Page 197 of Broken Destiny

Maureen nodded without hesitation and pulled me into another hug. “Okay,” she whispered gently. “Whenever you’re ready.”

At the sound of our voices, Oreo and Milo came bounding out of the house, barking excitedly and wagging their tails. The children squealed and jumped out of the car to hug them.

I barely had time to kneel before Milo jumped up and licked my face enthusiastically.

“I missed you too, boy,” I laughed weakly, rubbing his head.

And suddenly I thought about Cole.

He had brought Milo home a year and a half earlier.

I wished, in that moment, that he were there again... steady and patient... telling me everything would somehow be okay.

“Thank you so much for taking care of them for me,” I said sincerely.

“Anytime, sweetheart,” Maureen replied warmly. “The cleaning ladies did a good job yesterday. I monitored them the whole time.”

“Thanks so much for that,” I said. “I really appreciate it.”

After saying goodbye, Geeta helped the children back into the car while Milo and Oreo jumped into the backseat beside them. A few moments later, we pulled out of the driveway and headed home.

The driveto the house was short.

Once inside, I helped the children get ready for bed, kissed them goodnight, and tucked them in.

Then I helped Geeta load the clothes into the washing machine before stepping into the shower. The hot water washed over me, but it did nothing to ease the heaviness in my chest.

When I stepped out, I felt emotionally drained, as if the last six hours had wrung every ounce of strength from my body.

“Geeta, I’m going out for a bit,” I said quietly. “Call me if you need anything.”

I switched my phone on but turned off the data, not ready to face messages or calls from anyone.

After setting the alarm, I locked the door and slipped into my car.

The drive to my favourite spot felt automatic, my hands moving on instinct as my mind drifted elsewhere. By the time I parked near the dock, the last traces of the sun had disappeared completely, leaving shades of blue and charcoal stretching across the sky.

I walked slowly toward the gazebo, the wooden planks creaking softly beneath my feet while cool, salty air brushed against my skin.

When I reached the bench, I sank onto it heavily.

The last time I had sat here… Caleb had been beside me.

The children had been laughing.

Geeta had been smiling.

And for a brief moment, my world had felt whole again.

Now everything felt broken.

Caleb was probably dancing the night away with his new bride after a lavish dinner. Maybe they were already preparing to leave for their honeymoon to some exotic destination like the Maldives or Bora Bora.

Fresh tears slipped down my cheeks before I could stop them. Soon they came faster, and I covered my face with my hands, trying to quiet the sob threatening to escape.

Then I heard footsteps behind me.

I quickly wiped my tears away, straightening instinctively.