Fated Encounters

Chapter 25

Sasha glanced between Patrick and Angela, her eyes narrowing as she weighed the situation. It was clear from the tension in the room that this was a conversation they needed to have alone. With a sigh, she grabbed her bag and keys from the counter, giving Angela a quick, reassuring look before turning to Patrick.

"I’m going to meet my boyfriend. You two... talk, or whatever," Sasha said, the edge still in her voice. "But if you hurt her again, Patrick, we’re done."

Patrick nodded, his throat tight. "I won’t. I promise."

Sasha gave Angela one last hug before she headed out the door, leaving the apartment unusually quiet. The soft click of the door shutting behind her seemed to echo in the room, and for a moment, neither Angela nor Patrick moved. Angela kept her gaze on the sink, her fingers tracing invisible patterns on the counter as if she were trying to focus on anything but him.

Patrick cleared his throat, breaking the silence. "Angela..."

"Don’t," she said sharply, cutting him off before he could say anything else. Her voice was low, controlled, but Patrick could hear the anger bubbling just beneath the surface.

He took a hesitant step forward, trying to close the distance between them. "I know you’re upset. I know I hurt you, but you have to understand—"

"Understand what, Patrick?" Angela turned to face him, her eyes flashing with anger and something else—something much deeper. "That you kept running back to Stephanie while telling me you cared? That you said I was your mate, but then you went to her anyway?"

Her words hit him like a punch to the gut, the truth of them cutting deep. He knew he had messed up, that his actions had made her feel like she wasn’t enough, and now he was paying the price for it.

"I’m sorry," Patrick said, his voice quiet, but firm. "I shouldn’t have gone to Stephanie. I was confused, and I didn’t know what I wanted. But now I do, Angela. It’s you. It’s always been you."

Angela let out a bitter laugh, shaking her head. "Don’t lie to me, Patrick. You were with her, telling her things you should’ve told me. I heard you. I was there when she said she loved you, and you just... you didn’t stop her. You didn’t tell her about me."

Patrick winced, guilt washing over him. "I know. I know I handled everything wrong, and I’m sorry. I didn’t want to hurt either of you, but I was a coward. I didn’t know how to let her go, and in doing that, I hurt the one person who actually matters."

Angela crossed her arms, her gaze hardening. "I don’t know if I can believe you, Patrick. You’ve lied to me before. What’s stopping you from doing it again?"

Patrick ran a hand through his hair, frustration and desperation mingling in his chest. He stepped closer to her, his eyes pleading. "Angela, I swear to you—I’m not lying. I ended things with Stephanie. For good. I chose you."

She raised an eyebrow, her expression unrelenting. "You say that now, but how do I know you won’t just change your mind when things get difficult? How do I know you won’t run back to her again?"

Patrick’s heart pounded as he searched for the right words. He wanted to tell her everything, to make her understand that she was the one he wanted, that he couldn’t imagine his life without her. But the look in her eyes—the hurt and the betrayal—made him realize that words might not be enough this time.

"I don’t deserve your trust," he admitted quietly. "I know that. I messed up, and I broke your heart. But I’m willing to spend the rest of my life proving to you that I’m not going anywhere. I know I hurt you, Angela, but I can’t lose you. Not again."

Angela looked at him, her eyes softening for just a moment before she steeled herself again. "I’ve heard this before, Patrick. I can’t just let you back into my life like nothing happened."

He stepped closer, his hands trembling as he reached for her. But Angela stepped back, her walls firmly in place.

"No," she said, her voice firm. "You don’t get to do that. You don’t get to walk in here and act like an apology can fix everything."

Patrick’s heart sank. He could see that she wasn’t ready to forgive him, that the damage he had done went far deeper than he had realized. He had lost her trust, and no matter how much he begged or promised, it wasn’t going to be enough.

Angela turned away, wrapping her arms around herself as if to protect what was left of her heart. "I needed you, Patrick. And you weren’t there. You were too busy holding onto the past to see what was right in front of you."

Patrick swallowed hard, his throat tight. "I see it now. I’m here now."

"But it’s too late," she whispered, her voice cracking ever so slightly. "You can’t just show up and expect everything to be okay. I needed you when I was breaking, and you weren’t there. Now... I don’t know if I can let you back in."

Patrick felt his chest tighten with the weight of her words. He had pushed her too far, and now he was paying the price. "Angela... please. I’ll do whatever it takes."

But Angela shook her head, tears welling up in her eyes. "You should go."

Patrick froze, his heart dropping at the finality of her words. He wanted to fight, to argue, but he knew that if he pushed her now, he might lose her forever. He had to give her space, even if it killed him to walk away.

Slowly, Patrick turned and left the kitchen, leaving Angela standing there, alone. His chest felt heavy as he walked out of the apartment, the weight of his mistakes pressing down on him.

Sasha had been right. She wasn’t the same girl he had left behind.

And as Patrick climbed into his van, he realized that, for the first time in his life, he might not be able to fix what he had broken.