Ex Husband Wants Me Back

Chapter 15

Freddies POV

“Why are you standing? Come and sit with me,” Mom said.

“Uh, is that okay?” Judie’s voice followed, and I could hear them as I approached the living room.

I sighed, a headache forming at the sound of their voices. I wanted to turn around and quietly leave, but Mom had already seen me.

“Ah, my son, you’re back already,” she said, stopping me in my tracks.

I couldn’t slip away unnoticed anymore, so I stepped inside, handing my suitcase to the servant.

I sat down on the sofa, deliberately keeping some distance from them, and loosened my tie. “Water,” I instructed.

The servant had just gone to drop my suitcase in my room, so I expected her to bring me water after that.

“I’ll get it for you,” Judie suddenly said, springing up before I could stop her, and she hurried off to the kitchen.

I sighed in frustration. Mom noticed and tried to soothe me.

“Son, I know you’re upset, but Judie just wants to bring you water.”

“Please, Mom, not this again,” I said, rubbing my throat, unwilling to hear another of her constant defenses of Judie.

“But—” Mom began, but Judie had already returned with the water.

She glanced at Judie as she handed me the glass. I merely looked at it without taking it.

I ignored her, but she continued to push the glass toward me, pretending not to understand. Frustrated, I slapped her hand away, causing the water to spill.

"Ah!" she screamed, but I didn’t care.

"Freddie, what are you doing? Why did you push her?" my mom exclaimed, rushing over to help Judie up from the floor.

"Cut it out, Judie! And don't ever call me Fred," I warned her sternly.

"Why shouldn't she, son? She's used to calling you Fred. Now you suddenly want her to stop, and you expect her to just change like that?" my mom snapped.

I clenched my fists, struggling to keep my anger in check.

"Aunt, don't be mad at Fred. He's—" Judie started, trying to calm my mom down.

"Enough!" I burst out. "She’s not your aunt, so stop this charade and leave!"

Just looking at Judie annoyed me. Her pretense was too much to bear.

"Fred—" She quickly corrected herself. "I mean, Freddie."

"Now get out!" I pointed at the door, and she looked stunned.

"You want me to leave your house?" she asked, disbelief in her voice.

Though Judie had always irritated me, I’d never been this serious before. Every time I wanted her gone, my mom would intervene. But today, I was determined, even with my mom there.

"Yes, now get out!" I yelled, and Judie, visibly shaken, hurried out.

As she left, I turned to head upstairs.

"Get back here!" my mom shouted. "What’s all this about? Don’t tell me this is still about that girl."

I paused, turning back to face her. "Mom."

"It’s her, isn’t it?" she said, reading my silence. "Come on, it's been over five years. Don’t tell me you still haven’t moved on from that wreck."

"Mom, please stop," I said, my voice softening.

"Stop what? Should I just ignore the fact that she made you like this? You're divorced, Freddie, so why are you still acting this way?"

"I'm fine, so please drop it," I snapped.

"You’re not fine, son. The vibrant man I knew disappeared five years ago. I don’t know what spell that witch put on you. Now all you do is work."

"You should be worried about finding love again," she insisted.

I sighed, unable to argue anymore. She was right; I wasn’t the same Freddie. Losing Lessie five years ago had changed me.

I hadn’t realized it at first, but over time it became clear.

Those years without her were spent endlessly searching for her, consumed by work, with barely a moment’s rest.

While I was lost in thought, my mom kept ranting.

"Judie has stuck by you all this time. Why can’t you see her effort?"

"Son?" she called out, noticing my distraction. I was about to respond when my phone rang. Seeing that it was Zenith, my personal assistant, I stood up.

"Mom, excuse me," I said, already heading upstairs before she could protest.

Once in my room, I went out to the balcony and answered the call.

"Boss, everything’s been confirmed," Zenith said.

"Really?" I replied. "You brought me good news the other day, and now it’s confirmed."

A few days ago, Zenith had told me he saw Lessie at the airport. I hadn’t believed it then, but after further investigation, I’d run into her at tonight’s party.

"Where has she been all these years?" I asked, voicing the question that had been haunting me.

I knew I’d searched everywhere for her, but there hadn't been a single trace.

"Syracuse City," Zenith replied, and I frowned.

Syracuse City?

"Are you sure?" I asked.

"I had it thoroughly investigated. The results kept leading back to Syracuse. I was just as surprised," Zenith answered.

"Syracuse?" I repeated, still in disbelief. "We checked that city more than twice before, and there was no sign of her. So why now?"

I wouldn’t have been this shocked if I hadn’t already had the city searched multiple times.

Lessie had been there all along?

I flung my phone across the room, my emotions getting the better of me. With my phone on the floor, I saw the light screen lit up.

When I checked my phone again, I flinged it even harder. The screen displayed Zenith’s investigation report.

I collapsed into the balcony chair, running my hands through my hair in frustration. All this time, Lessie was there, and I’d been suffering, not even sure why.

There was no way I could believe she’d struggled while she was there. If she had, she would have returned.

She never showed up, and I couldn’t reach her. Clearly, she was enjoying her life there.

"Damn it, Freddie, how did you let yourself get to this point?" I slammed my hand against the balcony railing, not even feeling the pain.

It might have been easier if I’d been fine during her absence, but no—I’d been miserable, and for what?

Lessie, why?!