The choice
By the time Aurora realized she had just ruined her life, she was already too far from home to turn back.
The taxi hummed beneath her as the city blurred beyond the window, streetlights flashing across her face in quick golden streaks.
Her heart was pounding.
Not from fear.
At least, that was what she kept telling herself.
She looked down at the small overnight bag resting against her knees and smiled.
She had done it.
She had actually done it.
Aurora reached into her pocket and touched the second phone she'd bought that afternoon. Her old phone was switched off somewhere inside her bedroom, probably still lying beneath the pillow where she'd left it.
Her mother would have found it by now.
Her father too.
They would know.
She swallowed.
For the first time since she had this idea, guilt crept into the excitement.
But she couldn't think about that.
Not now.
She had made her choice.
No more arguments with her mother.
No more disappointed looks from her father.
No more conversations about Zaid Sinclair.
She didn't want to marry a man simply because their parents had already decided they were suitable.
And she certainly didn't want to marry Zaid.
Her smile disappeared slightly at the thought.
Even his name made something inside her tighten.
He was everything her parents admired.
Successful.
Disciplined.
Mature.
He was the kind of man who probably planned his entire week down to the minute.
Aurora could already imagine the life her parents had envisioned for them.
Perfect dinners.
A perfect marriage.
A perfect cage.
No.
She couldn't do it.
She had spent too many years being told what was best for her.
She had chosen Daniel.
And for the first time in her life, Aurora felt like the choice was completely hers.
And she refused to regret it.
Her new phone vibrated.
Aurora glanced at the screen.
Nadia.
For a moment, she considered ignoring it.
Then she sighed and answered.
“Hello?”
“Aurora?”
Her cousin's voice was quiet.
Too quiet.
Aurora sat up slightly. “What happened?”
“Nothing happened.”
“That doesn't sound like nothing.”
Nadia exhaled.
“I just wanted to make sure you're okay.”
Aurora looked out the window again. “I'm fine.”
“Where are you?”
“You know I can't tell you that.”
There was a pause.
Then Nadia said, “Your mother hasn't stopped crying.”
Aurora's smile disappeared.
She stared at the passing lights.
“She'll be fine.”
“And dad?”
Nadia gave a humorless laugh. “Furious.”
That almost made Aurora smile.
Of course he was.
Her father had probably already called everyone he knew. Family friends. Relatives. Anyone who might have seen her.
“He still doesn't believe that I don't know where you are,” Nadia continued.
Aurora's fingers tightened.
“And Aurora…”
“What?”
“You should know that they're not only angry anymore.”
Aurora frowned.
“What do you mean?”
“They're scared.”
The words landed differently.
Aurora looked down at her hands and her chest tightened.
“I didn't want to hurt them.”
“I know.”
“I just couldn't marry Zaid.”
“I know that too.”
Nadia's voice softened.
“But Aurora, there are things you don't know.”
Aurora frowned.
“What things?”
Silence.
“Nadia?”
“I've been looking into Daniel.”
Aurora's stomach dropped.
“Why?”
“Because you're my cousin.”
“That doesn't answer the question.”
“Because you are about to throw away everything for him.”
Aurora's jaw tightened. Nadia continued.
“You left your family.”
“I chose my life.”Aurora tried to justify her actions.
“You barely know what kind of life Daniel can give you.”
“I know enough.”
“No, Aurora. You know what he shows you.”
The words irritated her.
“What's that supposed to mean?”
“I mean I started asking questions.”
Aurora's heart began beating faster.
“Nadia.”
“I didn't want to stop you from leaving without evidence because you wouldn't believe me, I almost didn't believe it either.”
“Believe what?”
Another pause.
Then Nadia said quietly,
“You need to confront Daniel tonight.”
Aurora's stomach twisted.
“Why?”
“Because I'm not going to tell you over the phone.”
“Nadia…”
“Meet him.”
Aurora stared at the city outside the window.
“He's expecting me at the restaurant.”
“I know.”
That made her turn sharply.
“What?”
“I know where you're meeting him.”
Aurora's voice dropped.
“How?”
“I told you. I've been looking into him.”
A cold feeling crawled slowly up Aurora's spine.
“What did you find?”
Nadia was silent. Then added
“Just meet him, Aurora.”
The call ended.
Aurora stared at the screen.
For several seconds, she didn't move. She was going to see him anyway she'd get her answers.
And if Nadia was wrong, Aurora would make sure she knew it.
Daniel was already waiting when Aurora arrived.
He stood outside the restaurant, leaning casually against his car.
The sight of him immediately eased something inside her.
This was Daniel.
The man who had convinced her that choosing herself wasn't selfish.
The man she had left her family for.
He smiled when he saw her.
“There she is.”
Aurora forced a smile.
He opened his arms.
She stepped into them.
For a second, everything felt normal.
Safe.
Then she pulled away.
“Let's go inside.” Daniel said and held her hands.
Aurora nodded and walked inside the restaurant.
They sat across from each other.
Aurora barely touched her drink.
Daniel kept looking at her.
“What?”
“Nothing.”
“You're staring.”
“You look different.”
Aurora smiled.
“Different good or different bad?”
“Different.”
She laughed softly.
“I ran away from home today. I think I'm allowed to look a little different.”
Daniel smiled.
But it didn't reach his eyes.
Aurora noticed.
Again.
Her fingers tightened around the glass.
“Nadia called me.”
Daniel's expression immediately hardened.
“What did she want?”
“She said she found something out.”
“About what?”
“You.”
The silence that followed was so sudden that Aurora could hear the faint clinking of plates from another table.
Daniel leaned back.
“What did she say?”
“She wouldn't tell me.”
“Then why are you here?”
Aurora stared at him.
“Because she told me to ask you.”
Daniel looked away.
That was when Aurora knew.
Something was wrong.
Not because of what he had said.
Because of what he hadn't.
She placed the glass down.
“Daniel.”
He didn't answer.
“Look at me.”
Slowly, he did.
Aurora's heart sank.
She had never seen that expression on his face before.
Not fear.
Not guilt.
Something worse.
Acceptance.
As if whatever happened next had already been decided.
“What's going on?”
Daniel rubbed a hand over his face.
“Aurora…”
Her stomach turned.
“No.”
He swallowed.
“I didn't want you to find out like this.”
Her chair scraped against the floor as she sat straighter.
“Find out what?”
Daniel looked at her for a long moment.
Then he said,
“I care about you.”
Aurora almost laughed.
“That's not an answer.”
“I know.”
“Then give me one.”
His eyes dropped.
And when he finally looked back at her, there was no easy way to misunderstand what she saw there.
“I love Maya.”
Everything inside Aurora went still.
The restaurant continued moving around them.
People laughed.
Cutlery clinked.
A waiter walked past their table.
Someone's phone rang.
But Aurora heard none of it.
“What?”
Daniel's voice was barely above a whisper.
“I like you, Aurora. I do.”
She stared at him.
“You like me?”
“I care about you.”
“You let me leave my family for you. You knew what I was giving up.”
“I know.”
Her voice cracked.
“And you still let me?”
Daniel closed his eyes briefly.
“Aurora.”
“No.” She cut him off.
She shook her head.
“No, don't say my name like that.”
He looked miserable.
But somehow that made it worse.
“Have you been cheating on me with maya?.”
He didn't answer
Aurora's eyes burned.
“Are you in a relationship with Maya?” She asked her voice louder
“Yes.”The answer was immediate.
No hesitation.
No excuse.
She looked away.
A bitter laugh escaped her.
Her best friend watched her love a guy loudly while that same guy was in a relationship with her.
The person she trusted enough to leave everything behind for had been sharing a secret with the person she trusted most.
Aurora suddenly understood why Nadia had refused to tell her over the phone.
Because some betrayals were too cruel to fit inside a phone call.
She stood.
Daniel reached for her wrist.
She pulled away so quickly that his hand fell back.
“Aurora, please.”
“Don't.”
“She grabbed her bag.
Her hands were shaking.
“You should have told me before I destroyed my life.”
Daniel said nothing.
And that silence was the answer she needed.
Aurora walked out.
She didn't cry.
Not yet.
She simply kept walking.
Past the restaurant.
Past the lights.
Past people who had no idea that the girl walking beside them had just discovered that the life she had chosen so fiercely had never been hers alone.
By the time she reached the roadside, the city had blurred.
She stopped beneath a streetlight.
For the first time that night, Aurora had nowhere to go.
Her family home was behind her.
Daniel was no longer an option.
And the future she had been so certain about only hours ago had disappeared without warning.
She looked down at the unfamiliar phone in her hand.
There was no one to call.
No mother to run to.
No home waiting for her.
Aurora hugged herself against the night air.
She had wanted freedom.
Now she had it.
And suddenly, she had never felt so alone.
