Page 120 of Broken Destiny

Our faces ended up only inches apart.

The morning sunlight warmed her skin as I lifted her, and the soft floral scent of her shampoo wrapped around me instantly.

God, she still smells incredible.

Her breath brushed my cheek as our faces hovered dangerously close, the world narrowing down to that single heartbeat we shared, and for one reckless second, I wanted to pull her closer and forget every promise waiting for me beyond that farm.

But I couldn’t.

Carefully, I placed her beside the children on the tractor.

She let out a small squeal, but I caught the brief wince that followed when her arm shifted.

Guilt hit me instantly.

"Sorry," I said.

"I'm okay," she assured me.

The children burst into laughter.

A soft blush spread across her cheeks, colouring her warm skin as she lowered her chin.

And God help me, that simple reaction made her even more beautiful. It took every ounce of restraint not to pull her into my arms and kiss her right there.

Instead, I forced myself to step back, even though every instinct inside me wanted to stay close to her. My hands still burned from the feel of her waist beneath my palms, and the soft floral scent of her shampoo lingered around me like a dangerous temptation.

She glanced up at me shyly beneath lowered lashes, her cheeks still flushed pink, and my chest tightened painfully. God, I hadmissed this. Missed her. Missed the way she could undo me with the smallest smile or faintest blush.

For one reckless second, standing there beneath the warm morning sun with the children laughing beside us, it felt terrifyingly easy to imagine this as our life.

With everyone seated, the tractor began moving uphill, rumbling along the dirt path.

We were soon greeted by a group of donkeys lazily enjoying their day.

I helped Lucas climb down and handed him a carrot.

“Here, buddy, hold the carrot like this,” I said, guiding his small hand into position.

The donkey gently nibbled the carrot from his open palm, and Lucas’s eyes widened.

“So wet,” he giggled.

Another donkey stretched its head toward Emma, who held out a piece of bread with fearless enthusiasm.

“Mama, he’s licking my hand,” she squealed, laughing uncontrollably.

The rest of the day passed with picking fresh fruit straight from the trees, buying vegetables from the market, and later sitting down together to enjoy a delicious lunch prepared by the farm owners.

I had never felt this kind of peace before.

Watching Jiya and the children laugh beneath the afternoon sun made something inside me feel whole in a way I could not explain.

The letter still sat folded inside my wallet, tucked away but never forgotten.

A reminder that none of this should have felt so easy.

For the first time, I found myself questioning everything.