World Delivered to my Psycho Ex - Chapter 4

Rhodes visits his parents with Angie.

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Mr. and Mrs. Davis were strong-willed individuals who only desired the best for their son, Rhodes. They beamed with pride when he earned admission to Princeton University based on his exceptional performance throughout high school.

With a 4.0 GPA, making him end up in the top 5% of his class, a score of 1566 on the SAT test, and several strong recommendations from teachers who did nothing less than to praise Rhodes's academic prowess, the admissions committee could do nothing else than to allow him in.

Rhodes met or exceeded all expectations during the first couple of years. He excelled in his studies and brought pride to those who believed in him, especially his parents. Everything changed when Angie McCain entered his life; she was Rhodes's first love. She was a stunning young woman with a future as bright as her beauty, as she was on track to becoming a successful model with her flawless complexion and otherworldly features.

Rhodes's strict parents saw Angie's reputation as a flirt and frequent bar visits as a negative influence. Despite this, Angie's carefree lifestyle didn't stop Rhodes from completing his studies and landing a well-paying job at a promising company with growth opportunities.

Rhodes's relationship with his parents suffered as they made it clear that they would rather see Angie leave than come, leaving him torn between them and his girlfriend.

Angie crossed a line when she threw a tantrum last year in the middle of a crowded restaurant during a Christmas celebration with Rhodes's family when Rhodes gaped a little too long at a young waitress's butt.

Rhodes started to second-guess his relationship with Angie. His parents took this opportunity to whisper in Rhodes's ear that it was better to leave this girl and find someone more worthy. A few months later, and fat up with Angie's frolics – which only worsened by the day – Rhodes made the hard decision and ended his relationship with Angie.

His parents could not have been happier.

As they opened the front door after hearing the bell, the smile on their faces vanished like a scurrying rabbit spotting a prowling tiger when they saw Angie standing next to their beloved son with a beaming smile on her pretty face.

"Good evening, Mr and Mrs Davis, it's so good to see you again!" Angie stepped forward, greeting them with a warm smile and a tight hug.

While uncomfortably entangled in Angie's embrace, Mr Davis looked at his son and mouthed, "What the hell is going on?".

Rhodes simply shrugged as he embraced his mother.

With a sense of contentment, Angie walked into the house as if she owned it. Mrs Davis mustered a smile out of forced decency as she took the coat dangling on Angie's finger to hang it on the rack.

Angie's heels clicked against the floor as she took in her surroundings.

It had been months since she had last set foot in this house, so she immediately noticed a few changes.

As she entered the dining room, she noticed that the dark oak table where she had sat so often was freshly polished and was enriched with six brand-new chairs surrounding it.

On the wall across from it, a stunning image of a tropical sunset by the sea caught her eye. A sight that wasn't here before. It brought to mind a serene and idyllic landscape.

"Lovely photo wallpaper, Mrs Davis." Angie smiled. "It reminds me of the one I put up in my bedroom. Did we happen to purchase it from the same online store?"

Mrs. Davis was never one to beat around the bush and always wore her emotions on her sleeve. She couldn't hold back any longer, blurting out her question with her hands on her hips.

"Why is Angie here, Rhodes? Are you two back together?" The tone of her voice revealed her true feelings about the situation.

"We are," Angie said, while at the same time Rhodes said, "We're not."

Angie turned to Rhodes with a smile and then back to Ms. Davis. "We're taking things slowly, right, Rhodes?" She glanced at him for confirmation, and he nodded in agreement.

Mrs Davis's eyes narrowed, sensing something was not right in this situation.

Mr. Davis walked over to his wife and shared a knowing look with her. "We're rather taken aback by this, son."

"Well, you know…" Rhodes said, scratching his head. He was grateful when his Dad began coughing uncontrollably, interrupting the conversation.

Angie's face showed concern as she approached Mr. Davis. "Oh dear, are you okay?" She places a hand on his back.

"He's doing fine," Mrs. Davis said, ushering her husband away from Angie's side. "It's just his COPD acting up again. It's been getting worse these past few months."

"Have you gone to the doctor like we told you to?" Rhodes asked, giving his father a stern look.

"Pill pushers, all of them!" Mr Davis growled between coughs.

Angie leaned towards Rhodes and whispered in his ear, "I can cure him if you want. Just say the word." She winked.

Rhodes was torn between accepting the tempting offer and his reluctance to be indebted to Angie, seeing how much his father was suffering.

Instead, he simply smiled at her and motioned for her to take a seat at the dining table.

They both enjoyed the meal that Mrs. Davis had prepared for them.

A meal Mrs. Davis thought she would be cooking for a new hot flame of Rhodes instead of an old one they had hoped never to see again.

Sitting on the passenger's seat, Angie took a deep sigh when Rhodes stopped his car – a newly bought car, for his old car was still shrunken and standing on a shelf in Angie's home – in front of her house.

Angie shifted her gaze to Rhodes. "Your parents really hate me, don't they? They always have."

"They don't hate. It's just... they need time to adjust, is all." Rhodes said. "Just like I do," he mumbled these last words.

"I can sympathize with that," Angie said.

"I had a wonderful evening, though. Thank you." Angie smiled at him and laid a hand on his.

"It was my pleasure," he replied with a smile. A palpable silence hung between them, and it seemed like Angie was expecting something from him.

"Are you sure you don't want to come inside?" Angie asked, reaching for her purse and resting her hand on the car door handle.

Rhodes shook his head. "I'm sorry. I have a crucial meeting tomorrow that could potentially lead to a promotion. I need to be on my A-game."

"A promotion, huh? I will be rooting for you then." Angie smiled, briefly placing her hand on his leg before pulling away.

By 'rooting for him,' Rhodes assumed that Angie probably meant 'using her powers to aid him in landing that promotion.' He hoped that wasn't the case. But if it were, he would have to accept, because it would happen anyway.

Rhodes mustered a smile in response. "Thank you,"

"Well, I'll be on my way now." Angie gracefully exited the car.

Rhodes couldn't help but stare openly at Angie's alluring tush, tantalizingly hugged by leather pants as she wriggled out of the car.

Angie leaned over. "Nice ride, by the way," she said, her eyes lingering on the car.

"Thanks," Rhodes replied with a grin.

"A Subaru Legacy, huh? Didn't peg you for a Japanese car guy."

"Well, sometimes a man has to step out of his comfort zone," he joked.

"It's definitely sleek," Angie remarked, running her hand over its smooth metallic surface. "Almost makes me want to add it to my collection." She gave a mischievous smile while holding her palm up.

"In that case, I'll have to start taking the subway to work from then on because I won't have enough money left for another car." Rhodes joked.

"Not if you score that promotion," Angie winked.

"Not if I score that promotion." Rhodes echoed.

Angie gave a final smile. "Goodnight, hotshot."

"Goodnight, Angie." He replied.

Angie slammed the door close.

Rhodes watched as she walked towards her porch, still struggling to comprehend that his ex-girlfriend, a regular young woman named Angie McCain who had found success as a model, was now the most powerful person alive on the planet and possibly beyond.

At least if it was true that she possessed omnipotence, as she claimed.

Rhodes couldn't help but question if it was all just a bluff. It was undeniable that Angie had powers as she had demonstrated them to him right then and there. But Rhodes couldn't shake the thought of whether her abilities were truly limitless as she asserted. He didn't dare to put it to the test, though.

If Angie indeed held the immense power she boasted of, the world was in great danger.

The thought of one person, a mere girl, holding so much power over the world was unsettling and unfair. The destiny of all lay in the palm of Angie's hand.

Angie had the power to shape the entire planet and its inhabitants according to her desires, with no one able to resist her if she wanted to.

The implications of such abilities were frightful.

She could obliterate cities on the opposite side of the world during breakfast or command governments to pledge allegiance to her while chatting on the phone with a friend.

Rhodes felt a lump form in his throat as a vivid image flashed through his mind: Angie sitting on a throne, laughing arrogantly while world leaders bowed before her.

In the background, half of the world was engulfed in flames while the cities of the other half were reduced to coin-sized objects and placed on a shelf under her control.

Rhodes couldn't help but think about his Dad and how he had been coughing all evening. Even at dinner, the coughing fits persisted. Angie shot him a look that conveyed more than words ever could. He remembered her offer to cure him, and though he had no doubt she could, he pushed the thought away for now. It was time to get some rest and prepare for his presentation tomorrow. His mind needed to be clear and focused for the big day.

The following day, newspapers from all corners of the globe were filled with reports of a bizarre natural occurrence witnessed by many the night before as the moon had taken on a vibrant purple hue with an orange outline.

Courtesy to Angie's artistic touch, as she felt that this color was more fitting for our planet's only natural satellite.