The morning sun had barely crept over the horizon when Jey's phone buzzed, its screen lighting up with a series of incoming calls. He ignored the first one, his fingers swiping across the screen with practiced ease. Carmen. The second one came minutes later, followed by a third, each call more persistent than the last.

He let them ring out, his jaw clenched tightly. A sense of clarity had settled over him in the days since Mateo had been in the hospital. Being there for Isa, for his kids, had awakened something in him-a commitment he hadn't fully realized until now. Carmen's calls had become nothing more than background noise, a distant reminder of a life he had once known but was no longer willing to entertain.

Jey's mind drifted back to the conversation they'd had just a week ago, when Carmen had told him about the pregnancy-her pregnancy. At the time, Jey had been shaken by the news, his thoughts a whirl of confusion and doubt. He hadn't reacted as she'd hoped, and she had pushed for more. More promises, more assurances. But now, every word she spoke to him felt hollow, as though it were nothing more than an echo of a past that was no longer his.

With a frustrated sigh, he tossed the phone onto the bed. The constant buzzing felt invasive, like a reminder that Carmen's presence was still lingering at the edge of his world, refusing to let him move forward.

But that was exactly what he was doing now-moving forward. No longer held back by the ghost of their past, Jey had decided to fully immerse himself in the life he wanted. A life where his children came first. A life where Isa's strength and determination had rekindled a spark in him he thought had long since died out.

His eyes flickered toward the door where Isa stood, still in her pajamas, her hair slightly tousled from sleep. She had been quieter than usual that morning, her thoughts undoubtedly focused on Mateo, but she gave him a small, appreciative smile when she noticed him watching her.

"Everything okay?" Isa asked, her voice soft and cautious.

Jey ran a hand through his hair, the tension from the last few days weighing heavily on his shoulders. "Yeah. Just... Carmen calling again. I'm not picking up anymore."

Isa's gaze softened, her eyes flicking toward the phone on the bed, still buzzing. "Are you sure that's the right choice?"

Jey met her eyes, his resolve firm. "I've made my choice, Isa. I don't want any more of her games. This is about me, you, and the kids now. Nothing else matters."

Isa's smile returned, this time warmer. "I'm glad you're finally seeing it. It's been a long time coming."

Jey stepped toward her, his hand brushing against hers as he placed a gentle kiss on her forehead. "I'm not going anywhere, Isa. Not this time. I'm here for you, for them." His eyes softened as he glanced at Mateo, still sleeping peacefully beside them. "And I won't let anyone, not even Carmen, take that away from us."

The next few days passed in a blur of activity-meetings, rehearsals, and travel. But through it all, Jey's mind stayed anchored to one constant: his commitment to Isa and their children. He ignored Carmen's calls and messages, each one becoming more frantic and desperate. It wasn't just that he was angry at her; it was that he was tired of the drama. Tired of the manipulation. Tired of the past pulling him back when he was finally moving forward.

One evening, as he was sitting in his hotel room in Orlando, his phone buzzed again. He had just finished a long day of wrestling and was looking forward to a few hours of peace before heading back to the arena for the next match. The name flashing across the screen was enough to make his stomach tighten.

Carmen:

"Jey, we need to talk. Pick up, please. I'm trying to reach you."

Jey stared at the message for a few moments, his finger hovering over the screen. Part of him wanted to respond, to shut it all down with a single message, but another part of him knew it would only fuel the fire. Carmen wouldn't understand. She never did.

Instead, he locked the phone and tossed it on the bed, standing up to stretch his tired limbs. He needed a break-away from everything that reminded him of his past, of everything that no longer served him. The only thing that mattered now was moving forward with Isa and his kids, securing the future he had always wanted but had been too blind to see.

Later that night, after an exhausting show, Jey found himself in the hotel lobby, chatting with Roman and Jimmy. They were all aware of the tension in Jey's life, though they had never pried into the details. But Roman could always read him like a book, and the lingering uncertainty in Jey's eyes hadn't gone unnoticed.

"You okay, Jey?" Roman asked, leaning against the bar counter, his voice low and careful.

Jey didn't hesitate. "Yeah, just... Carmen."

Roman nodded, his expression unchanged. "She's not worth the headache, you know?"

"I know." Jey's voice was firm, but there was a quiet sadness underneath. "I just... I can't do this anymore. I've got to focus on what matters-on the people who actually care about me."

Jimmy, sensing his cousin's frustration, clapped him on the back. "You're doing the right thing, man. Trust me. You're not alone in this."

"I know." Jey smiled faintly. "It feels better, though. Letting it go."

Roman gave him a rare, soft smile. "Sometimes, walking away is the hardest thing. But it's often the best thing you can do for yourself."

Jey took a deep breath, feeling the weight of his decision settle over him. As he walked back to his room later that night, his phone remained silent. Carmen's calls were nothing more than a distant memory now-one he wasn't interested in revisiting.

He didn't need to look back anymore. He had already found the life he was meant to live, and it wasn't with Carmen.