Page 112 of Broken Destiny

However, I knew that if I did not show up, questions would be asked, questions I was not ready to answer.

“But I want?—”

My phone rang again before I could finish.

Tatiana’s name flashed across the screen.

A knot formed in my stomach, and I let the call ring out.

Seconds later, another notification appeared, reminding me about our meeting with the wedding planner that evening.

“I’ll be fine,” Jiya said softly.

She stepped carefully into the cab, keeping her injured arm close to her body. After giving the driver her address, she looked back at me. “Take care of yourself,” she said.

I swallowed the lump in my throat, forcing myself to hold her gaze even though something inside me felt like it was cracking.

“I’ll see you soon.”

The cab door closed with a dull thud, and I stood there on the pavement, watching as the car slowly pulled away, disappearing down the street, taking her with it.

A sick feeling turned in my belly.

What the hell am I doing?

I was engaged to another woman, yet I found myself drawn to Jiya. From the moment she had walked back into my life, I had told myself that I was out to win her trust, get answers, uncover the truth, and then walk away from her life, the same way she had once walked out of mine.

But somewhere along the way, that line had blurred completely.

I was no longer pretending not to care.

Raising my hand, I hailed another cab and climbed inside, giving the driver the address of her office so I could catch the helicopter back to the city.

The wedding date was inching closer, and I needed clarity before things spiralled any further.

I told myself that this would be the final weekend I spent with her.

I would do what needed to be done and walk away before she consumed what little control I had left. I would never step foot in this city or her village again. I would delete every picture of her from my phone, burn every photograph I still had, and force myself to let go of every memory tied to her.

She had to get out of my system.

Out of my head…

And out of my heart.

33

JIYA

Istepped out of the taxi carefully as my feet touched the ground. The late afternoon sun warmed my face, but my body still felt heavy and sore.

“Mama!” Lucas ran toward me, his eyebrows squished together. “What happened?”

He’d been playing with the neighbour’s children when he saw the taxi pull up in front of the house.

“Just had a small accident, honey, but I’m fine,” I said with a reassuring smile, wrapping my good arm around him, pulling him close.

He took my bag without being asked, his little fingers gripping it tightly as he reached for my uninjured hand and led me inside the house as though he were the adult and I were the child.