Page 32 of Broken Destiny

The restaurant felt alive and full of movement, and I moved through it almost on instinct, balancing trays, clearing plates, and greeting customers.

Jack placed the drinks he had prepared onto my tray, and I carried them carefully across the floor, weaving between tables and chairs before setting them down in front of the waiting guests. Once that was done, I helped clear two nearby tables, stacking dishes efficiently while keeping an eye on the growing line at the door.

Around eight o’clock, a group of men entered and gathered near one of the pool tables. I glanced over. Two of them stood with their backs turned toward me, their voices blending into the noise around them. I returned to my routine immediately, focusing on the customers in front of me.

Jack caught my eye and motioned toward the group.

“That’s the group I was telling you about,” he said. “I’ll start them with some beer.” He smiled widely.

I nodded with a small smile. “Sure.”

The restaurant grew even more crowded as the night progressed. People brushed against each other while passing through narrow spaces, and karaoke had begun, with diners eagerly requesting songs and cheering for one another. The energy in the room felt electric, but my body struggled to keep up.

A dull ache began to form behind my eyes.

By ten o’clock, the headache had intensified, pressing heavilyagainst my temples and making the lights seem brighter than usual. I took a slow breath and walked toward Jack, hoping he would understand.

“Jack, is it okay if I leave?” I asked quietly. “I’m not feeling too good.”

“Yeah, no problem. I think we’re fine now. Two other servers just came in to help.”

“Okay, great,” I replied, my head falling back, letting out a huge breath.

I looked around the packed restaurant one last time, feeling a flicker of guilt for leaving during such a busy night. I knew my body needed rest before the headache turned into something worse. After delivering one final order to a nearby table, I made my way toward the staff entrance.

As I walked, a woman bumped into me without so much as an apology, forcing me to step aside to regain my balance. I turned around instinctively, my jaw clenched.

Before I could take another step, I was bumped again—this time by a man.

“I’m so sorry.”

The words came from behind me.

Something in his voice sent a sudden chill through my body.

Slowly, almost against my will, I turned and looked up.

Blue-green eyes stared back at me.

The same eyes I had known years ago.

The same eyes I had once trusted.

The same eyes I had walked away from.

The same eyes I had spent years trying to forget.

And now, those eyes had returned.

My breath caught in my throat, and I couldn’t move.

It felt as though I had been hypnotized, trapping me in that single moment. The noise of the restaurant faded into the background, replaced by the loud, frantic beating of my heart.

Our eyes locked, and time ticked by.

“Caleb?” a voice called out from somewhere behind him.

He turned his head toward the sound, breaking the connection between us.