It was Orion who walked up to us first.
“Yara, I know everything now,” he said, his voice a mix of exhaustion and determination.
The moment those words left his lips, my heart skipped. My gut told me something was coming, but I wasn’t sure if I was ready for it.
I tried to sidestep him, but he blocked my path. “This child is your mentor’s, right? I can help you raise her. I’ve kept your room… Yara, just come back. We still have a chance.”
I held Uma tighter. His words were smooth, almost convincing, but I wasn’t buying it.
How could they sound so tempting? If I just turned back, everything could go back to some kind of normal, right? But why didn’t he just admit that things were over?
Maybe it wasn’t about love after all. Maybe Orion just didn’t want to lose me, whether I was his niece or his lover. But I didn’t want to be either.
I shook my head slowly, firm in my resolve. “Orion, there’s no need for this. It’s all in the past.”
The good, the bad, everything, it was over now.
I met his eyes, unflinching. “You were right before. My feelings for you were more about needing you than anything else. Thanks for helping me see that.”
I didn’t need him. Not anymore.
This would be the last time I’d look at Orion. He stood there, stunned, watching me walk away.
Once we were home, Uma pulled me aside, her voice soft. “Mom, I looked back… He was crying.”
Her face was full of uncertainty, like she didn’t know what to do with what she’d just witnessed. I knew she’d never seen an adult cry before.
I smiled gently, wanting to shift her focus. “What do you want for dinner, Uma?”
It was easy to distract her, and just like that, she was back to her usual self, excitedly debating our dinner options.
As I headed into the kitchen, my phone buzzed. I glanced down at the screen, it was an email. The job I interviewed for a few days ago? I’d gotten the offer.
I could finally start fresh.
After everything I’d been through, the ups, the downs, the heartbreak, it hit me. Peace, safety, stability… that’s what I truly wanted. And now, finally, I had the chance to have it.
