A Life Unraveled: Chasing Fate

nger locked

from the one person I longed to see. My father had won. He had succ

was that my heart would n

tried, I wasn't going to

it destr

utched in my hands, the scre

ing at the call

er. Dialed tw

single

ied again, pressing th

i

th

shut, my breath u

he was alive. T

gly truth, what if my fath

way. No. Daniel was st

answering my ca

he didn't

made my chest ti

ching out? Had I

acts, stopping at the only

i

over the screen bef

up after

here have you been?

voice cracking. "Liya

ed instantly.

an't reach Daniel. I've been calling and texting, b

itated.

I didn't like the

" I wh

our father did to him... maybe D

ough she couldn't see m

ldn't just

ld

ged. "Can you check o

a slow exhale. "I wish I could, Kisha. But I'm out of

sank. N

as too

Daniel could

. "But if he loves you, Kisha, he'

i

f I didn't

ng room. His expression was unreadable, but the

t," he said. "His son just returned to

fr

her

force me into a l

fists. "I don'

e cut through me. "Th

de him, finally spoke. "It's just dinner, Ki

g some

iel was r

for him could be e

scream. I wa

it would

said n

st n

oice di

ions I had no interest in. The air smelled of expensive win

ng a polite smile as my father i

in

Well-spoken. From

's eyes, he

didn't

rd he said. My mind was s

away from the table, and lo

t out a shaky breath, grippi

asn't

how it was s

myself

k star

" my mother's voice called throug

my face. I couldn't let

d walked out as if

followed wer

for Danie

d for a

othin

dn't take

for work, I booked a cab and

l's h

my stomach chu

ed before

ans

cked

l no

ut to turn away,

oking for

rly woman standing near

, hopeful. "A

softened.

out last mon

ch dropp

what happened to the

bled. "Where

"No one knows. They

world tilt

l was

I realized I might

er's Fi

street for hours,

hts flashed i

ack

ther'

fou

m. "We've been looking fo

n't f

n't s

t them ta

r was waiting. His expres

arning, his pal

head snapping

ad of focusing on your future, you are ch

ce shaking. "How do you

to something terrifying. "

eath

had h

him, my bo

ther word, I turn

ht to

t into

y my window, starin

ng. H

re was

Da

sound of my o

sil

e, I feared that sile