Joanne's POV

I kept telling myself, "Joanne, it's really over this time. You and Derek? Done for good."

To help me move on, Angela threw me a second birthday celebration—one that finally felt like it was truly mine. She booked the largest private room she could find and invited only our people, the ones who actually mattered—the ones who belonged to me, not to him.

The room pulsed with warmth, loud laughter, and a kind of genuine energy I hadn’t felt in a long time.

Everyone was smiling.

Every 'Happy Birthday' came with real emotion and not forced politeness.

For once, it didn't feel performative. It felt right.

We lit the candles.

People took pictures, and some of them turned out to be some of the best photos I've ever had. I chose one of my favorites and posted it on my Instagram feed with a simple caption:

[Life is a long road. I'm learning to look forward.]

Barely a second later, another post popped up.

[Some people are just overly dramatic. Keep that up, and you'll end up with nothing.]

It was from Melody.

Of course, she posted a selfie too.

In the corner of that photo, just barely within the frame, was Derek's silhouette. Apparently, they were still inseparable, still holding on to each other like some twisted version of Romeo and Juliet.

It wasn't until Melody sent me a video on WhatsApp.

In it, someone off-camera joked around, "If both Melody and your girlfriend fell into the water, who would you save?"

And then came Derek's voice, laid-back and casual like it was no big deal. "My girlfriend knows how to swim."

Another voice jumped in right away and asked, "So that means you'd save Melody, huh?"

"Of course," someone laughed. "Melody's always been your number one. Everyone remembers how hard you chased after her back then. Even your names sound like a perfect match. Honestly, Joanne's the one who doesn't fit. She's the third wheel."

And just as expected, Melody chimed in with her usual faux humility, "Okay, okay! Joanne is the official girlfriend. If she hears you joking like this, she's gonna get upset again!"

Then the video ended.

Immediately after, Melody sent a string of emojis.

Then a message:

[Oh my god! I'm so sorry, Joanne, I sent that by mistake. Please don't take it seriously. They were just being silly! Please don't be mad at Derek... or I'll feel really awful.]I watched her carefully crafted act, all fake concern and performative guilt, and in that moment, something clicked.

I wasn't nearly as angry or panicked as I once would have been.

Maybe I really was starting to move on. The cycle of doubt, jealousy, and emotional whiplash had finally come to an end.

Then, another message appeared:

[Joanne, when are you coming back? Derek won't say it, but I know he misses you.]

That was all I needed.

I took screenshots of the whole conversation, her messages, the video, everything, and sent it directly to Derek with just one sentence:

[Control your woman.]

After that, I put my phone away and didn't bother checking WhatsApp again. I just kept singing with my best friend, Angela.

By the end of the night, we were holding each other, crying our hearts out, then laughing until our stomachs hurt.

Everyone said the same thing: "Life moves forward when you decide to take the first step."

Later on, I went on a little getaway with my best friend.

Just as we landed and prepared to go home, a message from Derek appeared:

[Where are the disposable underwear?]

I didn't think much of it and assumed he might have left something behind. I told Angela to wait downstairs in the parking lot while I ran upstairs. I truly believed I'd never see Derek again. We had been broken up for a while, and I bought that apartment with my own money. Even though we had lived there together, once we broke up, he should have moved out. I was completely sure he was gone.

So when I opened the door and saw Melody walking out of the bathroom, I froze..

She blinked, clearly just as stunned. "Joanne…"

Melody was wearing my bathrobe. On her feet were my cotton slippers. Even the towel wrapped around her damp hair was mine. Water droplets slid down her chin, tracing slowly along her collarbone.

And right then, Derek's text finally made sense.

My mind exploded.

I stormed straight into the bedroom and caught Derek rifling through my closet.

A surge of fury boiled up and burst out of me.

I charged straight at him and demanded, "Derek, what the hell are you doing in my apartment?!"

Joanne's POV

"What gives you the right to touch my things without asking?" My voice came out sharp and firm.

I wasn't yelling, but the anger behind my words was loud enough.

Melody, who had followed me into the room like a timid little shadow, immediately went wide-eyed.

Her voice trembled as she tried to explain, sounding soft and pitiful from behind me.

"I… I suddenly got my period, and it stained my clothes, so Derek let me take a shower here."

She then cast Derek a helpless glance, as if she hoped he would rescue her.

Melody turned back to me and added, "He said you always keep disposable underwear in the cabinet, and since you didn't respond to his message, he just…"

I cut her off, narrowing my eyes.

"He just what?"

I let out a quick, incredulous laugh.

My anger simmered beneath the surface as I stared directly at Derek.

"So you brought some other woman into my home without asking, let her use my things without permission, and then had the audacity to go through my closet and pick something out for her? Like you had any right to do that?"

"Derek," I snapped, "that's theft. Plain and simple."

My whole body shook with fury. I stared directly at him, refusing to let even a flicker of guilt slip past.

And the moment I said 'theft,' something broke inside him.

Derek snapped. He bared his teeth, all venom and violence, like a caged dog ready to bite.

"What the hell are you even saying? Joanne, do you have to be so damn extreme all the time? How the hell did I 'steal' anything?! You didn't answer my message! And you're always like this, acting like you're better than everyone, looking down on me!"

Derek stepped toward me, fists clenched at his sides, raising his voice.

"You're the one with a million issues, but you think you get to nitpick everything I do? Take a look in the mirror! You're paranoid. Always accusing me of crap, always making me look like the bad guy in front of people. And if it weren't for Melody being the patient one, always telling me to be gentle with you, do you think anyone else would put up with your attitude?"

And there it was...

All the resentment Derek had been holding inside finally spilled out like trash at my feet.

He turned himself into the victim again.

He's the one cheating, sneaking around, bringing another woman into my space, and somehow I'm the problem?

I couldn't believe it.

But instead of crying, I couldn't stop laughing directly in his face.

And then, with every ounce of calm I had left, I met his glare and said, "Derek, I want you and your precious Melody out of my home. Right now."

There was no sugarcoating it. No 'maybe later' or 'let's talk this out.'

I was done.

Derek’s face twitched, his expression darkening like a storm about to break. His jaw was clenched so tightly I could almost hear it. He looked like he was seconds away from losing control.

Right then, Melody stepped in, just like she always did.

She played the peacemaker, slipping into her usual role—the innocent, fragile victim.

"Joanne, please don't be mad at Derek," she pleaded, her voice shaky with fake concern.

"These past few weeks, ever since you two started fighting, he's been so depressed."

Her tone made me want to gag, but she wasn't finished. "I've seen how hard it's been on him. Please don't keep hurting each other. Wouldn't it be better to get back together?"

And the whole time she's saying this, she's still wrapped in my bathrobe, her cleavage barely covered, the scent of my body wash clinging to her skin.

God, the sight made me dizzy.

I turned back to Derek, but he was already buying into her act again. That smug, detached look had returned, like he actually believed he was the one in control.

Then Derek opened his mouth and said condescendingly, "If it weren't for Melody, I swear, I would've stopped putting up with you a long time ago. You've got so many issues, Joanne. Maybe you should take a few notes from her. Learn what it means to be a real woman."

Derek waved dismissively.

Right on cue, Melody let out a tear-streaked laugh. "Joanne, come on. We're family, aren't we?"

She then reached out to take my arm as if we were sharing a sisterly moment.

But the second her hand touched mine, I jerked away like she burned me and snapped, "Family? With you?!"

I faced Derek directly, steady and unwavering, and pointed firmly toward the door.

"Take your woman and get out of my apartment."