Fated Encounters

Chapter 28

Angela stood in front of the mirror, fingers tracing the smooth, intricate surface of the pendant that now hung around her neck. The silver charm seemed to glow faintly against her skin, its strange engravings catching the light. It had been years since she had thought about it, but now, after everything, she couldn’t take it off.

She didn’t know what it meant yet, but it felt like some kind of shield—a reminder that even though her life had spiraled out of control, she wasn’t completely powerless.

Sasha’s voice broke through her thoughts, soft but insistent. “You know, you’re going to have to talk about it eventually,” she said from the doorway.

Angela sighed, turning away from the mirror. She knew Sasha was right. She had been avoiding the conversation ever since Patrick had blocked her on that street and laid bare everything about their parents. The way his voice had cracked, the pain in his eyes—it had been impossible to ignore. And yet, her heart still felt bruised.

“I don’t want to,” Angela muttered, sitting on the edge of her bed.

Sasha stepped into the room, her hands folded across her chest. “I get that you’re hurt, Ang. I really do. But keeping all this bottled up isn’t going to help you.” She sat beside her, eyes soft with concern. “You still care about him. I can see it.”

Angela bit her lip, feeling the sting of truth in her friend’s words. She did care. That was the problem. She cared too much. It was like a part of her heart was tied to him in a way she couldn’t break, no matter how hard she tried to distance herself.

“I just—” Angela started but stopped, unsure how to explain the mess of feelings inside her. “He hurt me, Sasha. He lied, and he kept so many things from me. How am I supposed to just forget all of that?”

Sasha nodded, her expression serious. “I know he did. And I’m not saying you should forget it. But you two... you’re not like regular people. You’re soulmates, Angela. That’s why this hurts so much. It’s not something you can just walk away from, like a normal breakup.”

Angela’s heart clenched at the word soulmates. It felt so heavy now, like a burden she wasn’t sure she wanted to carry. “But what if it’s too late?” she whispered. “What if too much has happened, and we can’t go back?”

Sasha gave her a gentle smile. “It’s only too late if you let it be. You guys have been through a lot. More than most people ever do. But that connection you have? It’s always going to be there. It’s not like humans, where you can just move on after a breakup and find someone else.”

Angela looked down at the pendant, her fingers brushing against it. Soulmates. The word echoed in her mind. Patrick had said the same thing, that they were meant to be together, that they had been destined from the beginning. She had pushed it away at the time, too angry to let it sink in.

But now, after everything, after learning about her parents, about who she really was, it was harder to deny. Their bond went beyond just feelings. It was something deeper, something she couldn’t easily break.

Sasha’s voice softened. “You don’t have to decide right now. But I think you owe it to yourself to give him a chance. Talk to him. Hear him out.”

Angela looked up, meeting her best friend’s eyes. “But what if I get hurt again?”

Sasha placed a hand on her arm. “That’s the risk with love, isn’t it? But Ang, you’re strong. Stronger than you think. And if Patrick is really your soulmate, if he’s the one you’re meant to be with, then you can get through this. Together.”

Angela wanted to believe that. She wanted to believe that after all the pain, after all the lies and misunderstandings, they could find a way to heal. But there was still a part of her that was scared. Scared of trusting him again. Scared of opening her heart only to have it broken once more.

She looked down at the pendant, her fingers gripping it tightly. The old woman’s words from so long ago echoed in her mind: It will save you from everything. Maybe it wasn’t just about protection from outside threats. Maybe it was also about protecting her heart, about finding the strength to face whatever came her way.

“Do you think he’ll wait for me?” Angela asked quietly, her voice barely above a whisper.

Sasha smiled. “I think he’s already waiting. And I think he’ll keep waiting, as long as it takes.”

Angela nodded slowly, her heart heavy with uncertainty but also with the faintest flicker of hope. Maybe Sasha was right. Maybe their bond wasn’t something that could be broken so easily.

But even as she thought that, a part of her still ached, still remembered the pain of everything that had happened. The lies, the betrayal—it wasn’t something that could just be erased overnight.

“I’ll think about it,” Angela said finally, looking back up at Sasha. “I just need some time.”

Sasha nodded. “Take all the time you need. But just remember, Ang... if you keep running, it’s only going to hurt more.”

Angela didn’t reply. She knew Sasha was right. But for now, she wasn’t ready to face it. Not yet. Not until she could figure out how to protect her heart from breaking again.

As Sasha stood and left the room, Angela lay back on her bed, her fingers once again finding the pendant at her neck. It was a reminder that she wasn’t alone, even in the moments she felt most isolated.

But the weight of her past, of Patrick, and of their shared future, still lingered in the air, heavy and unresolved.

And Angela didn’t know if she was ready to face it yet.