Twists Of Fate

CHAPTER SEVEN

AVIVA’S POV:

My boyfriend, Miller, sat across from me on his dining table. He has this charming smile that makes me blush.

I don’t know, I just sensed a hint of tension in the atmosphere. He’s definitely not good at hiding things.

"You seem off. Are you OK?" I asked him with a gentle voice.

He looked up, his gaze meeting mine, I saw affection and unease. "Yeah… I'm fine, baby. I have… younno, just been thinking a lot about the job offer."

I nodded. I blinked repeatedly. I knew exactly which job offer he was referring to – the one that would take him to another city, miles away from me.

"It's a great opportunity, Aviva," he continued. "The pay is excellent, and it could really advance my technical career."

A part of me felt truly happy for him and proud of his achievements. But another part of me, a more selfish part of me, was concerned. Our relationship had been going well, and the thought of navigating a long-distance situation was truly frightening.

"I understand," I said, my smile tinged with concern. "And I genuinely want you to succeed, Marcus. You deserve it."

He leaned forward, his hand finding mine on the table. "I'm grateful that you see that."

The warmth of his touch soothed me, but I couldn't ignore the knot that formed in my stomach. My heart was hurting. “ What does all of this mean for us?"

His eyes locked onto mine, showing both earnestness and uncertainty. "I genuinely care about you, Aviva."

Conflicting emotions surged within me as I stared at our interlocked fingers. I didn't want to lose him, but I also didn't want to be the reason he missed a wonderful chance to succeed.

"Long-distance relationships are tough," I admitted, my voice soft. "And I don't want us to drift apart."

He squeezed my hand gently. "Neither do I."

Silence settled between us, heavy with the unspoken words that hung in the air. I knew Marcus well enough to sense that he was torn – torn between his career aspirations and his feelings for me.

“I have heard of relationships that have broken because they allowed distance.” That came out weaker than I thought.

His gaze was fixed on mine. “We are not them, baby. They are not us. And that makes the difference, my love.” His words were soothing, but I still do not feel good letting distance set in.

My voice firm, I finally responded, "I don't want to give up on us. Still, I also don't want to be the cause of you missing out on something that might change your life.”

“You occupy an important part in my life, Aviva. And I don't want that to be damaged by distance."

My eyes were pinched by tears, and I felt vulnerable all over.

"So, what are we going to do?"

“We’re going to compress the distance,” Aiden declared, his voice carrying the weight of determination. His smile was infectious, a testament to his unwavering belief in their shared journey.

Leaning in closer, he locked eyes with me, his tone earnest. “We have to prepare for it. Remember, a phase you fail to prepare for is the one that truly breaks you when you reach it.”

His words carried a depth of experience, a weathered wisdom born from facing life’s challenges head-on.

I nodded in agreement.

“We would incorporate several techniques to compress the distance. We got each other, baby.” He affirmed. Although it was a straightforward statement, it was loaded with meaning.

He took out a small package from his pocket. My eyes followed it as he slid it over the table toward me. My heart skipped a beat. Upon opening it, a beautiful heart shaped pendant was crafted on a fragile silver chain.

"It's a reminder," he stated with genuineness in his voice.

His action made me grin even though tears were streaming down my face. “I..I love it.”

He returned the smile, his eyes softening as he used his thumb to dab a tear. "I love you."

As our hands found each other once again, the weight of the challenges ahead seemed a bit lighter. We still had obstacles to navigate, but at that moment, I knew that our connection was strong enough to withstand the distance.

Our dinner continued, laughter and shared stories filling the space between us. The challenges were real, but so was our love for one another. I have heard of, and I have seen, but I am sure with the strong connection we share, distance has nothing to do with us.

***

EMILY’S POV

It’s been months running the hotel together with my friends. Every morning, I wake up to the bustle of the hotel, guests chatting. A sense of accomplishment fills my heart.

Well, maybe I lied. Despite the laughter and friendship, a subtle ache tugs at the edges of my thoughts, a void that lingers when the noise of the day subsides. I’ve refused to open up to my friends.

As I grapple with my own challenges, my attention is often drawn to Kylie’s voice, carrying the weight of her own relationship troubles.

“I just wish we could find a balance,” Kylie confessed to Aviva one evening. “I miss the way things used to be.”

Aviva nodded sympathetically. “It’s a tough spot to be in.” She continued, “But remember, communication is key. You both need to openly discuss your priorities and find ways to support each other.”

Kylie sighed, her frustration evident. “I know you’re right. It’s just hard when work keeps pulling us in different directions.”

A quiet thought surfaced in the recesses of my mind…

“Is this how relationships are? Your man can’t even bear you working your ass off. I don’t want, please.”

Hints of secrecy and uncertainty hover around Aviva, casting a cloud of doubt over the foundation of our friendship.

In the middle of our conversations and my personal thoughts, an unexpected power outage occurred in the hotel, leaving guests without air conditioning and causing inconvenience.

Panic surged through me, scattering my thoughts like leaves in the wind.

My agitation was palpable as I hurried about, my actions reflecting the inner turmoil.

“Oh my!!! I’ve lost my guests! They are never going to come back.” My voice shaking as I speak to myself.

Amidst these challenges, someone walked up to me. “Hey. Calm down. I can give a call now and get someone to fix it for the hotel.” He said.

I was going to reject it because I did not need a man to help me. I am enough. But when I saw how customers were leaving the rooms, leaving the restaurants and some lamenting, I gave in.

“I will appreciate that, thank you.”

A captivating smile stretched across his face, his physique exuding a confidence that was hard to ignore.

“Focus, focus Emily. Your hotel first.”

I cautioned myself.

My friends were trying to talk and calm the customers.

Shortly after, a figure appeared who was going to fix the power outage.

I was calm. This stranger locked his seductive eyes on mine. I blinked and shook off any thoughts in my head.

“Thanks,” I said.

“I’m Marcus, a tech-savvy. I’m here for a business conference,” he let out.

I nodded. Trying to avoid conversations with him.

A persistent stream of thoughts echoed in my mind:

“Emily, focus. Don’t allow history to repeat itself.”

“With the situation under control”, he gestured toward a chair, his words inviting me to sit down.

I took the seat, deliberately averting my gaze to avoid locking eyes with him.

“Running a hotel must be quite an adventure,” he remarked with a smile.

A soft chuckle escaped my lips, a fleeting respite from the weariness that had been clinging to me.

“That’s one way to describe it. It’s a rollercoaster of highs and lows.” Careful not to sound naive or impolite, I responded cautiously.

Alex’s eyes sparkled with curiosity. “Well, I’m all ears if you ever want to share stories or bounce ideas off someone.”

I remained silent, a heavy silence enveloping us.

“I hope you’re doing okay,” Marcus broke the silence, his voice gentle.

“Oh my Goddess!!!! Did you hear that voice???”

I took a sip of the wine, buying time to collect my thoughts. “I’m trying,” I admitted, my vulnerability surfacing.

His hand brushed against mine, his touch a comforting anchor. It sent shivers down my spine. “You don’t have to face them alone. I’m here for you.”

“His gentle touch seems to transport me to another world. Now I want these hands on my body.”

“Okay dear mind, it’s about time you shut up and let me think!!!!”

I mentally scolded myself, imploring my own thoughts to fall silent and grant me clarity.

He launched into telling me stuff but my focus had drifted elsewhere, leaving his words unheard.

My mind wandered into a reverie, consumed by thoughts of his charm and my internal battle against the echoes of the past.

However, it was refreshing to connect with someone who was outside my immediate circle and had a different approach to business challenges.

The vibration of my phone jolted me from my thoughts, it was a message from the same unknown number.

“The past cannot be escaped, Emily. It’s time to face it.”