FATE - can a person in one lifetime fall in love with the same person twice?

Chapter 34

I stood before the mirror, fully dressed in my ivory silk trumpet gown. The fabric shimmered softly, catching the light with an almost off-white glow. I practiced a smile, trying to make it look natural, even happy. The mirror reflected my effort, but my eyes told a different story—tired, weary, and betraying every attempt to mask how I really felt. It didn’t matter. I could come up with some excuse; I’d grown skilled at that over time. With one last glance, I turned away from the mirror and left the room.

At the top of the stairs, my eyes caught sight of him. He was standing down in the living room, facing me, his gaze locked on mine. He was dressed in a sleek black suit with an off-white silk button-up underneath, the shade uncannily similar to my dress. A coincidence—there was no way he could’ve known what I’d be wearing tonight. I quickly averted my eyes, pretending not to notice him, and descended the stairs without another glance in his direction.

"Let’s go," he said quietly. I nodded without a word, following him out to the car. Before he could move, I opened the door for myself and slid into the passenger seat. He climbed in afterward, and soon we were on the road.

The ride was suffocatingly quiet. I stared out of the window, watching the world pass by in a blur, anything to avoid looking at him. He didn’t touch me this time and hadn’t left any marks. But then again, he wouldn’t have dared. If he’d tried, I would’ve kicked him and made sure he regretted it.

We arrived at their house, and I climbed out of the car without waiting for him to offer me his hand or anything. As we approached the entrance, he reached for my waist, but I sidestepped him and moved ahead.

Inside, the atmosphere buzzed with laughter and conversation. Guests mingled around, and the mouthwatering scent of food filled the air.

"Happy birthday, Auntie," I said warmly as I handed her my gift after Eden.

"Thank you, love!" She hugged me tightly. "Separate gifts?" She looked both surprised and a little puzzled.

"I wanted to give you something special," I replied with a smile.

Her eyes lit up with excitement. "What is it?"

"You’ll find out when you open it," I teased with a wink. "It's a small gift, but I hope you’ll think of me every time you use it."

"Alright!" She beamed. "I’ll open it after the party."

Auntie gave me one last squeeze before moving on to greet other guests, and I took the opportunity to slip away into the crowd. The laughter and chatter swirled around me as I navigated through the room, trying to find a quiet corner where I could escape for a moment. My mind was still buzzing from the awkward silence during the car ride, and I needed a break from all the smiles and forced pleasantries.

I spotted an empty spot near the edge of the patio and made my way there, leaning against the railing as I stared out into the garden. The twinkling lights wrapped around the trees created a beautiful, almost serene atmosphere, but I couldn’t relax. Not with him here.

I could feel his presence behind me before I even heard his voice.

"Why do you keep pulling away from me?" His tone was low, barely audible over the distant hum of the party.

I didn’t turn around. "I think you know why."

He moved closer, and I gripped the railing tighter. "We can’t keep pretending everything is fine," he said, his voice quieter now, almost pleading.

"Then stop pretending," I shot back, finally facing him. My gaze was cold, tired of the charade. "Just let me be."

He looked like he wanted to say more but held back, his jaw clenched in frustration. For a moment, we just stood there, the weight of everything unsaid hanging between us.