Page 30 of Broken Destiny

I shook my head, lifting my glass.I haven’t had this much fun in a long time… whoever owns this place clearly knows exactly what they’re doing.

9

JIYA

Some days were harder than others.

There were mornings when I woke up expecting to hear Cole's voice beside me, only to remember he was gone. Other days, I buried myself so deeply in work that I almost convinced myself the ache in my chest had lessened.

This was one of those days.

Since the company had already purchased the land for Cole's project, I had thrown myself into helping secure investors and bring his vision to life. If I wasn't taking care of the children, I was working. If I wasn't working, I was researching. Staying busy had become my way of surviving.

“This is what he had in mind,” I said to the illustrator, pointing to the layout spread across the table.

Cole wanted to create homes that families and seniors could truly afford and call their own. He had imagined children growing up in safe neighbourhoods, running freely through backyards, and people feeling a deep sense of belonging within a community that cared for one another.

“Houses on one side and short apartment buildings on the other, separated by the little river here, with a park on the side of the houses.”I chewed on the end of my pen, studying the drawing carefully, trying to see it the way Cole would have seen it.

“The apartment buildings are for?” asked the young woman with gold-rimmed glasses, her pencil hovering over the page.

“Senior citizens,” I answered.

“But why would you have young children and senior citizens in the same space?” she asked, tilting her head.

“Because studies have shown that relationships are critical as we age,” I explained. “Older people can improve their brain and cognitive function through interaction, while younger children benefit from the wisdom and experiences of older generations. They learn patience, empathy, and respect in ways that can’t be taught in a classroom.”

“But older people don’t like noise,” Michelle, the illustrator, said, her brow furrowing.

“I know,” I replied with a small nod. “That’s why this river separates them, creating a natural boundary, with the park located on the families’ side of the community.” I traced the curve of the river with my finger, imagining the sound of children playing in the distance while seniors enjoyed quiet walks along peaceful paths. “Plus, families who live in these houses can also have their parents living in these apartments nearby. They won’t have to travel far to check on them or worry about them being alone. They can be close enough to care for each other while still having their own space.”

“Sounds good,” Michelle replied. “Let me draw up a sketch.”

After five drafts of sketches, each one improving on the last, it was finally ready to be made into a 3D presentation. Watching the concept take shape in front of my eyes felt like watching a dream slowly come to life, piece by piece, as though Cole’s vision was being rebuilt from the ground up.

“The project is coming along great,” I said to Cole on Saturday morning when I went to visit his grave. “You would be so happy. No one in the market has a concept like this, and Liam is happy too. This was your project, and I am so proud to finish it for you.”I reached outand gently stroked the smooth surface of his grave, with Milo and Oreo sitting beside me. “I hope you’re proud of me,” I whispered.

With Liam’s guidance and my own research, I had finally found my footing in the construction and development business. There had been moments when I had almost given up and whispered that I did not belong in this world, but I kept pushing forward, driven by the promise I had made to myself and to Cole. Completing his project became my purpose, a flame that kept me moving even on the hardest days.His dream became my compass, pointing me toward a future he had once imagined, and I was hell-bent to see it through to the very end.

By the evening,I was already exhausted from the day’s activities with the children. I had taken Lucas to his soccer game earlier, cheering from the sidelines while he ran across the field, and then driven Emma to the neighbours’ house for a birthday party. By the time dinner was over, my body felt heavy, and my mind longed for a few quiet hours.

“Alright, guys,” I said after helping them change into their pyjamas. I guided them toward the living room and plopped them in front of the television. “It’s the weekend, so you’re granted an extra half an hour, but no more than that.”

“Yay!” Lucas shrieked, throwing his hands in the air as though he had just won a major victory.

“Yes, Mama.” Emma’s small voice bubbled with the same excitement as her brother.

I folded my arms lightly and looked at them both, keeping my tone firm but gentle. “No troubling Geeta. Deal?”

“Deal, Mama,” they replied together, reaching out to shake my hand with solemn seriousness that made me smile.

“Love you both,” I said, leaning down to give each of them a quick kiss on the forehead.

Before leaving the house, I bent to scratch the dogs’ bellies, listening to their tails thump happily against the floor.

Standing upright again, I called out toward the kitchen at Geeta. “If you need me, call me. I’ll be at the restaurant.”

Since Geeta became part of our family, she had grown into someone I trusted completely. She had learned to drive, bought a car of her own, and taken on a part-time online job as a data entry clerk while still caring for the children and helping manage the house. In many ways, she had become the support system that held our daily lives together.