Page 176 of Broken Destiny

The one I had seen photographed in my mother’s office.

My entire body shook as the full truth finally fell into place.

It was never Jiya who was at fault.

It was my mother.

My mother—the woman I trusted with my life… my heart… my soul.

She had betrayed me.

Not out of fear or desperation.

But out of hatred.

Hatred toward Jiya.

I knew my mother didn’t like her. Jiya had told me that years ago, when we were dating—when she was still Nyah. I remembered brushing it off, dismissing her concerns, telling her she was overthinking things.

But hatred to this extent…

This level of deception…

I had never imagined it.

Chills travelled across my body, raising goosebumps along my arms despite the heat burning inside me.

Then another memory struck.

A flashback of what I had said to Jiya.

The way I had flung the letter at her. The accusations. The anger in my voice. The words I had used before walking out of her house—after saying goodbye to the children—after slamming my wedding card into her hand like a final punishment.

The memory made me bend forward, my arms crossing over my stomach as nausea surged through me. I pressed my fist against my mouth, cheeks puffing as I fought the urge to be sick.

God… the things I had said to her… the way I had looked at her… the cruelty in my voice.

She had tried to explain herself.

Not once.

Not twice.

But over and over again.

And I hadn’t listened.

She had come all the way down to Vancouver to talk to me, to tell me the truth, to fight for us.

And I hadn’t given her the time of day.

I ignored her calls.

Ignored her messages.

Ignored her pain.

Now she had found Harper.