Her Ex-husband

Introduction

Joy couldn't remember the last time she felt a pair of eyes watching her, watching her every move. She had felt a slight tingle running down her spine, her nerves were haywire. She hasn't felt this paranoid since……since him……since her life with him.

Joy's thoughts were occupied with him to the point she didn't hear her daughter speaking to her, more like making noises at her. She snapped out of her trance when she felt her tiny hand touch hers.

"What is it, baby?" She tilts her head at her daughter.

Her daughter pointed at the plate in front of her that had a slice of chocolate cake that hadn't been touched. The little girl pounded her fists against the table and pointed again at the untouched slice of cake. Joy pushed the cake towards her but kept it away from her reach.

“Don’t give me that face. You’ll make a mess if I allow you to feed yourself,” Joy says as her daughter pouts and whines reaching for the cake in front of her, tears forming in her eyes. Joy broke off a little piece and fed it to her. Her chubby face lit up with glee, eyes filled with delight, humming a cheerful tune.

Joy continued to feed her, a shadow casted over the girls. Joy gasped and peered up while her daughter did the opposite, beamed up at the stranger.

“Hey baby.”

Joy scowled at the man as he kissed her temple before taking a seat across from her.

“What did I tell you about sneaking up on me,” She chastised.

“Sorry baby, I forgot,” he replies, his eyes burned into hers with nothing but innocence and love, something that Joy hadn’t seen in a long time. She sighs, “How was the auction?”

He didn’t reply because his attention was stuck on the baby sitting beside her with chocolate covering her chubby cheeks. He chuckled before grabbing a napkin and cleaning her cheeks with gentle dabs.

“Alec,” She called out.

“Hm?” “I asked how the auction was.” Alec straightened up, a frown present on his face and eyes darted away from her, dodging his eyes but she didn’t need him to say a word for her to put everything together, it wasn’t a good day for him. “No takers today, huh?” Alec nods.

“But I swear that I’ll sell and I'll take care of you, both of you,” Alec vows with confidence.

Joy glances away from the man in front of her, doubt and second thoughts filled her mind; Alec noticed her shift and placed a hand over hers. Joy peered up at him with sad eyes. “Just trust me.” Joy opened her mouth but it closed, her words were caught in her throat, hesitant but she ultimately nodded. A smile appeared on his lips as he gave her one last squeeze before leaning back in his chair, his eyes now trailing back to the baby.

Somehow just somehow, she managed to bring the slice of cake closer and smashed her hands in the cake and stuffing her face. "Milana, how the hell-" Joy grabbed a napkin, wetted the end and proceeded to clean the chocolate off the baby's face. Milana burst into laughter as her mother scolded her and cleaned her off.

Alec chuckled too, "How did she get it?" Joy shrugged in response, huffing: "She's a crafty lil girl."

The feeling of someone watching her had disappeared when Alec had "announced" himself but it had come back, very serious and cold eyes watching her, every single move. This time she knew for sure someone was observing her movement as if to see if it was threatening or it was normal and calm.

Joy looked around her surroundings, scanning it like a hawk scanning for its prey, her eyes squinted. Alec peered over his shoulder a few times then gazed back at her, tilting his head to the side. "What's up?" Joy ignored him at first continuing her scan before answering him, "It feels like someone's watching us."

Alec peered around, "Of course someone's watching us, I mean who wouldn't stare at the most beautiful woman in the world." A brave smile appeared on his face as his eyes bore into hers as a sheepish grin appeared on her face.

"S…shut up," she scolded lightly. Alec only chuckles at her embarrassment. Joy checked her phone for the time before standing. "We should go, I have to get up early in the morning for my shift," says Joy, picking up her daughter and holding her close; Alec nodded and grabbed the baby bag from Joy's arm before placing a hand on her lower back as they walked.

Though Alec brushed it off, Joy couldn't help but feel those same eyes watching them as they left. Eyes colder than a snow storm and harder than stone. Subconsciously, her legs sped up slightly without her even realizing it until Alec pointed out her behavior, he had never seen her like this before: worried, scared, anxious, damn well call it paranoid.

Joy was usually calm, collected, even cool and barely showed her emotions but sure as hell voiced them.

Alec leaned over in her ear and whispered, "As long as I'm here nothing will hurt you." Joy peered up at him, worried. Her heartbeat was racing fast.

"Don't make promises that you can't keep," she advised as she opened the door to her apartment building.

Alec followed Joy all the way up to her apartment and stood at the entrance as she entered. Joy placed Milana in her play pen in the living room before walking back over to Alec; eyes filled with concern, "Are you sure you're gonna be alright? You started to get kinda edgy on me."

Joy brushed off his concern, "Yeah, I just thought someone was watching me but I guess I was just imagining things." Her words didn't help his worries in the slightest but he refused to pry.

"Baby, if there's anything bothering you," He took her hands in his and caressed them, "you can always talk to me, you know that, right?"

A faint smile appeared on Joy's lips as she stood on her tiptoes to kiss his lips. "Yes." Alec kissed her knuckles before the pair said their goodbyes.

Alec stuffed his hands in his pockets as he left. Joy closed the door softly, leaning her forehead against it and closing her eyes, sighing quietly. Joy perked up at the sound of Milana babbling and gurgling. She scooped her little girl in her arms and cradled her close to her chest.

Milana gripped her mother's cheeks as Joy rubbed her nose against her small button of a nose.

"It's just you and I, kid. Just you and I," she says, walking away.