Page 129 of Broken Destiny

Hearing the truth in my own voice felt like a knife twisting inside me.

“You only loved my money.”

I lowered my gaze, swallowing the lump in my throat, then looked back at her with bitterness I could no longer hide.

“I wish I had never met you,” I said quietly. “I wish a person like you had never been born.”

I cursed and turned away from her before she could see the tears threatening to rise in my eyes.

Walking toward the front door, I paused briefly and glanced back.

She was still standing exactly where I had left her.

I opened the door, stepped outside, and slammed it behind me as I headed straight for my car.

37

JIYA

Tears rolled down my cheeks against my will when Caleb slammed the front door. The pain I had buried years ago crashed into me all over again, hitting so hard it stole the air from my lungs.

I looked down at the letter still clutched in my hand.

Caleb,

I am sorry for the hurt and pain that I have caused your family and you. It was never my intention, but I am sorry.

I did not think Jeremy would ask for such an exorbitant amount. It was not what he and I agreed on when we planned this.

Now that he does not exist, I have decided to move on and keep the money. Thank you for everything.

Goodbye,

Nyah

It was my handwriting, but it was not my words.

Heat rose in my body.

I could not understand how my letter had changed or who could have written those sentences using my handwriting.

My eyes darted across the page again, scanning every word as if the truth might appear between the lines.

Slowly, I walked to the living room and sank onto the couch, defeated.

Closing my eyes, I let the silence swallow me.

Fate had brought us back together only to tear us apart again through more misunderstandings and complications. We were like ill-fated lovers, destined to circle each other but never truly stay together.

Maybe it simply was not meant to be.

Maybe the universe was telling me to let go and move on… without him in my life.

It would be easier that way.

Opening my eyes, my gaze landed on Cole’s picture sitting on the fireplace.

He had never given up on me, believing in me even after learning the truth about my past. He had never turned his back on me.