The Truth He Hid
290 Words
Chapter Four: The Truth He Hid
Amina stood frozen at the door, her hand trembling on the handle.
For a moment, she considered ignoring him—pretending she didn’t hear his voice, pretending her heart wasn’t racing the way it used to.
But she opened the door.
Daniel stood there, rain dripping from his hair, his eyes searching hers like he was afraid she might disappear again.
“What do you want?” Amina asked, her voice cold, guarded.
“I owe you the truth,” he said quietly.
She let out a bitter laugh. “The truth? After all these years?”
“I didn’t leave because I stopped loving you.”
Amina’s chest tightened. “Then why?”
Daniel hesitated, then stepped closer. “Because staying with you would have put your life in danger.”
Her brows furrowed. “What are you talking about?”
“My family… they’re involved in things I can’t control. Dangerous things. When they found out about you, they made it clear—you were a weakness.”
Amina shook her head, disbelief written all over her face.
“They threatened you,” he continued. “Said if I didn’t walk away, you would suffer for it.”
Tears filled her eyes. “So you chose to disappear? To hurt me like that?”
“I chose to keep you alive,” Daniel said, his voice breaking.
Silence fell between them.
Amina swallowed hard, her heart aching in a way she thought she had forgotten.
“Love isn’t supposed to feel like this,” she whispered.
Daniel looked at her, pain and hope colliding in his eyes.
“I know,” he said softly. “But I never stopped loving you.”
- Writer
