Forgetting Sparks

Chapter 8

Layla sat alone in the small café, tapping her fingers anxiously on the table. Her mind buzzed with the endless possibilities of what Omar might be hiding. The thought that he could still be tangled in Nadia's web of deceit, that he could somehow be playing her, tore at her heart. She had come here with a mission: to confront him, demand the truth, and finally decide if they were truly meant to be or if their love was just another casualty of his past.

The bell above the café door jingled, and Omar walked in, his gaze scanning the room until it landed on her. He offered a small, nervous smile, but Layla felt too numb to return it. He approached her, pulling out the chair across from her and sitting down. For a moment, silence hung between them, heavy and uncomfortable.

Omar finally spoke, his voice low and careful. "You said we needed to talk. What's on your mind, Layla?"

She took a steadying breath, her hands clenched on the table. "Omar, I need you to be completely honest with me. Nadia told me things... things about your past, about the life you were living when you were with her. And now, I need to know: how much of it is true?"

Omar's face darkened, a shadow passing over his expression. He leaned back, exhaling slowly as he ran a hand through his hair. "I see. So, she's trying to poison you against me."

"No," Layla said firmly, her eyes meeting his. "She's trying to tell me her version of the truth. But I need to hear it from you. All of it."

Omar hesitated, glancing around as if searching for the right words. "I made a lot of mistakes when I was with Nadia," he began, his voice tight. "I was young, desperate, and I was willing to do almost anything to escape my situation. She was part of a world I never wanted to be in... but one I thought could help me. So, I made deals I regret. I took risks I shouldn't have. And I did things I'm not proud of."

Layla's heart twisted, but she pushed herself to stay calm. "So, it's true? All of it?"

He shook his head. "Not all of it. Nadia twists things to make me look like the villain. She hates that I left her, that I'm trying to build a life without her. But yes, I did make mistakes. I used her connections to get what I thought I needed at the time."

Layla's throat felt tight. "And what about me, Omar? Am I just another chapter in this... in this life you're trying to run away from?"

He reached across the table, taking her hands in his. "No, Layla. You're the reason I wanted to get out. You're the reason I'm trying to leave it all behind."

She wanted to believe him, to trust in the warmth of his hands wrapped around hers. But Nadia's words continued to linger, like an itch she couldn't scratch. "So, what's stopping you? Why is she still around?"

Omar looked away, his jaw clenched. "Because she knows things about me—things that could ruin everything. She has evidence, connections. And as long as she thinks she has a chance to pull me back into her life, she'll use them to keep me in her grasp."

Layla felt anger flare within her. "Then why don't you fight back? Why don't you stand up to her?"

He looked at her, his eyes filled with frustration and helplessness. "Because it's not that simple, Layla. She's more powerful than you realize. And if I go up against her, she won't just come after me—she'll come after anyone close to me. Including you."

A cold fear settled over her, but she pushed it aside. "So, what are we supposed to do, Omar? Just live in fear forever?"

He leaned closer, his eyes intense. "I don't want to live in fear, Layla. I want to be free of her, to have a future with you. But I can't do it alone."

Layla took a steadying breath, her mind racing. This wasn't just about her and Omar; this was about both of them facing something far bigger than their own fears. If she walked away now, she'd never know if they could have defeated Nadia together. But if she stayed, she'd be inviting danger into her life, a danger she didn't fully understand.

Just then, the café door opened again, and Layla's blood went cold as she saw Nadia walk in, her eyes locking onto them with a triumphant, sinister glint. She sauntered over, her smile sharp and predatory.

"Fancy meeting you two here," she said, her tone dripping with mock innocence. She slid into the booth beside Layla, her gaze fixed on Omar. "I was wondering when you'd finally tell her the truth."

Omar glared at her, his jaw tight. "What are you doing here, Nadia?"

She smirked, looking at Layla as if she were a bug under a microscope. "Oh, I just thought Layla deserved to know the whole story. I'm sure you've conveniently left out a few... unsavory details."

Layla clenched her fists, her patience wearing thin. "If you have something to say, Nadia, just say it."

Nadia leaned in, her voice low and venomous. "Did he tell you about the deal he made with my father? How he agreed to work for him—forever—if it meant getting his hands on the money he needed? Or how he promised my father he'd be loyal, that he'd do whatever it took to 'earn' his favor?"

Omar's face paled, and Layla felt a sickening twist in her stomach.

Nadia's gaze softened, but there was no warmth in it. "Omar is bound to my family, Layla. As long as he owes us, he'll never be free. And neither will you, if you choose to be with him."

Omar's voice shook with anger. "Enough, Nadia. You've done enough damage."

Nadia shrugged, her smile as icy as her stare. "I'm only telling her what she deserves to know."

Layla looked at Omar, her voice barely a whisper. "Is that true? You're... bound to them?"

Omar's face was a mask of frustration and defeat. "It's complicated, Layla. Yes, I made a deal. But I'm doing everything I can to break free."

Nadia laughed, the sound cold and mocking. "Oh, you poor, naive boy. You think you can just walk away from us? My father has people everywhere. People who are just waiting for you to slip up." She turned to Layla, her eyes gleaming with malice. "Do yourself a favor, Layla. Walk away before he drags you down with him."

Layla felt her resolve wavering, the weight of everything Nadia had revealed crashing down on her. Could she really build a life with Omar when he was so deeply entangled in a world she couldn't understand?

She looked at Omar, her eyes filling with tears. "I need some time, Omar. I need to think."

Omar reached for her hand, desperation in his voice. "Layla, please—"

But she pulled away, her heart breaking even as she rose from the table. "I can't do this right now. I just... I need to be alone."

Without looking back, she walked out of the café, feeling Nadia's smug gaze on her and Omar's desperate silence trailing behind her. She stepped into the night, her mind a chaotic swirl of doubt and heartbreak. As she wandered through the darkened streets, the city lights blurring around her, she realized that the man she'd loved for so long was a stranger in more ways than one.

Back in the café, Nadia watched Omar with a victorious smile. She leaned forward, her voice a dangerous whisper. "Face it, Omar. You're never going to be free of me. And the sooner you accept that, the easier this will be for both of us."

Omar's jaw clenched, his eyes blazing with fury. "I'll never give up on Layla. No matter what you do."

Nadia's smile only widened, as if his defiance was exactly what she'd hoped for. "Oh, I'm counting on that, Omar. I wouldn't have it any other way."

She stood, leaving him sitting alone, shattered and defeated. As she walked out of the café, her laughter echoed through the empty street, filling the night with a promise of more darkness yet to come.