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Home / Romance / Winning My Angry Ex Back / Kabanata 171 - Kabanata 180

Lahat ng Kabanata ng Winning My Angry Ex Back: Kabanata 171 - Kabanata 180

238 Kabanata

Connecting the dots

Ashley’s POVA sudden sense of foreboding and the certainty that the breakup note in Jeff's hand was going to open a can of worms that I wasn't ready to confront gripped me.“Anyway, what’s this?” Jeff asked, opening the folded letter.“It’s …” I began to say, but he interrupted me, confusion furrowing his brow as he ran his gaze over it.“It’s written in my handwriting …” He trailed off, and I watched as his eyes grew wide and his face drained of color when he realized what the contents were about.I swallowed the lump in my throat. “I … I understood why you wrote it, Jeff, and I don’t blame you one bit. I would have done the same if I were in your shoes. We both have …”He continued to gape at me, like he wasn't even hearing what I was saying. His fingers trembled slightly as they traced the ink on the paper.He had clearly written it and had it sent to me, so I didn’t get why he was reacting so strongly to it.“Ashley … where did you get this?” he asked me at last, his tone strange

Resolution

Ashley’s POVAnother question that I hadn’t asked Jeff flashed across my mind at that moment, and I used that opportunity to deflect his question.“On that day … the day I disappeared … did you get into a fight with some of those gang members?”“A fight? Gang members? What on earth are you talking about? Listen, Ashley … I can't help but notice you keep changing the subject and refusing to answer my important questions. What are you hiding?”“Just answer the question, Jeff … please!”He must have seen the despair, mixed with desperation, in my eyes because he sighed in surrender and spoke.“Sorry, what was your question again? Ah, yes, something about a fight and gangs? Do I look like one who gets into fights, or joins silly gangs?” He joked, raising an eyebrow. I didn’t find it the least bit funny.“Have you forgotten them? Remember back then, when I used to sell clothes I made at the evening market, and there were these gangsters who kept coming by my stall to cause trouble, collect

Restless

Jeff’s POVAs tired as I was that night, I found it impossible to sleep after everything that Ashley and I had discussed, as the entire conversation kept replaying in my mind.On the one hand, I was ecstatic that what had caused enmity between her and me for the last several years had been nothing more than an unfortunate misunderstanding based on lies that had been fed to both of us by unknown persons.On the other hand, I wanted to murder somebody. I wanted to lay my hands on whoever was responsible for all these wasted years and choke the life out of them.Because of them, Ashley and I had missed out on five years of our lives, and after fate brought us together again, we spent another year hating each other because of what we thought about each other.Ashley lay beside me, sleeping peacefully, with one arm draped lightly across my chest. I held her tight, marveling at how easily the resentment the two of us used to feel for each other vanished in the blink of an eye.Despite mysel

Another confrontation

Jeff’s POVI had no idea what was going on in Claire's life ever since I fired her and cut off every dealings with her, and frankly, I didn't care. I had her blocked on all my phones and everywhere else, so she couldn’t reach me, as she had been trying to do after she first left.Now, though, I was the one seeking her out. The last time I knew, she lived in a high-end apartment in a rich neighborhood.As I drove over there, I hoped to high heavens that she hadn't changed apartments. It had been ages since I last set foot there, so I had no idea.As self-centered and bitchy Claire could be, I didn't want to believe that she had anything to do with any of this, but unfortunately, that letter existed, and it was only her and me in the house on that day I wrote it.So, now she was going to explain to me why on earth it still existed, after she supposedly destroyed it, and even worse, how on earth it found its way into Ashley’s possession, at a time when the two women hadn’t met each other

Still no answers

Jeff’s POV“Do you deny remembering that I wrote the letter and you pretended to burn it?” I asked her after a while.“No, I do remember that, and yes, I didn’t burn it as you thought. I exchanged it with another paper while you weren’t paying attention. Unlike what you clearly think, though, it was just for a harmless reason. I wanted to read what you wrote, but I knew you would never allow me if I asked. The contents of the letter were very pathetic, by the way. As for the rest and thugs or whatever, I have no idea what you’re talking about.”“So how did it get into her possession?”“I don’t know, and neither do I care. Why don’t you ask her? Look, if all you came here to talk about is that woman, can you please leave? If I had known you were the one at the door, I sure as hell wouldn’t have answered.”“What did you do with the letter after you took it away?” I asked her in a quiet voice.She shrugged. “I mailed it to the address where you guys used to live. Oh, and before you bark

Back where it all began

Ashley’s POVI had things to do … very important things, for that matter. Time wasn't on my side, as it was already past ten thirty in the morning, so I sat up slowly, brushed my hair away from my face, and then swung my legs out of bed and got up, stretching luxuriously.My whole body ached, but in that delicious way that came with having very good sex. Jeff had left while I was asleep. A strange sense of emptiness filled me as I glanced at the cold, empty spot where he had slept.That was when I noticed the small piece of paper resting on the bedside table, which wasn't there earlier. I picked it up and opened it to see Jeff's neat handwriting scribbled on it. It read,Ashley, I had to leave early today, but you were sleeping so peacefully that I didn’t want to disturb you by waking you. I'll see you later today. Jeff. A small smile tugged at my lips before I could stop it. Of course, he left a note. Jeff had always been a thoughtful, considerate, and kind man. He wouldn’t leave

Ghosts of the market

Ashley’s POV I stood there undecided for a very long time, staring up at the building that used to be my home. From this angle, I could even see one of the windows of my former apartment, but it was closed. I wondered who lived there now.My fingers tightened around my handbag as I looked around the deserted outside of the building, unsure how to proceed.The building was deserted because most people had gone to work and the children were in school, so there was nothing for me to do here right now.Even if some people were inside their apartments, there was no way I could go around knocking on random doors and asking people if they remembered the day my life got destroyed.The thought of doing that alone made my stomach churn. Besides, I was sure that I would stand out like a sore thumb if anyone happened to see me just standing there staring and looking painfully out of place.No, this wasn't the place to start asking questions, at least not until the afternoon or late evening, when

Malice

Ashley’s POV“This market seems very lively,” I said casually.“Oh, yes, it’s lively enough right now, but it’s even more so during the evenings. That is the period when I sell most of my stuff because by then a lot of people are back from work and they have time to come shop.”“Ah, I see. That makes sense. So do you guys run into any trouble often?”"Trouble? I don't understand. Are you talking about those of us who sell here?”"Yes, and by trouble, I mean do those gangsters who used to terrorize the sellers still come around?" I asked very casually, but my heart was beating fast.The young woman froze for a moment. "Gangsters?" she repeated, clearly confused.I frowned. “Yes, a group of men used to come here years ago to harass some of the sellers and steal from them,” I told her slowly.“I'm so sorry, ma’am, but I don't know anything about such incidents. Apart from the hustle and bustle of the markets, nothing serious happens here. The market is very secure, and we don’t run into

Unease

Ashley’s POVI stared at Mrs. Johnson, aghast. True, I had never seen the gang trouble anyone else, but then, back then, I hadn’t really bothered myself about their activities either, so I just assumed they did.“I don’t understand,” I said at last.Mrs. Johnson stared at me, looking perplexed. “Well, surely, they were people you knew from before who were pissed with you, not so?”“Heavens, no! I didn’t know any of them from Adam until they started disturbing me. You thought I knew them?”“Um, yeah. They only ever seemed interested in you and never came after anyone apart from you, so I simply thought they had some beef with you. Everyone else and I assumed that perhaps one of them was a jilted lover and they were punishing you for it. You know how young men can be filled with pride and anger and how they can’t stand having their egos bruised.”“Hmmm … I see,” I said slowly, but my mind was racing frantically.Mrs. Johnson watched me intently. The curiosity that was in her eyes earlie

A rough neighborhood

Ashley’s POVThere were four of them in total, all boys. They looked rough … the epitome of street boys, and were dressed in baggy clothes.They swaggered carelessly towards my car, cigarettes hanging from their fingers as they laughed among themselves and cracked inner jokes.One of them finally noticed me inside the car, and his gaze sharpened immediately as he nudged another one.By this time, they were already walking past the car, but now, they changed course, and as a group, all of them changed direction and turned back.My heart began to race, but my instincts kicked in immediately. I pushed the door open and stepped out before they could surround the vehicle.From their stance, I knew they were up to no good, and the last thing I needed right then was any trouble. My back straightened automatically, and I lifted my chin just a little.For a brief moment, the boys seemed surprised that I had gotten out of the car instead of shrinking away or cowering, but they didn't stop.One

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