EXPIRED LOVE

A RECKLESS NEW BEGINNING

ANGEL'S POV

The sudden, sharp knock on my door pulled me instantly from sleep. I immediately wondered who could be knocking at this extremely early hour of the morning. I instinctively guessed it might be Alex, finally coming to beg for forgiveness.

"Hold on, I will be right there," I called out, my voice thick with sleep, as I reluctantly got off the bed.

I reached for my night dress, which lay crumpled at the corner of the bed. I had removed it earlier that night, choosing to sleep naked and allowing the gentle movement of air to touch my skin. I quickly donned the dress and walked briskly toward the entrance.

I got to the door, took a deep breath, and opened it. I was genuinely surprised—and instantly annoyed—to see Daniel, Alex's personal security guide, standing there instead of Alex himself.

"Good morning, Madam. My boss requires you to come with me to his house," he said, his tone respectful but firm.

"Tell your boss that whatever relationship we had is definitively over. I will not be coming with you," I said firmly. The underlying truth was that I still harbored lingering feelings for Alex, which was precisely why I had expected him to be here this morning, groveling and begging for my pardon.

"Ma'am, this is a command, not a request. You must come with me now," he stated, his posture stiffening.

At this moment, my temper was reaching its boiling point. How dare he send his security guide to my home to speak to me with such authority, especially after everything he had done?

"Are you aware that I have a little touch of madness in me?" I retorted, my voice rising, now fully enraged.

I tried to immediately shut the door, intending to lock him outside. However, he lunged forward, attempting to grab me by force. Instinct took over; I reacted instantly, delivering a swift, targeted kick to his manhood. He let out a sharp, painful moan before collapsing, groaning, onto the ground.

I quickly rushed back inside, packed some essential clothes and a few sentimental belongings into a bag, and hurried out to my car. I sped toward Anna's apartment, intending to inform her of my sudden departure so that she wouldn't be worried or frustrated by my absence.

I arrived at her building and gently knocked on the door. This was unusual; this was my first time knocking on Anna's door. I usually just pushed it open and walked inside at any given time without owing anyone an explanation.

But I felt compelled to knock this time around because I knew she was currently staying with her brother. I repeated the knock, but received no reply. I used the spare key I carried and opened the front door. I stepped into the living room and immediately heard a sound that was profoundly shocking to me.

"You're almost there! Oh, baby, you're almost there! YES! Oh, YES! F**k me harder!"

A flood of chaotic thoughts rushed through my mind. Does this mean Frank is not actually Anna's brother—that she had been lying to me? Or perhaps Frank was engaged in s*x with his own sister this early morning?

Desperate for an explanation, I crept over and pressed my eye against the small peephole on the bedroom door. The hole was small, but the view inside the room was clear.

I was mildly relieved when I noticed that it was Ken, her established boyfriend, and not the supposed brother. I suddenly recalled that she had mentioned yesterday that he was coming to visit, but I never imagined that he would pass the night here. The question of where her brother might be, or where he slept last night, lingered, but I dismissed it.

"I don't have to disturb the two souls enjoying themselves," I murmured to myself. I quietly closed the door behind me and drove straight to the airport.

I immediately booked a flight traveling to Finland for the following day, and fortunately, the reservation was quickly approved. I then lodged in a nearby hotel to pass the night comfortably.

The next day, I arrived at the airport very early, determined not to miss my flight. Within a few short hours, the plane was fully boarded and we were airborne, putting thousands of miles between me and Alex's commands.

My phone remained switched off throughout the entirety of our transcontinental journey until we finally landed safely in Helsinki, Finland.

I had pre-booked a small hotel in the quiet town where I intended to stay for the next few months, hoping to completely clear my head.

The moment the key card slid open the door to my austere but clean room, the first thing I did was switch on my phone.

I immediately texted Anna, urging her to resign from her current administrative work and resume work managing my supermarket. I also used this opportunity to inform her that I was indefinitely out of the country, adding pointedly that she shouldn't bother calling; I would contact her only when I was ready.

"I will pay you double your current salary," I added as a final, decisive incentive.

I set the device down on the bedside table and went straight to the small bathroom to bathe, hoping the hot water might somehow wash away the lingering trouble and profound stress I had endured in New York City.

When I returned, feeling marginally lighter and cleaner, I immediately noticed twenty-three missed calls from my mother. The realization hit me: I had forgotten to switch the device off completely before heading into the bathroom.

As I reached to silence the phone, a new message notification immediately popped up on my screen. I decided I would view the text first before finally powering the phone down for the night.

I tapped the notification. What followed was not simple shock, but a visceral blow that stole the air from my lungs. I gripped the edge of the dresser, swaying slightly as I read the message again, my eyes scanning the stark black text against the white screen. I was utterly unable to process the impossible implications of the few short words staring back at me.

"Where are you? I'm at your house with your fiancé now, and your line isn't going through." That's the message on my phone, and it was sent by my mom.

"Nonsense," I muttered, switching the phone off and dropping it onto the table nearby my bed.

I had spent two peaceful months in Helsinki, Finland, before finally heading back to New York. Throughout my stay in Finland, life had been wonderfully peaceful and calm. I was determined to return and take over my business, because Anna had only a little knowledge about running my supermarket, and I knew it would be exceptionally hard for her to manage it alone. Moreover, today was her birthday, a celebration I absolutely didn't want to miss.

I had called her earlier to inform her of my return that very day. Upon landing at the airport, I waited for her to arrive, just as she had requested.

Suddenly, a sleek car pulled up close to me, and its driver pressed the horn.

"My baby girl is back!" Anna exclaimed excitedly. I was utterly shocked to see that she was the one inside the car. Anna, to my knowledge, didn't own a car, and her salary at work barely settled her monthly bills.

"Birthday girl!" I cheered, winding my waist and letting my hips sway playfully.

"Are you actually the owner of this car?" I asked, my voice laced with genuine curiosity.

"It was gifted to me as my birthday present by Ken this very morning," Anna beamed.

Overwhelmed with excitement, I quickly jumped into the passenger seat. Anna, ever the thoughtful friend, then came around and carefully placed my luggage into the boot.

First, we headed to the long-term parking lot where I had left my own car before my departure from the country. From there, we both drove in our respective vehicles towards her house.

"Make yourself comfortable, my baby girl," Anna said warmly, ushering me further into her cozy living room. She then disappeared into her bedroom, only to emerge moments later with a bottle of wine and two elegant glasses. She poured a generous amount into both glasses, then handed one to me.

"Cheers to our reunion, and to your new age!" I declared, raising my glass.