TWISTED AFFECTION

They say your first love marks you forever. If you’re unlucky, your almost-marriage does too. My sisters, Zeina and Amari, never had perfect love stories. Still, they ended up with men who made them happy. They were proof that love wasn’t always like a fairytale. Even if it was messy, it could work out. I was different. I was the sister who almost had it all. Almost married. Almost loved forever. Almost everything. I should have known that forever wasn’t mine. One day, he got tired. And the next thing I knew, he was dead. Or at least, that’s what they made me believe. It’s been ten years since the day they told me he was gone. I mourned him. I cried for him. I buried him in my heart like he was gone for good. I told myself I was fine. I moved on. I could sit at any table, laugh at any joke, and convince everyone that I was okay. That I was healed. I wanted to believe it. I wanted to show the world that I was strong. But no one knew the pieces of me that were still broken. But all of that was a lie. Also his death…was a lie. My sister, Amari, had asked me to come with her to the wedding meeting that day. To be honest, I didn’t want to, but she begged me. I gave in. I thought it would be just another ordinary meeting. She smiled at me when I showed up. “You look so pretty today,” she said, fixing my curtain bangs. “I’m pretty every day. What are you saying?” I exclaimed. She giggled. “I missed you, Tali…” “I missed you, too, Ate…” I smiled at her. She’ll be married in the next few months, and I think she’ll finally be content with her life. She experienced a lot and now, I’m truly happy for her. While we talked, I noticed her eyes flicking at someone behind me. When I turned, I saw someone I never thought I would see again. My eyes widened, not in sadness, but because of anger. “Engineer Ramirez!” There he was. He looked the same. Same brown eyes, same calm expression. Like he didn’t just destroy everything years ago. I smirked, unable to believe this whole set up. My hands curled slowly into fists. “Ate, what is he doing here?” I asked Amari, anger seeped through me. She looked at me then glanced at him. “Uhm…he was hired by Lucas—” Now, Maverick was walking closer to us. “And you agreed?” I asked her. She didn’t speak. My chest tightened. "This is bullshit..." “Nice to see you again, Attorney Lopez,” he said politely, nodding at my sister. And then he glanced at me. “Good to see you again, Tathaira—” “I didn’t expect to see a ghost here.” I sarcastically said. He said nothing but his lips curled. “Ah! By the way, Engineer Ramirez, Lucas is on his way. I met with my wedding coordinator earlier, that’s why my sister’s here with me.” He glanced at me again. My jaw clenched as I looked away. They started talking about the plans for their house, but I couldn’t hear any of it. My eyes kept landing on him. Every time he moved, every time he breathed, I remembered the nights I cried because I thought he was gone. For a second, my heart stuttered, then the anger swallowed it whole. He wasn’t gone. He just chose to disappear and now they're telling me that whatever he did was for me. What a bullshit that was! The more I thought about it, the angrier I got. I couldn’t sit there any longer. “I need air,” I said and stood up before Amari could stop me. I walked fast until I reached outside. I wanted to scream. I wanted to cry. I wanted to hit him and to ask why. But mostly… I wanted to forget how deeply I once loved him. The air was cold, but my anger was hotter than the sun, burning through every lie I ever forced myself to believe. “Tali…” I didn’t want to hear his voice. Not now. Not ever! I turned sharply and kept walking farther. “Tathaira, please...” He grabbed my hand. My whole body froze. I looked at him, even though I didn’t want to. The lump in my throat tightened more. My heart pounded so hard that it hurt I spun around so fast he froze where he stood. “Listen to you?” I snapped, grabbing my hand away. “Why the hell would I listen to you?” He opened his mouth, but I cut him off before he could speak. “You don’t get to talk to me like this is normal. You don’t get to say my name like nothing happened. You died, Maverick. You were dead. I buried you in my heart and tried to survive while you—” I choked on the words, my voice trembling. “While you were out there... living your new life.” He stepped forward and his eyes heavy. “Tathaira, it wasn’t—” “Don’t.” I raised a hand, my tone sharp enough to cut the air. “Don’t you dare try to twist this.” He stopped. His silence made it worse. I let out a shaky breath, anger spilling out like poison. “Do you have any idea what you did to me? I cried for you. I blamed myself for losing you." My voice cracking. " Every... Every f*****g year, I went home just to grieve a man who wasn’t even dead!” He lowered his gaze. “I never wanted to hurt you.” “That's pure bullshit!” I snapped. “Why did you disappear? Why did you make everyone believe you were gone? Huh? And please, don’t tell me it’s for me just like what your mom told me!” He didn’t answer. He couldn’t. I stepped closer, eyes burning into his. “You know what’s worse?” I said quietly, my voice shaking with anger. “I wish… I wish you actually died. Because at least then, my pain would’ve meant something. At least then, the man I was bound to get married to wouldn’t turn out to be a liar.” He didn’t speak. Of course he didn’t. His jaw tightening, “You should’ve stayed gone, Maverick.” My voice dropped low, steady but seething. “You’re worse alive.” I turned to leave but stopped, just for a moment, my heart pounding. “Tell me,” I said bitterly, my words trembling but sharp, “does she know? Does your fiancée know that you’re here talking to your ex-fiancée?” He looked stunned and his eyes flickering with guilt. That was all I needed to see. “I thought so,” I muttered. “You had years to tell me the truth. You didn’t. Now it’s too late.” I didn’t wait for him to answer. I walked away, every step heavier, every breath tighter. Behind me, I could still hear him calling softly, “Tali…” But I didn’t turn back. Not this time.