Chapter 136: Andre's Persistence

Lisa's POV

Day ten starts like all the others. Leo goes to work early with a few words. I can't continue to work from home.

The house is oppressive – every room a testament to what Leo and I had. So I break into the office for the first time in more than a week. Maybe being around people will help. Maybe throwing myself into work will give me something to focus on besides the slow crumbling of my relationship.

I know I look awful—the concealer can only mask so much beneath my dark circles. It's about noon and I am in my office going over a contract when my assistant Sarah buzzes in.

"Lisa? There’s someone here to see you.”

I turn my head towards my calendar. “I don’t have that in my calendar.”

"I am aware. It is all right. I told him it’s a bad time. He doesn’t have an appointment. He says it’s urgent. His name is Andre Morrison"

My blood runs cold. “What?”

The word comes out sharp and alarmed. “Do you want me to tell him you’re not available?”

“Yes, you absolutely tell him that I’m not available. Tell him to go and never come back.”

Yet another part of me — the angry part, the part that's been festering for ten days as I watch my relationship fall apart — wants to go up against him. I want to say to him what his return has cost me, exactly.

"Give him two minutes, and then send him in," I hear myself saying.

I rise stiffly, smoothing down my skirt as I make an effort to compose myself. My hands are trembling, but I ball them into fists. I will not let him see me weak. Will not let him see what he's done.

There's a knock on my door.

“Come in.”

Andre walks in, and I am taken aback by how gaunt he seems. It’s only been a week and a half since I saw him at the coffee shop, but he looks worse — thinner, more drawn, desperate in a way that borders on pathetic.

Good, says a voice in my head viciously. Let him suffer.

“Lisa,” he said, relief washing over his face. "Thank God. I was concerned you might not be able to see me."

“I shouldn’t be seeing you.” I don't offer him a seat. "You must leave."

"Just listen to what I have to say―please!"

"You know how I told you not to contact me again? I blocked your number. How was I supposed to know which part of that was unclear?”

“I know, I know, but I'm desperate.” He inches further into my office, and I see several of my colleagues peering through the glass walls, intrigued. "My business is going under. I'm losing everything. You're my only hope."

"I am not your hope." My voice is cold as ice. "I am nothing to you, and you are nothing to me."

"Lisa, please—"

"How did you even find me here?"

"I called your father's office. They told me where you worked."

It’s the nerve of the whole thing that makes me gape. “You contacted my father’s company?”

"I was desperate! I didn't know what to do any more. You blocked me, you won't return my calls—"

"Because I told you I couldn’t help you!" My voice buds, and I sees more heads turning outside. "Because you have no right to demand anything from me!"

"I know I hurt you—"

"You destroyed me!You left me for her. You made me feel like I was worthless and broken and that I was the problem. And now you’ve got the gall to come to my office and ask me for help?"

"I made mistakes—"

"You made choices." I pad around my desk, into his space. "You chose to cheat. You chose to leave. You chose Claire over me. Those were your choices, Andre. And now you get to live with the consequences."

“But I’m losing everything—”

“Good!” The word explodes out of me. "You should lose everything! You should feel exactly what I felt when you left me with nothing. When you took everything we built and trampled on it for somebody else."

And he nearly falls back, appalled at my insistence. “Lisa—”

“Out of here.” I gestured towards the door. “Out of my office now.”

“Please, just listen—”

“No. I’m done listening to you. I’m done factoring in your feelings, or your needs, or what an impossible spot you’re in.” I’m shaking mad, months — years — of barely contained fury exploding. “You had it coming, everything that you’re getting, you deserve it. You deserve to lose everything.”

“You don’t mean that—”

“I absolutely do.” I lean in a bit, my voice dropping but still as furious as ever. "I’d moved on, Andre. I was happy. I had somebody who loved me, who respected me, who would never do to me what you did.”

"Then he can help—"

"No!" I yell again. “You can’t ask that question! You can’t use my relationship to protect your own ass. That’s not how this works!”

“Please, I’m begging you—”

“I’ll tell you no sir.” I open my office door as if it will make my point stronger. “I want you to go. I want you to never, ever call me again. I want you to forget my name, and forget my number, and forget that I ever was.”

“Lisa, please—” He’s curling his body up, he’s crying now, that doesn’t achieve anything to loosen my heart.”My marriage is falling apart, my business is dying, I’ve got nothing—”

“Not my problem!” I shout, my voice bouncing down the hall of the office. “I can see that everyone has stopped what they were doing, they’re just watching this go down.

“I don’t care that it’s politically incorrect. It's now too late to make your bed. You made your bed, Andre. Now lie in it.”

“I’m sorry!” His voice breaks. “I’m so sorry for everything I did to you. You were the best thing in my life and I threw it away and I know that now—”

"Too late." They are final words. "You're three years too late. I don’t forgive you. I don't feel sorry for you. And I will never, ever help you."

“Please—”

“Security!” I shout, and Sarah immediately answers the phone. “I want this man taken from the building. And I want him banned from the premises. I’ll take him to court if he tries to come back.”

Andre’s face goes pale. “You wouldn’t—”

“Try me.” I glare at him, and he must see something in my eyes because he finally backs down.

“Fine.” His voice is bitter now. “Fine. I should have known better than to expect anything from you. "

The words hit their target, stinging despite everything. He’s trying to make me guilty, try to manipulate me one last time.

But I’m done being manipulated.

Two security guards show up, and I point at Andre. “This guy is trespassing. Please escort him out and blacklist him.”

"Ma'am," one of them says to me then turns to Andre. "Sir, we are going to have to ask you to come with us."

Lisa,” Andre says, as they latch onto his arms. “You can’t just —”

“It’s over.” I interrupted him. “It has been over for three years. You’re just far too selfish to accept it.”

They take him away, and I watch from behind the glass as they lead him down the office, past all my gawking coworkers and out down the elevators.

It is only after he is well out of sight that I enter my office again and shut the door.

My legs buckle and I fall back in my chair, all of me shaking. The adrenaline that sustained me through that confrontation is ebbing, making me tremulous and weak.

There’s a soft knock on my door.

"Come in," I say, as I try to calm my voice.

Sarah appears, her expression concerned.

I breathe in deeply.

“That guy was way out of line.” She hesitates. “Is there anything I can get you? Water? Coffee?”

"Some water, that would be lovely. Thank you.”

She goes away and comes back a few seconds later with a bottle of water. "For what it's worth, everyone is on your side. The way you dealt with that was… kind of badass."

Weak smile manages out of me despite all of it. "Thanks."

"Want me to hold your calls for a little while?"

"Yes, please. Actually, you can cancel my appointments for the afternoon? I think I need to go home."

"Sure. I will deal with that."

She slinks off, and it is only me again. I pull out my phone, and look at it, my thumb poised to tap Leo’s name.

I should call him. Should tell him what just happened. That's the sort of thing that – right there, that's exactly what I should be sharing with him.

But what if it makes things worse? What if he views this as more drama with Andre, more proof that I can’t seem to walk away from my past?

The Andre that just showed up is not my fault. I didn't invite him here. I didn't give him any reason to believe that I would help him.

But Leo doesn’t know that. Leo doesn’t know shit, he’s barely talking to me. I hung up without dialing.

I'll tell him tonight. When he gets home. Once in a while, we'll have a real talk and I'll tell him what went down. Maybe that will be good thing—maybe knowing how completely I turned down Andre will convince Leo that he's the one I pick, that he's always been the one I pick.

Or perhaps it will be just another thing that tears us apart.

I dont even know.

I stay in my office for another twenty minutes struggling to collect my thoughts, struggling to understand what just occurred. Andre appeared at my office. Raised a racket. Security escorted us out.

And I got through it. I held my ground. I told him just what he needed to hear.

But I don’t feel like I won. Feeling empowered? not really.

I feel so weary that I’m ready to toss in the towel.

Andre is it? Tired of Andre and his manipulation. I'm sick of the mess he made out of my life — both times years ago and now. Sick to death of trying to keep hold of a relationship that seems to be running through my fingers no matter what I do.

I collect my things and leave the room without looking at my work companions. There's watching me, I can sense their stares, their interest, their pity. By tomorrow, everyone will know. Everyone will be discussing it.

But I guess I’ll cross that bridge when I come to it tomorrow. I just want to get home Now, “I need to get home.”

The house is empty when I arrive, of course.

Leo's not going to be home for hours. I slip into some cozy clothes and snuggle up on the couch, tired even though it's just two in the afternoon. The tussle with Andre drained me more than I knew.

I have to drop off because I am awakened by the sound of the front door.

Startled, I sit up straight and quickly. The light coming in from outside tells me it's early evening, about five thirty or six o'clock, more or less. Leo walks in and stops at the sight of me on the couch.

“You’re home early.”

“So are you.” He sets down his briefcase. “I had a meeting cancel. Figured I’d come home and catch up on some work here.”

He is already heading for the stairs, for the guest room, for escape.“Leo, wait.” I stand up.“Today, something happened. Something I have to tell you about.”

He pauses, turning back. "Andre showed up at my office," I say, before I lose my nerve. His face immediately hardens.

"What? He just appeared. No warning. He got past reception by saying it was urgent.”

"What did he want?" His voice is tight, controlled.

"The same thing. He asked me to assist with his business. He was desperate, almost pathetic like." I wrap my arms around myself.“I told him no.” I told him to leave. When he wouldn't, I called security and had him escorted out. He’s banned from the building now.”

Leo is quiet for a long moment, his jaw working. “Did he threaten you?”

“No. He just... begged. Cried. Tried to manipulate me into feeling sorry for him."

“And did you? Feel sorry for him?”

“No.” The answer is immediate and honest. “I felt angry. I've never been so angry in my life. I screamed at him in front of my entire office. Tell him he deserves everything that’s happening to him.”

Something about Leo's face changes. “You did?”

“Yes. Because that’s right. And because I’m through with him. Finished with his manipulation, finished with his efforts to pull me back into his mess. I want him gone, Leo. Out of my life altogether.”

He's watching me carefully."Why are you telling me this?"

“Because you’re my husband. Because things like this are the exact things I should have told you about at the beginning.” I step toward him. “Because I’m trying to be honest with you now, even if it’s too late.”

“It's not too late,” he whispers.

Hope flares in my chest. “Is it not?”

“I don’t know.” He runs a hand through his hair. "I’ve been thinking all week.”

“What's that?”

"That he is not going to stop trying to get to you. That as long as he’s in such dire straits, he’s going to be trying to get at you.”

“I won’t let him—”

“You told me that before,” he interrupts. "And then he came to your office today."

The words sting because they are true. “That wasn’t my fault.”

“I know it wasn't.” His voice softens slightly. “But it’s still happening.And I don’t know if I can be in a relationship where your ex-husband keeps inserting himself into our lives.”

“He won’t anymore.I made that very clear—”

“Did you?” Leo regards me with a weary gaze. “Because what you just told me is that he’s stepping up. First phone calls, then demanding meetings, now crashing at your office. What’s next, Lisa? What if he just shows up here?”

I wouldn’t have thought of that, and terror must be visible on my face.

“I’ve got to think,” Leo says, already heading back toward the stairs. “I’m glad you handled it today. I’m glad you told me. But I have to … I need some time.”

“Leo—”

“Please.” He turns back to me and I can tell how much this is hurting him. “I just need time.”

He vanishes upstairs, and the guest room door shuts.

I sink back down on the couch, my fleeting hope snuffed out.

I did the right thing today. I stood up to Andre, told him off, had him removed.

But even then, apparently, it just wasn’t enough.

Even from afar, Andre is still looking to ruin my life, still seeking to take what little I have. And I don’t know how to stop him.