I hung up and felt pretty good about it. By 6:00 p.m., Victoria was gone. The guest room was cleared out. She'd left a note on the kitchen counter: "You're cruel. I hope you're happy ruining my life." I threw it away.
Thursday, I got a call from Nicole again. "Chase, Victoria is staying with me. She's devastated." I said, "Okay." Nicole snapped, "Okay? That's all you have to say?"
"What do you want me to say, Nicole? She made her choices." Nicole said, "She said you're reporting Derek to HR. Is that true?" I said, "Yep."
"That's vindictive." I said, "That's consequences. He helped destroy my relationship. Now he can face some professional consequences." She said, "You're going to ruin his career."
"He should have thought about that before getting cozy with my girlfriend." Nicole said, "This isn't you, Chase. You're not this cruel." I answered, "Apparently I am. Anything else?" She hung up.
Friday afternoon, I got a text from a number I didn't recognize. It was Derek. "I got suspended pending investigation. You cost me my job."
"Hope you're proud." I replied, "You cost me my relationship. Seems fair."
Saturday morning, Victoria showed up with Nicole and their mother, Patricia. I opened the door, and Patricia started immediately. "Young man, what you've done to my daughter is appalling." I said, "Hello to you too, Patricia."
"She made a mistake. Everyone deserves forgiveness." I said, "Maybe. Doesn't mean I have to be the one to give it." Patricia said, "You reported Derek to his company. You've sabotaged her career."
"I reported a policy violation. What his company does with that information is on them." Victoria stepped forward. "Chase, Derek got fired."
"He's threatening to sue you." I asked, "For what? Telling the truth?"
"You're destroying lives." I said, "Nah. You two did it yourselves. I just stopped pretending it was okay."
Nicole jumped in. "You kept her stuff. She needs her things."
"What stuff?" Nicole said, "Her grandmother's necklace. Her photo albums." I replied, "If she left anything, she can text me a list. I'll box it up and she can pick it up. But I'm not having this conversation on my doorstep."
Patricia got in my face. "You will give my daughter her belongings, and you will apologize, and you will make this right." I looked at her, then at Victoria. "Victoria, get your mother off my property before I call the cops."
"You wouldn't dare," Patricia hissed. I pulled out my phone. "Test me." Nicole grabbed her mother's arm. "Mom, come on. This isn't helping."
They left, but not before Victoria turned around. "I loved you." I said, "Past tense. Noted."
Final update. Three weeks later, Derek got fired. Victoria got transferred to a different team to avoid workplace conflicts. She's apparently miserable.
According to mutual friends who still talk to me, Nicole called last week and told me Derek's girlfriend found out about Victoria. "He has a girlfriend?" I asked. Nicole said, "Yeah. They've been together for like six months. She dumped him publicly on Facebook and tagged Victoria in it."
I laughed. "So he was cheating on his girlfriend with Victoria while Victoria was cheating on me with him?" Nicole said, "Looks like it." I said, "That's beautiful."
"Chase, you sound bitter." I said, "I'm not bitter. I'm satisfied. Derek and Victoria deserved each other, and now they've got exactly what they earned."
Nicole said, "Victoria thought you were going to propose." That one stung a little. I said, "I was, before Derek showed up." Nicole said, "She feels awful about that."
"Cool. Tell her I said thanks for saving me 50 grand on a ring and a wedding." Tuesday, I got a certified letter from Victoria's lawyer. She was demanding $15,000 for cohabitation contributions and emotional distress. My lawyer laughed when I showed him.
"She has no case. You're not married. No common law in this state. She was living there voluntarily, rent-free."
"Tell her to pound sand." So I did, or more accurately, my lawyer sent a formal response saying Victoria's claim was without merit and that any further harassment would result in appropriate legal action. I haven't heard anything since.
I ran into one of Victoria's coworkers at the grocery store yesterday. She recognized me from a holiday party. "Hey, you're Chase, right? Victoria's ex?" I said, "Yeah."
She said, "Just want you to know we all knew something was up with her and Derek. They were super obvious. Not your fault." I told her I appreciated that.
She added, "Also, Derek was a creep. Hit on like three different women in the office. Good riddance."
That made me feel better, honestly. As for me, I'm doing okay. Not great, not terrible. The condo feels empty sometimes.
I miss having someone around, but I don't miss the gaslighting. I don't miss the 2:00 a.m. anxiety. I don't miss feeling crazy for noticing obvious red flags. My buddy Connor has been crashing with me some weekends. We watch football, drink beer, and don't talk about feelings. It's nice.
Mom called last week after she heard what happened with Victoria. "You okay?" she asked. I said, "Getting there." She told me, "Good. She wasn't right for you anyway. Too flighty."
"You never liked her." Mom said, "I liked her fine until she started making you feel crazy. That's when I knew." I got back on dating apps, but I'm not actively swiping. Just seeing what's out there. No rush.
I changed my locks last week. New deadbolt, new handles. Cost me $180. Worth it for the peace of mind.
Victoria left some stuff in the hall closet, winter coats and a box of books. I texted her a list and told her to pick them up by the end of the month or I'm donating them. She said she'll send Nicole. Fine by me. I don't need to see her face again.
Looking back, I should have seen it earlier. The way she started dressing nicer for work, the sudden interest in craft cocktails that Derek apparently introduced her to, the way she'd laugh at her phone and quickly put it away when I walked into the room. But hindsight's a hell of a drug.
What I learned is to trust my gut. When someone makes you feel crazy for noticing the obvious, that's manipulation. When someone chooses someone else over addressing your relationship, that's already the end. You just don't know it yet.
Moving her stuff to the guest room wasn't revenge. It was self-preservation. Everything after that was just logical consequences playing out. Derek lost his job. Victoria lost me and her work reputation.
They both lost whatever they thought they had with each other. I lost four years and some sleep, but I kept my dignity in my house. Fair trade.
Victoria texted last night from Nicole's phone because I'd blocked her number. "I'm sorry. I messed up. Derek meant nothing."
"Can we talk?" I replied, "No." That's the last word she's getting from me. Turning off notifications now.