Page 146 of Broken Destiny

“Yesterday was supposed to be the day.” I bit my lip. “But that didn’t work out too well, so I’ll have to come up with another plan soon.”

After dinner, I put the children to bed and returned to the living area where Harper and I shared a glass of wine.

“I’m so glad I bumped into you again,” he said. “It was nice to see a familiar face among a sea of strangers.”

“Same here,” I replied, taking a sip of my wine. “What happened between you and Daria, if you don’t mind me asking?”

“Not at all,” he said, swirling the wine in his glass. “Ambition.”

“What do you mean?”

“Daria is an ambitious woman. She always was. I just didn’t see it,” he said, lowering his head slightly.“She could and would do anything to rise to the top, including adultery.”

I watched his face carefully, seeing the pain he was trying to hide.

“So I guess the two of you are two sides of the same coin.”

The words slipped out before I could stop them.

“What do you mean?”He looked at me with his head tilted, his lips pursing.

“When we were trying to make the long-distance relationship work after you moved to New York, I flew there to surprise you,” I said quietly.

Harper immediately set his wine glass down on the table and drew back, crossing and uncrossing his arms.

“Instead, I saw you walk into your apartment building with another woman.”

He swallowed, shifting in his seat.

“You knew?”

I nodded once.

“Why didn’t you ask me or say something?” He scrubbed a hand over his face.

I looked down at my glass and then back at him.

“Because if I had, I would have said words that would have hurt you in ways I didn’t want to,” I said softly.

He squeezed his eyes shut and pinched the bridge of his nose.

“You loved your father deeply,” I continued. “And I knew how much your mother’s betrayal had broken him. If I had confronted you, I would have reminded you of that pain all over again. That choice changed me,” I added after a pause. “It affected how I trusted people afterward. When I believed Caleb had betrayed me, I walked away instead of asking questions. I didn’t want to feel that kind of pain again.”

Harper opened his eyes and sighed heavily.

“I’m sorry, Jiya,” he said, leaning forward and taking my hand in his. “I’m truly sorry for the pain I caused you.”

I met his gaze and saw genuine remorse.

“I know. And I accept your apology.”

A small smile appeared on his face.

Watching him now, sitting across from me, I realized that my past feelings for Harper had completely faded.

He was my friend, and he always would be. Even though we had not kept in touch for years, I knew I could count on him if I ever needed help. He was my first… in every way possible. We shared a history that would always matter, but it no longer held my heart.

After he left, I locked the door and walked slowly toward the bedroom.