Page 38 of The Lake House

I don’t know what you think you’re trying to pull here or who you think you are, that you can talk to me the way you are or treat me the way you are. You cannot dismiss me. You may not like it, but you will forever be tied to me because we are married.

Is he drunk? The divorce has been legal and finalized for a while now. I know he had stopped drinking right before I found out he was cheating on me, but the way he’s acting really makes me think that he’s picked up the habit again.

Todd, I think you may need to sit down and maybe hold off on the liquor. We are no longer married. WE ARE DIVORCED. Any ties we had to one another no longer exist. Please leave me alone and let me live.

I wait two seconds and when I see he doesn’t send anything further or try to type anything else, I close out of the application on my phone and head downstairs.

Thank God. I think maybe now my words have sunk in, and he’s getting it. He has to be drunk. I mean, what other explanation for his behavior could there be?

I sit on the couch and pick up the TV remote. I put on a movie and wait until it’s time to meet up with Liv. She’s going to come here in a while and then we’re supposed to go to this local restaurant that she’s been raving about since I moved here.

She said they’ve got amazing seafood and steaks, so I’m looking forward to that. Some salmon would be good tonight.

I pick up my phone and check my emails, and as I’m doing so, another message comes through from Todd. But this one is different, though. This one is a voice message.

What the hell?

I open it and play his message. At first, it’s just him laughing maniacally. His laughter gives me the chills. Then he stops abruptly, taking a deep breath, and then says, “That was hilarious, Giulies. First of all, you know I stopped drinking right before you left. I haven’t tried a drop since then. Secondly, for you to even entertain the thought that you are no longer tied to me? That’s fucking comical. Anyway, don’t get too comfortable over there without me. You’ll see me again sooner than you think. For now, have your fun and think you’re free. But the truth is, sweetheart, you’ll never be free of me. You’re mine now as you were mine then. Play time will be over real soon, Giulies.”

My eyes fill up with tears. Not because I’m sad that part of my life is over. I’m glad it ended since he did the things he did to me. My eyes are welling up because he thinks he can still rule my life. That’s not fair. And I honestly don’t get it. He wanted the divorce. He wanted to cheat and leave me. But he still wants to be in charge of me and how I live my life? It just doesn’t make any sense.

I don’t bother sending a response this time, and I don’t even care that he knows I’ve seen, or rather, heard, his message this time. He can know it and take it up the ass. I’m so through with this conversation with him.

I’m about to place the phone down next to me, but before I can, it rings. It’s not Todd, is it? I mean, sure, it could be. I hadn’t changed my number yet, but maybe that is something I really need to consider doing.

Relief washes over me once I see who it is.

It’s Liv.

“You ready, lady?” she enthusiastically exclaims into the phone.

I smile. “Absolutely.”

* * *

About an hour later, Liv and I find ourselves at the restaurant she’d been raving about since I moved back. I have to give it to her; the girl knows good food.

“So, he really sent you those messages?” Liv asks and then shoves a spoonful of rice into her mouth.

I nod, sitting back in my chair. The breeze feels so nice against my skin. I’m so glad we opted for the outdoor seating option. “I can show you.” I open my phone and go to the messages Todd had sent me.

She shakes her head as her eyes take in the messages from Todd. “No, I believed you, but seeing them… oh my God… the guy is looney. Do you think he picked up drinking again?”

I shrug. “I thought the same thing, but he swore he hasn’t picked up a drink since he gave it up before we split.”

Liv smirks. “Yeah, I don’t know… he seems kinda sketchy. What’s his deal? And the things he’s saying about you being tied to him? What a creep.”

“Yeah.” The pit of my stomach is in knots. Thinking over his words and what my best friend just said doesn’t sit right with me. I just don’t have a good feeling about the whole thing.

I look up and see Liv looking a bit green. Is she ill? She pushes away from the table and raises a napkin to her mouth.

“Hey, are you okay?” I ask.

She shakes her head and then moves the napkin back down to her lap. “Yeah, yeah. I’m fine. That last bit just went down wrong, that’s all.” She pauses for a few moments and then says, “So, have you seen Declan around lately?” She smirks.

I know she’s changing the subject for some other reason. I feel like she’s hiding something from me. I hope she’s not really sick, and she just doesn’t want to tell me about it, so I don’t worry. The last couple of times we’ve hung out together, something has always seemed up with her, but I just can’t tell what it is. I wish she’d just tell me so I wouldn’t have to assume the worst.

“You’re funny,” I say, playing it cool.

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