After the Heartbreak

Chapter 2: Letting Go

I sat on the couch, the warmth of the tea cup cradled in my hands seeping into my skin, bringing a sense of calm. It had been a few months since I left Clifford. It was still strange to think about. For so long, I had clung to the idea that he was what I needed, that I couldn’t stand on my own without him. But now, sitting here in the quiet of my apartment, I realized just how wrong I’d been.

The door to the past had closed, and with it, the weight I didn’t even know I was carrying.

My phone buzzed again, pulling me from my thoughts. It was a message from my sister, and my stomach clenched as her words flashed on the screen.

“Guess who’s been asking about you?”

I sighed heavily, already knowing the answer before I even typed my reply.

"Please don’t say Clifford."

“Bingo. He’s been asking around, wanting to know how you’ve been.”

I stared at the message for a long moment, feeling a familiar knot form in my stomach. Clifford had always known how to weasel his way back into my thoughts, no matter how much I wanted to keep him out.

“The nerve of that guy,” I muttered, placing my tea cup on the coffee table a little too forcefully. “I’m so done with him.”

But as the silence settled around me again, I realized that I truly was done. For so long, I had been consumed by our toxic relationship—constantly trying to fix what couldn’t be fixed, trying to make something work that was never meant to. But now? I was free. I no longer cared about his opinion, his validation, or his attention. It was a feeling I hadn’t expected, but it was liberating.

I texted back quickly, determined to end the conversation before it dragged me into old feelings.

"Tell him I’m fine and that he should move on. I already have."

As I set the phone down, a soft ping indicated another message, but I ignored it. I had no desire to entertain Clifford or any remnants of the life I had left behind. For the first time in a long time, I felt... light. Free.

A notification popped up on my phone again, this time from Claire.

“How are you feeling about all this?” she asked, her concern evident even through the screen.

"I’m okay," I typed back honestly. "I’m more than okay, actually. It feels good to finally be done with that part of my life."

“Good! He never deserved you anyway.”

A soft chuckle escaped my lips. Claire had always been fiercely protective, and she never liked Clifford. She saw right through him when I was too blinded by my own insecurities to notice.

"I don’t think about him anymore," I added. "He’s in the past where he belongs."

“As he should be. You’re better off now. And hey, you’ve got that restaurant dream to focus on! Don’t let anything or anyone stop you.”

Claire’s words made me smile. She was right. Clifford was part of my past, but he wasn’t going to affect my future. I had new dreams, new goals. And none of them involved him.