The café was quiet, the sound of distant chatter barely reaching our corner table. Rola sat across from me, her fingers tracing the rim of her cup, her eyes guarded but not unkind. My chest tightened. I had rehearsed this moment in my head a dozen times, but now that it was here, the words felt heavy.
"I’m not ready to leave him," I admitted, the confession spilling out before I could soften it. Her gaze flickered up, surprise flashing in her eyes. "My heart is still… attached. But I can’t ignore the way things have been."
Rola exhaled slowly, her shoulders relaxing just a fraction. "Then why are you here, Dema?"
"Because I need to understand," I said, leaning forward. "I need to hear your side—what really happened between you and Rami. Why you broke the engagement." My voice wave
