Tia
The cab slowed to a stop in front of the house, our house. The one Jade and I had built together, brick by brick. I sat still for a moment, staring at the gate, unsure of what I'd feel once I stepped out. Home was supposed to be a place of comfort, but right now, It didn't feel that way.
I paid the driver, thanked him quietly, and stepped out into the fading evening light.
I walked slowly to the gate, my bag slung over my shoulder, my heart filled with hope. Maybe, just maybe, I could get inside, take a long shower, and forget the chaos of the past two days.
I reached the keypad and typed in the passcode, our old code. The one we'd used for years.
"Beep. Error."
I frowned. Maybe I'd pressed the wrong numbers. My fingers were tired, and my mind was still foggy. I tried again, slower this time, double-checking each digit.
"Beep. Error."
I stared at the keypad, my breath catching in my throat. Then trued the third time, just to be sure and same thing happened.
That's when it hit me.
The passcode had been changed, Jade changed it.
I stepped back, the realization sinking inside of me. My chest tightened, and I felt a strange mix of shock and heartbreak. He didn't just move on, he locked me out. Out of the house, out of the life we shared, out of everything that once felt like mine.
I wasn't welcome anymore.
"N…no!" I shouted angrily as I began banging on the gate. I was unleashing my anger, and I didn't care about the passerby who watched me.
After a few moments, the gate creaked open slowly. The gateman stepped out, the same man who used to greet me with a smile, who once called me "Ma'am" with respect. But today he didn't. He didn't even greet me.
He just stood there, then he pointed to a small pile near the gate.
I stared at it, stunned. My suitcase, my bag, even the small box I kept my personal things in. All of it was there, neatly stacked.
Then he spoke. "Mr Jade said I should give you your things," he said. "He told me not to let you inside. He said you should quietly take your luggage and leave."
The gateman's words hit me like a slap across the face. I stood there frozen, staring at my luggage on the ground, the same luggage I had packed with love and memories when I first moved into this house. Now it sat there like trash waiting to be collected.
All the thoughts I had about fixing things with vanished in an instant. That hope, that tiny flicker I had held onto, was gone.
I didn't realize tears was already slipping down my cheeks, my heart was heavy with his betrayal. I had given him my love, my trust and loyalty. And this was how he repaid me, by kicking me out. Handling my things to someone else like I was nothing.
I looked at the gate, at the house behind it, and I saw him clearly now. Not the man I once loved, but the man he truly was.
I slowly wiped my tears, he wasn't worth it, and I knew better now.
Staring at the gateman one last time, I bent down, carried my luggage, hanged some of it on my shoulders and I quietly left.
The sky was beginning to darken as I walked down the road without really thinking about where I was going. My feet moved on its own, and my mind was somewhere else entirely.
I thought about going to Didi's place. She'd probably let me stay the night, but I knew she'd worry, and I didn't want that. I didn't want to explain anything. I just wanted to be alone.
So I kept walking until I reached the bus stop. I stood there for a moment, staring at the road, then raised my hand to flag down a cab. I didn't even look at the car properly. I just wanted to get to the nearest hotel and disappear for a while.
But when the car pulled up and stopped in front of me, I turned to it and I froze.
It wasn't a cab.
It was a sleek black car, the kind you don't usually see in this part of town. The window rolled down slowly, and there he was.
CEO Axel.
He looked at me, his expression unreadable, and I wondered what he was doing here. Surely he wouldn't be staying at a place like this.
"Do you need a ride?" he asked.
I shook my head quickly. "No. I'm fine," I said, trying to sound firm even though I wasn't.
He didn't argue, he just nodded and watched me for a moment. Then I picked up my luggage and started walking again, hoping he would drive away.
But he didn't.
I could hear the soft hum of his car behind me as I walked down the road. He was driving slowly, keeping pace with me. I didn't look back, but I knew he was still there.
It made me feel uneasy, but I didn't want to stop. I just wanted to get away, to find a hotel and be alone.
The road felt longer than usual. My arms were getting tired, and the bag was heavier than I remembered. I kept walking, until the weight became too much. My grip slipped, and the luggage fell on the floor.
I sighed tiredly and I bent down to pick it up, but before I could reach it, a hand got there first.
I looked up, and it was Axel.
He said nothing, he just picked up the bag like it was nothing and walked back to his car. I stood there, confused and a little annoyed.
"What do you want from me?" I asked.
He ignored me as he opened the trunk and placed my luggage inside. Then he walked around to the passenger side and opened the door.
"Get in," he said simply.
I stared at him. Part of me wanted to refuse again, but I was tired. My feet hurt, my arms ached. And deep down, I knew I needed rest.
So I exhaled slowly and got into the car.
"Where are you going?" He asked and I sighed. "To the nearest hotel."
He nodded, closed the door gently behind me, walked around, and got back into the driver's seat and he drove off.