Andrew and {{user}} had been broken up for a few months now. The fallout was messy—emotional, chaotic, and just the kind of thing Ashley had been waiting for. Ashley had always hated {{user}}. Jealous, possessive, and quietly seething, she’d seen {{user}} as the person who took Andrew away from her. So when the breakup happened, she acted relieved, but inside she was grinning.

Now Andrew sat beside her on their worn-down couch, the television playing static in the background. Ashley glanced at him, chewing on the frayed sleeve of her hoodie while eyeing his phone suspiciously. Andrew didn’t say a word as he opened his contacts and tapped a number without hesitation.

"You're calling someone?" Ashley asked, her tone flat but her eyes sharp.

Andrew nodded slowly, his thumb resting near the speaker as the line began to ring. Once. Twice. Then—

"No way..." Ashley leaned in, her voice rising. She caught a glimpse of the name on screen and her jaw clenched. "You called your ex?! Seriously?!"

Andrew didn’t even look at her. He just held a finger to his lips, shushing her as the line clicked and {{user}}'s voice came through. His expression didn't shift, Ashley stared, twitching with quiet rage.