Chapter 88

I managed to get a half-day from work this week. I’m having a lot of back pain today, and the last thing I want to do is be cranky at the office.

My new bosses are already impressed by my work ethic. Even with my personal life, I continue to turn in my work on time—sometimes, it’s even earlier.

I’m walking down the hallway to lead to my door, but someone’s already waiting for me.

Since when did my life become a revolving door of people hovering around the place where I live?

Sadie pushes off of my door. It’s been a few days since the incident with Derek, Bea, and Tris, so I’m not too surprised to see her. But I also have no desire to speak to her.

I move past Sadie and shove my key in the lock. “Not in the mood for your drama today, Sadie.”

I try to slam my door on her, but she’s quicker. She blocks it with her foot, narrowing her blue eyes. She pushes the door open, following me in.

“It’s not a discussion, honey.” With one arm swing, she slams my door. “We’re going to talk.”

“What could I possibly do for you? You’re obviously mad that Derek and I are now dating and that your daughters prefer me to you. You really believe there’s a conversation that can be had?”

Sadie smirks. “Oh, no, there’s no use in having any conversations.”

I throw my arms in the air, letting them sink back down to my sides. “Then what the fuck are you doing here?”

“You see, we’re going to settle this once and for all.”

“Settle what?”

“You being involved in Derek and my daughter’s lives. It’s not your choice to enter into my family when I haven’t given up on fighting.”

“Derek already said he doesn’t want anything to do with you as a wife again!” I snap. “We already had this argument! These conversations keep going the same way, and there’s nothing you’re going to say that’ll make things change for your sake!”

“I didn’t ask for your opinion!” She barks back. “No one asked you to be here! And if words aren’t going to get through your thick skull, then maybe you need to go another way.”

That’s when Sadie, to my utter surprise, swings her fist toward my face.

With the trauma I’ve experienced these past few months, my senses are on high alert. As quickly as the first punch is thrown, I jump out of the way.

“Fucking bitch!” I screech. I throw out my hand, connecting with her nose instantly.

“FUCK!” She cries, and I pull my hand back, shaking it out. Holy shit, is that what it feels like to punch someone?

Sadie, pushed to the edge, literally screams and rushes toward me. She grabs my shoulders and shoves me into the wall, the two of us bouncing against it. “I’m done playing nice!” She spits in my face.

I snap my arms away from their sides, grab her red hair as hard as I can, and pull her to my right, slamming her into the wall, too. “You chose the wrong woman to fight,” I spew with acid on my tongue. “I’ve been through more than you could possibly imagine.”

The bitch growls. “We’ll see about that.”

She grabs my blonde hair, wraps it around her hand, and yanks hard. I collapse to the floor, screaming at the sensation. Before she’s able to do another thing, I grab her leg and bring her down by my side with one tug on the jeans.

Sadie falls back, her ass and then her head connecting with the floor.

I move with precision, trying to protect my baby girl. I didn’t live through Ryan’s abuse just to be taken down by Derek’s ex.

The couch is the closest furniture, and I need to hoist myself up. Breathing heavily, I reach for the arm, hoping to get up before Sadie does so I can kick her teeth in.

“Not so fast!”

I hear Sadie before she connects her foot to my spine. How did she jump back up so fast? I thought she was still down.

I scream, the pain in my back growing exponentially.

“Stupid fucking slut!” Sadie comes up on my side, and my first instinct is to protect my stomach as I try to bring her down a notch.

My legs don’t go too high, but even with pulsating pain, I manage to kick Sadie in her stomach, making her keel over with the air taken out of her. She stumbles back several steps.

Reaching the couch, I finally manage to get myself to my feet, breathing heavily. My head and back are screaming, but I wipe away the moisture on my face. Sadie glares back at me, blood spattered on her face.

The other woman spits on the floor, blood mixed in.

“Who do you think you are?” She asks from deep in her throat.

“I told you. I’m the wrong woman you want to fuck with, Sadie. Get out of my apartment before I add a black eye to your bloody face.”

The bitch huffs a laugh. “You think you’re so brave? That you’re better than I am? Stronger? Derek and I were married for ten years. You’re just getting my sloppy seconds. You’ve had him for five minutes. Don’t you think I know exactly how to take him back?”

“He’s not an object! He’s human! You expect him to crawl on his hands and knees for you when you’ve beaten up his woman?” My body moves toward the counter, limping from the pain but refusing to give up so easily.

But Sadie isn’t distracted by my words. She comes at me fast.

Knowing I have no time, I grab the first item I can reach—a vase of flowers from Derek.

The glass collides with her head, water and flowers spilling all over her. She freezes in her tracks, gasping at the action.

I don’t move for a moment, either. I want to figure out her next move.

Am I able to reach my phone to call for help? What about taking Sadie down before she can garner the upper hand?

“You need to face facts,” I struggle to state to her. She takes in deep breaths as she stares at me with pure hatred. “You can’t come in my home trying to take me down. There’s no reason to keep fighting me. Just leave while you have the chance, and no one has to end up hurt.”

Sadie wipes the water and greens from her face and hair. “You think…just because you’re pregnant…I’ll listen to you?” Her words are sporadic. Man, how hard did that glass hit her head? “You are clearly…the dumbest bitch…I’ve ever met.”

Sadie cracks her neck, presumably to push it back into place.

“I…always…get what I want.”

Her teeth are barred, and she charges right at me, screaming.

I try to move and avoid her, but the back pain spikes all the way up my spine, forcing me to stand still while Sadie collides with me. We go flying back, and my body fully connects with the wall.