andre??" She could not believe it. She must be dreaming. There is no way that he is here. He picked up the keys she did not notice she dropped and opened her door. He went inside past her leaving her immobilized on her front porch.

Why is he here? Why now? As soon as she snapped out of her trance, she went inside her house to confront the devil's spawn that has made himself comfortable on her couch. 

They engaged in the longest stare-down of her life, right there in her living room. A thousand and one thoughts came to her, along with a thousand and one questions, but for some reason, her voice seem to have left her. She had different scenarios practiced in her head on how their next meeting is going to be. None of those were about her just stupidly staring at the man in front of her - the man who broke her.

"I missed you." was all he said.

"How did you find me?" was all she managed to say. She racked her brain if she ever did any mistakes, and could not find any. For the past 5 years, she had been extra careful and she was pretty sure that she left no footprints to be traced.

A slow smile drawled on his perfect lips. "Because I told you I would."

Sophia fought hard to remain calm. This man in front of her, is a stranger. Her Andre was warm and caring. He was her sunshine. This man may look like him but at the same time does not look like him. This man's eyes, they are different, like they have seen hell and lived to tell about it. Her Andre was carefree and down to earth, warm, while this man, in his sleek navy Armani reek of power and dominance.

He rose from the sofa and stalked towards her. Each step he takes, she steps backwards. Her nerves going haywire with different emotions. He lowered his head too close for comfort.

"You're still as gorgeous as I remember My Fia" He said in a low voice.

"Stop. Don't." She put her palms out to create a distance between them. "What do you want from me?"

"I want you... "

"Bullshit Andre. What game are you trying to play here? You want me? You made that very obvious these past 5 years so cut the crap and leave."

"No."

She stared at him wide eyed. She cannot believe the audacity of the man in front of her right now. She wanted to scream at him, slap him, gauge his eyes out, but her limbs won't work.

"What do you want from me, Andre. Haven't you done enough? "

"I can't" was all he can say. He does not know how to begin. Looking at her dejected face, he knew he has to fix this.

"Look, you need to leave or else I will call the cops. So please, I am begging you. If you still have any amount of humanity left, if you even care for me just a little bit, you will walk out that door right now. And while you're at it, do not look back, do not come near me anymore because I am done. the Sophia that you used to know is long gone. She's not here anymore so there's no point of you being here. Walk away just like you did 5 years ago."

Andre blinked hard, like he is trying really hard to process what he just had heard. Sophia begged him. His Sophia never begged. She was the strongest, toughest woman he as ever met. It pains him that this woman is so broken, He wanted so bad to reach out and wrap his arms around her. but he knows she won't let him. What hurts more is knowing that he is the one who broke her.

"I will leave, but soon, when you are ready, we will talk. I will explain everything and you will listen to me, and if you still want me out of your life, I will gladly respect that.

Sophia weakly nodded. She just had to get him out of her house right now. She needs to regain her bearings. Andre punched the wall behind her and left. As soon as she heard the door close, she went and locked herself in. Her legs gave out and felt that her throat is closing in on her. 

She willed herself to take slow, deep breaths. She shut her eyes and tried to focus. She would forget about what happened just now. All she know is that she is done running. She will plan on how to slay her dragons some other day, but tonight, she has a date to prepare for.