Still Being Watched-Stalking and Harassment

I was going to pick up pizza.

That’s it. Nothing major. Just a quick errand on a quiet Sunday evening. My son is out of town in my car, so I was driving his car—one my ex-husband and his new wife wouldn’t recognize unless they were actively watching.

And they were.

As I pulled to the light at the end of my road, I noticed their car behind me. I looked in the rearview mirror and saw her—his wife—holding up her phone, snapping photos of the vehicle I was in. Documenting.

At first, I told myself maybe it was nothing. Maybe I was overreacting. But when I turned onto the main road and my ex swerved through two lanes to get directly behind me, that feeling in my gut—the one I’ve learned to trust—confirmed it. They were following me.

So I took off down the bypass. I watched as they kept pace several cars back. When I signaled to turn again, my ex’s turn signal flashed on right after mine. That’s when I knew.

Instead of going straight to my destination, I turned into the parking lot of the pizza place and circled around. I wanted to see if I was being paranoid… or if this was real.

And then they drove by. Very slowly.

His wife looked right at me and waved.

A bold little smirk from someone who knew exactly what they were doing.

Let me be clear: This is stalking. This is intimidation. This is harassment. And this is why women like me don’t feel safe, even after the relationship ends.

I filed a police report. I’ve notified my attorney. I’ve taken photos and documented the timeline. But still—what lingers is the rage that this is even something I have to do. That peace and privacy are things I still have to fight for.

Because leaving someone toxic doesn’t always mean they leave you.

Some people cling to control even after you’ve walked away. They find new ways to insert themselves into your life—from a distance, in disguise, or behind a camera lens. And when their presence shows up behind you in traffic, in your inbox, or in your child’s mailbox—it’s a reminder that healing from this kind of abuse isn’t just about what happened then. It’s about surviving the aftershocks that keep trying to pull you back.

So if you’re dealing with this too—if you’ve left but still feel like you’re being followed, watched, baited, or provoked—please know this: you’re not crazy. You’re not overreacting. And you don’t owe silence to the people who thrive in the shadows of your fear.

Speak. Document. Protect your peace.

Because even when they’re watching—you’re still free.

And that’s what they hate the most.