Page 33 of Broken Destiny

The instant he looked away, instinct took over.

Quick as a startled animal, I spun around and slipped through the staff entrance, my pulse racing wildly inside my chest.

Memories surged forward—images of him in bed with Caroline, the lies he had told, the promises that had shattered. The past crashed into the present with overwhelming force.

My heart drummed in my ears. Sweat trickled down the side of my face.

How did he find me? How did he know I was here? Was this a coincidence?

Thank God I had already told Jack I was leaving for the night. The pressure inside my head felt unbearable, like a heavy stone pressing down on my skull. I rushed toward the lockers, grabbed my bag with trembling hands, and forced myself to keep moving.

“Bye, Will,” I called out quickly as I headed toward the exit. “I’m heading home.”

“Take care and drive safely,” he shouted back.

I pushed open the rear door and stepped outside, my eyes moving from one direction to another, checking every corner, every shadow, every parked car.

Once I was certain the path was clear, I walked quickly toward my car, my heartbeat still racing.

I slid into the driver’s seat, locked the doors, and started the engine.

Then I drove straight home.

10

CALEB

Was that Nyah… or was I imagining it?

I had consumed four beers and two tequila shots, enough to blur the edges of the night but not enough to distort reality. My heart hammered hard against my ribs, and my pulse raced with a frantic urgency. The image of her face burned in my mind, too detailed to be a trick of alcohol or wishful thinking.

She had looked so real.

I ran a hand over my face, pressing my lips together. Could I have imagined her? Had my mind finally begun playing cruel games with me after years of searching, years of anger, and years of unanswered questions?

I needed to know the truth.

I pushed away from the pool table and walked toward Greg, who was across the room. The noise of the restaurant pressed against my ears.

“Did you see her?” I asked.

Greg frowned immediately. “What are you talking about?”

“Nyah,” I said. “Did you see her just now, just before you called me? She was standing right in front of me.”

He shook his head slowly. “No, I didn’t.” He placed his hand on my shoulder and sighed. “I told you before, you have to let her go.”

I had told myself to let her go, but I was certain I hadn't imagined her. That certainty persisted. The shock had frozen me in place, and I wished I had reached out… touched her… said her name. Greg calling my name and pulling my attention away had shattered the moment and left me questioning my own sanity.

I returned to the pool table and picked up the cue stick, forcing my body to continue the game as though nothing had happened.

I lined up my shot, but I couldn’t focus.

My mind remained fixed on her… on the possibility that she had been standing only a few feet away from me. On the chance that fate had placed her back into my path after all these years.

I missed the shot.

I exhaled sharply and shook my head, reaching for my beer before taking a long swallow. The cold liquid slid down my throat, but it did nothing to quiet the noise in my mind.