Chapter 18 - The Supervised Visit|
Exactly one week after I was discharged from the hospital, the local police arranged a heavily supervised visit at my house. The primary objective was so that I could safely retrieve Lily’s original birth documents and my late mother’s irreplaceable jewelry box before Ethan was officially forced to vacate the premises for good.
My father walked closely beside me, his hand always ready to steady mine and transfer his quiet strength. The sheriff’s deputy walked a few paces ahead to ensure the premises were completely secure before I entered.
When we stepped through the front door, Ethan was sitting lazily on the living room sofa, his legs crossed. He had lost weight, but his eyes still gleamed with a toxic, unyielding arrogance. He stared intently at me, a mocking half-smile playing on his lips, as if the dark circles under my eyes and the visible exhaustion on my face were somehow proof that he still controlled the narrative of our ending.
"You still look terrible, Claire," Ethan sneered.
He completely ignored the imposing presence of the armed police officer.
"You can't handle all this on your own. If you want to apologize and..." he continued.
"Shut your mouth, Ethan," I cut him off.
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My voice was like shattering ice, and I refused to even grace him with a second glance. I walked straight past the living room, heading purposefully down the long hallway. I hadn't come here to listen to his pathetic rambling. I knew perfectly well he was attempting to stage a psychological play to manipulate me, hoping I would break down crying upon returning to what used to be our happy home.
But he was dead wrong. This place was no longer a home; it was simply a crime scene. I felt no nostalgia, no lingering affection for the life we had supposedly built together. Every memory in these walls had been tainted by his deceit, and I was solely focused on extracting what was rightfully mine.
