Chapter 9 MadmanĀ
One day, it all came to a head. After weeks of this harassment, Paul reached his breaking point. I guess he finally realized his flowers and pleas werenāt going to work, so he resorted to something moreĀ
drastic.Ā
I was at home, sipping tea in my living room, when I got a call from the apartment buildingās concierge.Ā
āMiss Sinclair, we have a situation downstairs,ā the person on the other end said, her voice tense. āItās about⦠a man named Paul. Heās lying in front of the entrance, refusing to move unless you agree to come down and speak to him.āĀ
I closed my eyes, my patience gone. He was truly desperate now, pulling this stunt in broad daylight. āCanāt you just tell him to leave?āĀ
āWeāve tried, but he wonāt budge.Ā
10546 12:33Ā
1/8Ā
Chapter 9 MadmanĀ
Weāve called the police.āĀ
āI donāt wanna meet him. Please just take him to the police.āĀ
That was when the gravity of the situation hit me. Paul wasnāt just annoying anymoreāhe was dangerous. He was spiraling, and his inability to let go had become a fullāblown public spectacle. My heart hardened. There would be no pity, no second thoughts.Ā
Minutes later, the police arrived, and from my window, I watched as they approached. him. Paul was lying on the ground, arms. crossed over his chest, as if staging some. kind of protest.Ā
The police talked to him, but he didnāt move. After a tense exchange, they eventually forced him to get up, and he wasĀ
escorted off.Ā
Even as he disappeared down the street, I felt no reliefāonly exhaustion. His desperate antics, his attempts to guilt meĀ
95% 12:33Ā
2/8Ā
Chapter 9 MadmanĀ
into coming backāit all boiled down to his inability to accept the consequences of his actions. He had destroyed everything we had, and now he was destroying whatever was left of his dignity.Ā
That night, I called Andrew. āWe need to ramp up security around the office and my apartment. Paulās losing it.āĀ
Andrewās voice was steady on the other end of the line. āAlready done. He wonāt get near you again.āĀ
The next day, my mind was all over the place. I couldnāt focus on work, no matter how hard I tried. Andrew noticed my unease almost immediately.Ā
āRuby, you seem off. Whatās going on?ā he asked, his brow furrowed with concern.Ā
I sighed, finally giving in to the storm of thoughts I had been pushing aside. āItās Paul. As much as I hate what heās beenĀ
doing stalking me and making a sceneāI doingāstalkingĀ
canāt help but feel concerned about him.Ā
1546 12 33Ā
3/8Ā
Chapter 9 MadmanĀ
Heās really losing it.āĀ
Andrew leaned back in his chair, thinking for a moment before offering a solution.Ā
āMaybe we should go to the police station and talk to him. If it helps, we can even consider filing for a restraining order. At least that way youā ll feel safer, and heā 11 know youā re serious.āĀ
I hesitated, unsure if I was ready to face Paul again. The idea of confronting him, of possibly escalating things with aĀ
restraining order, made me uneasy. But Andrewās calm and protective presence gave me some confidence.Ā
āOkay,ā I finally agreed. āLetās go. Maybe itāll finally put an end to this.Ā
We arrived at the police station later that afternoon. I wasnā t here for a casual visit.Ā
I was here because Paul had become aĀ
genuine threat to my peace of mind, and I had to do something about it.Ā
The moment he saw me, his entireĀ
05 12:33Ā
4/8Ā
Chapter 9 MadmanĀ
demeanor changed. His face lit up with a wild sort of hope, and in an instant, he dropped to his knees in front of me. The police officers and Andrew watched cautiously, ready to step in if necessary.Ā
āRuby, please!ā Paul cried out, his voice cracking with desperation. āIā m begging you. Please save me! Iāll do anything. Anything!āĀ
I stared down at him, feeling a mix of emotionsāpity, anger, and a deep exhaustion. This was not the Paul I once knew. I wanted to feel sorry for him, but the months of stalking, manipulation, and refusal to let me live my life flashed through my mind.Ā
āPaul,ā I said firmly, but gently, āyou need to calm down. We canāt talk ifĀ
youā re too emotional like this.āĀ
He continued sobbing for a few moments, but eventually, after several deep breaths, he composed himself enough to speak. coherently. His eyes never left mine,Ā
95%% 12:33Ā
5/8Ā
Chapter 9 MadmanĀ
searching for any sign of the compassion I used to show him. But that part of me was long gone.Ā
Once he was calm, I laid out my conditions. āPaul, this has to stop. You canāt keep showing up at my office, my apartment, or following me around. You need to go back to Casouthāback to our home country. If you donā t, I will file a restraining order and have you deported. Do you understand?āĀ
His face twisted with shock and fear at my words, but I didnāt back down. I had to be firm. This was my chance to end things once and for all.Ā
āIāll give you enough money to pay off what you borrowed to get here,ā I continued. āAnd Iāll give you enough to live on for a few months once youā re back in Casouth. But you need to leave tomorrow. No more stalking, no more showing up unannounced.āĀ
Paulās eyes widened, a mix of disbeliefĀ
95% 12.33Ā
6/8Ā
Chapter 9 MadmanĀ
and reluctant acceptance washing over him. āYouā Il really do that? Youā 11 help me get out of this mess?āĀ
āYes,ā I said. āBut only if you leave. I need you to sign a paper, witnessed by the police, confirming that you agree to these terms. Once youā re back there, Iāll transfer the money. But it wonāt happen. until I know youā ve left.āĀ
I turned to the police officers, who quickly arranged for the paperwork to be drawn up. Paul, still visibly shaken but seeing no other option, agreed to sign the document.Ā
I watched as his trembling hand scrawled his name on the paper, knowing this was the closest I would ever come to getting true closure.Ā
Andrew stood by my side the whole time, a steady and reassuring presence. He didnāt say much, but I could tell he was ready to step in if Paul tried anything crazy. Thankfully, Paul stayed compliant, though he still looked at me with a sense ofĀ
95 12:33Ā
7/8Ā
Chapter 9 MadmanĀ
longing that I no longer reciprocated.Ā
After everything was signed and witnessed, I pulled out my phone and booked Paul a plane ticket for the next day. It was a one- way flight back to Casouth, scheduled for the morning. He had no more excuses.Ā
Andrew glanced over at me as we walked to his car. āYou okay?āĀ
I nodded, feeling a weight lift off my shoulders. āYeah. I think I will be.ā