He Locked Me Out Now He’s Begging Me Back Chapter 64
*Welcome Home, Claire.*
The first time I saw those words, Daniel cut the cake and gave it to Noah.
No one asked who it belonged to.
This time, I took out one plate and one fork and cut the first slice.
The city lights glowed outside the window.
My books sat on the shelves in my office. My clothes hung in the closet in my bedroom. The living room wasn’t making space in advance for anyone, and the second bedroom wasn’t waiting for some future person who might one day arrive.
The doorbell rang once.
Marisol stood outside, holding a bottle of wine.
“I knew you’d celebrate in secret.”
I smiled and opened the lock app, generating a visitor code that would work for tonight only.
She entered the numbers, and the door unlocked.
“Only tonight?” she asked, teasing.
“If you want to come tomorrow, you’ll have to apply again.”
“Harsh.”
She walked in, set the wine on the table, and spotted the cake.
“So you finally decided to save the first slice for yourself?”
“Yeah.”
I shut the door.
On the screen, my name was still at the top.
Claire Morgan.
Owner.
Underneath it was one more line:
*Marisol—Guest, access valid until 11:59 p.m. tonight.*
No one was being disrespected for being a guest.
And no one got to treat one welcome as ownership.
I handed the second slice of cake to Marisol and tapped the lock screen closed.
Warm light spread across the table.
Outside, there was no countdown waiting to push me out.
Inside, there was no one left to decide my place for me.
This time, I was the one who opened the door.
And I was the one who chose to stay.
The End