"Good morning."

My friend's voice resonated in the kitchen, startling me out of my thoughts. I didn't expect to see her there at that hour. Our gazes met, and mine must have reflected embarrassment because she let out a mischievous laugh as she casually stirred the sugar in her coffee.

"Good... good morning. Weren't you sleeping out?" I asked, trying to appear normal as I approached to pour myself a cup of coffee.

"Since when do you drink coffee?" Vir asked me, bringing the sugar bowl closer to my seat as I sat down.

"Since the night I met Erik. What time did you get in?" I tried to change the subject, but her playful expression indicated she was determined to tease me.

"About half an hour ago," she clarified, taking a sip of her coffee. "His name is Álvaro, he's a pediatrician, and he's very attentive," she explained, summarizing her night.

I glanced at the clock on the kitchen wall; it was eight in the morning.

"And did you sleep enough to be here so early?" I asked with a smile.

"He had to go to work, he said he'd write to me later," she shrugged. "How was your night? Nice pajamas," she commented, observing my attire.

I looked down, remembering I was wearing one of Erik's T-shirts that were too big for me. At that moment, the doorbell rang, and Vir got up to see who it was, while I finally took a sip of my coffee. But the drink caught in my throat when I heard Oliver's voice.

"Where is she?" his voice echoed from the door.

"Oliver, out of my house," Vir responded firmly.

I sat frozen in my chair, clutching the coffee cup as if it were my only anchor in the midst of chaos. Oliver entered without giving me time to get up. He had a wound on his lip that my instinct told me was Erik's handiwork.

"Look at you, now you're back, huh? Where's your gorilla now? You have no shame," he spat his words at me.

"I recommend you leave if you don't want things to get worse for you," Vir insisted, entering behind him and placing herself between us.

I remained in place, frozen, unable to move.

"Lucía told me she saw you yesterday at the retreat. After everything you've done to me, you dare to come back to this city, you're pathetic," Oliver continued.

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"Oliver, if you don't leave, I'm going to call the police," Vir urged.

My eyes passed over Vir's shoulder and Oliver's figure. Erik's imposing and tattooed figure appeared at the door, with his hair completely wet and only wearing jeans, presumably the only thing he had time to put on after hearing my ex's voice.

I sprang from the chair to go to him, passing by Oliver whom I dodged when he tried to grab my arm. Oliver turned around, his face contorted upon seeing Erik stepping aside for me to hide behind him.

"Out," he said firmly.

If Lucía had seen me, but Oliver didn't know Erik was there, he could only have figured it out when I approached the ice cream stand alone. It didn't make sense that Lucía didn't tell him I was with someone, nor did it make sense for Oliver to come and harass me knowing he could get another punch.

"Now you're sheltering whores and savages in your house?" he asked Vir, wanting to direct his anger against her.

"I'll let into my house whoever the hell I want. GET OUT," she urged, pointing to the street.

"This won't end here, Andy, you'll pay for this," he pointed at me, and Erik took a step towards him with a stern look, making Oliver step back and leave amidst insults.

Once he was outside, Erik relaxed his features and looked at me with concern.

"I'm fine," I said immediately, even though I felt like all the blood in my body had frozen.

"You definitely need to report him, Andrea, that guy is crazy. You need a restraining order," Vir hugged me, and Erik's hand gently stroked my back, saying he was going to dry off and come back.

"Why won't he leave me alone?" I asked with some agony.

"Because he's sick and obsessed. But we're going to fix it, he won't come near you again," my friend assured me.

After Erik dried off and had a coffee, I still had that bitter feeling. Every time I started to feel better about myself and my life, Oliver's shadow returned to remind me that I was nothing, no one. That he controlled everything even when he wasn't present in my life.

"Are you ready to go?" Erik peeked into the room while I stared at the ground.

"Yes, I'm coming," I said, snapping out of the trance I was in and standing up.

"Everything will be fine, Vir and I are with you," he said, embracing me.

"I know."

We headed towards the police station where it was difficult for me to speak, and if it hadn't been for Vir, I didn't know if I would have been able to report him. Every question they asked reopened wounds inside me. When the threats had started, what evidence I had, if I had feared or feared for my life... the minutes became endless as I answered all the questions, and when I finally finished, I felt relieved, though scared.

Obviously, with a report of abuse with evidence and having shown that Oliver had tried to assault me in Pierowall, getting a restraining order would be easy. We had to talk to my lawyer to start criminal proceedings, and although I didn't have a lawyer, Vir assured me that her brother would take care of everything. I had known Alberto all my life, just like her, and I knew he could help me.

"It's done," Vir said when we left the office where we were.

Erik had patiently waited sitting outside, and as soon as he saw me, he approached, gently taking my face to check that I was okay. I smiled with sadness and discomfort, but it was done. The process to remove the tumor that Oliver meant in my life had finally begun.