3

As the night dragged on, I made my decision.

I would go.

Juan and I would go together, and I would show Vito that I had moved on, that I was happy.

But I couldn’t shake the feeling that nothing about this was going to be simple.

Something dark was lurking beneath the surface, and I was about to be dragged back into a world I thought I had left behind.

I turned over in bed, watching the slow rise and fall of Juan’s chest.

He was everything I had ever wanted—kind, reliable, loving.

But in that moment, all I could think about was Vito.

And that terrified me.

2

SALMA

I sat on the edge of the bed, her heart racing as I looked over the wedding invitation again.

It felt surreal, as if I were trapped in a dream that I couldn’t wake up from.

Juan entered the room, his brows furrowing as he noticed the somber expression on my face.

“What’s wrong?” he asked, concern lacing his voice.

He stepped closer, placing a gentle hand on her shoulder.

“You look like you’ve seen a ghost.”

I took a deep breath, turning the invitation around to face him.

“It’s from Vito,” I said, my voice shaking slightly. “He’s getting married. To someone else.”

Juan’s eyes widened as he took the invitation from my hands, scanning it quickly.

“This Vito… the one from your past? The man that ghosted you?”

He looked back at me, his expression a mixture of curiosity and concern.

“Yeah,” I replied, feeling a rush of emotions I thought I had buried long ago. “We had… something a while back. It was brief, but intense. I never expected to see him again, let alone get an invitation to his wedding.”

“Didn’t you tell me he disappeared on you?” Juan asked, his tone careful. “You said it was like he vanished without a word.”

I nodded, feeling the familiar pang of hurt clench my chest.

“He did. I was devastated, Juan. I thought what we had meant something. I spent months trying to move on from him, and now… this.”

Juan frowned, his thumb brushing across the edge of the invitation.

“I can’t imagine how you must feel. But you don’t have to go if it’s going to hurt you.”

“No, I think I need to go,” I said, surprising myself with my own conviction. “I need to face this. I can’t keep letting him control my emotions, even from afar. Plus, it’s important to support him, even if it is weird.”

“Support him?” Juan raised an eyebrow, clearly baffled. “You think attending his wedding will help you move on?”

I sighed, frustration bubbling inside me.

“I don’t know! Maybe it’s just about closure. I spent so much time trying to forget him, and now he’s just going to be… married? I can’t let that be the final chapter in our story.”

Juan nodded, his expression softening.

“I get it. You want to confront the past and move on. But you have to promise me something, Salma. No matter what happens at that wedding, I want you to remember that you’re with me now. I’m the one who loves you.”

His sincerity tugged at my heart, reminding me of why I had fallen for him in the first place.

“I know, Juan. I love you too. It’s just… Vito was a big part of my life, even if it was only for a short time. He made me feel things I hadn’t felt before.”

Juan's gaze held mine, unwavering.

“I understand. But you also have to understand that you deserve to be happy. If seeing him makes you feel uncomfortable or brings back bad memories, then it’s okay to step back.”

“I appreciate that,” I said, my voice thick with emotion. “But I think I need to do this, not just for him, but for me. I need to show myself that I can handle this, that I’m strong enough to face him without falling apart.”

“Okay,” Juan agreed, his tone gentle but firm. “But let’s make a pact. We go together, and if at any point it becomes too much for you, we leave. I’m not letting you go through this alone. We’ve just hit our thirties. We don’t have time to get caught up in petty drama over ancient history. We’ve both had past relationships that haven’t worked out… it doesn’t mean we have to dwell on the past and let it ruin what we’ve built together.”