Tangled Affections

23.

Freen's PoV
The words hit me like a sledgehammer. Go abroad? Leave Becky for five years? My heart sank at the thought. How could I live without her for so long? Every instinct in me screamed to refuse, to fight against this decision. But deep down, a part of me knew that my father was right. We were young, and the world was vast and full of possibilities that I had yet to explore.

But that didn't make it hurt any less. The thought of being away from Becky, of not seeing her for years, was unbearable. I couldn't imagine a day without her, let alone five long years.

I turned to Becky, hoping she would fight with me, that she would refuse and insist we stay together. But instead, she let go of my hand and stepped forward, her face calm despite the storm of emotions I knew she must be feeling.

"As you say, sir," she said quietly, her voice steady. "I can wait. I trust myself."

Her words left me speechless. Wait? How could she be so calm, so composed? Did she really believe we could survive this? That our love could endure such a long separation?

I looked at her, my heart breaking at the thought of being apart, but also swelling with admiration for her strength. Becky had always been strong, stronger than I had ever realized. But this... this was more than I had ever expected.

A part of me wanted to argue, to beg her not to agree, to fight against the decision that was being forced upon us. But another part of me knew that this was the reality we were facing. My father wouldn't change his mind, and Becky had made her choice.

"Becky... are you sure?" I asked, my voice barely above a whisper.

She nodded, though her eyes were filled with unshed tears. "I am, Freen. If this is what it takes, then I'll wait for you. I'll wait as long as it takes."

Her words, so full of conviction, left me with a lump in my throat. I wanted to believe her, wanted to hold onto the hope that we could survive this, that our love could withstand the distance, the time, the obstacles. But the fear, the doubt, it all lingered, gnawing at the edges of my resolve.

My father, sensing my turmoil, placed a hand on my shoulder. "Freen, I'm doing this for you. To protect you. You may not see it now, but one day you'll understand."

I wanted to scream at him, to tell him that I didn't need protection, that I needed Becky. But the words wouldn't come. I was too overwhelmed, too consumed by the emotions swirling inside me.

Becky reached out, gently squeezing my hand before stepping back. "It's okay, Freen. We'll be okay. I believe in us."

Her faith in us, in our love, was the only thing keeping me from falling apart. But as I watched her walk away, the reality of what was happening began to sink in. We were being torn apart, separated by time and distance, and there was nothing I could do to stop it.

I stood there, frozen, as Becky disappeared from view, leaving me alone with my father. The weight of his expectations, his demands, pressed down on me like a vice, suffocating the hope that had briefly flickered in my heart.

This was the price of love, of fighting for something that went against everything my father had planned for me. And now, I was left to pay it, with nothing but the uncertain promise of a future that felt impossibly far away.

As I turned back to face my father, I knew that this was only the beginning of the battle. But whether I could win, whether Becky and I could truly survive this... only time would tell.

.......