Page 117 of Broken Destiny

We stood there silently, looking at each other, the air thick with unspoken words and buried emotions.

His lips parted slightly, as though he wanted to say something, as though he was standing on the edge of a confession.

Seconds later, he turned away.

Without another word, he walked to his car.

34

CALEB

Iwalked toward the car feeling overheated despite the cool evening air.

God, Ididnotwant to leave.

I had seen it in Jiya’s eyes too.

Neither of us had said anything, but I knew the truth all the same.

I wanted more than just to stay the night. I wanted to touch her and hold her and kiss her. I wanted to make love to her again, to lose myself in her… but I could do none of those things.

Tatiana was away for the weekend at her bachelorette party with her friends.

Earlier that afternoon, during lunch at my parents’ house, my mother had looked at me across the table while all my siblings and their families sat around us.

“Where are you heading?” she had asked.

“I’m going to the Island to see my friend and relax for the weekend,” I had replied casually, even though tension had already started coiling inside my chest.

“Is Greg going with you?” Sophia had asked, narrowing her eyes.

“No. He’s got family plans.”

No further questions followed.

I hated lying to my family.

Their trust had always mattered to me, yet here I was returning to the woman I had spent years convincing myself I hated. A woman tied to some of the worst memories of my life.

And somehow, none of it stopped me from going back to her.

Standing beside the car, I glanced back toward the house one last time.

Jiya remained at the front door, framed by the soft light spilling from the house behind her. Her legs were bare beneath the hem of her white shorts, and the mustard-yellow blouse she wore contrasted gently against her skin. Her injured arm remained secured in the sling, a reminder of how close I had come to losing her only days earlier.

Neither of us moved.

Was she waiting for me to leave?

Or hoping I would come back?

I licked my lips slowly, my gaze fixed on her, before I closed my eyes and forced myself to breathe.

I needed distance before my restraint crumbled completely.

I got into the car, started the engine, and pulled away from the curb, heading toward the hotel as my thoughts continued to churn.

Streetlights blurred past the window.