In the Shadow of Betrayal

Chapter 5: Departure Decisions

The sun peaked in through the half closed drabes as Armina rolled over in bed. She could see her phone light up, as she grabbed it she could see Ethan's name on the screen,

"What do you want, Ethan?" Armina asked, trying to keep her tone steady.

Ethan's voice was laced with anger as he responded, "Where are you, Armina? Why did you move out all your stuff?"

Armina hesitated, not sure how to explain her decision. "I needed some space, Ethan," she finally replied.

Ethan's frustration boiled over. "Figure what out? We should be talking about this together, not you running away like this."

But Armina couldn't bring herself to engage in a conversation with him at that moment. "I can't do this right now, Ethan," she said softly. "I'll come back for the rest of my things when I'm ready."

Before Ethan could respond, Armina hung up, leaving him seething with frustration. She knew that facing Ethan would be difficult, but she had made up her mind. It was time for her to finally move on with her life.

Feeling emotionally drained, Armina decided to call her parents back home in the States. She needed their support now more than ever. As she dialed their number, she took a deep breath and prepared to share the news of her resignation and her decision to move back.

Her parents, concerned but loving, listened as Armina explained her situation. They offered their unwavering support, assuring her that they would help in any way they could. It was a comforting conversation, and Armina felt a sense of relief knowing that she had her family behind her.

Once the call with her parents were over Armina decided to go for a run to clear her mind. She laced up her running shoes and headed out, her thoughts still swirling with the recent events in her life. The rhythmic pounding of her feet on the pavement helped ease her stress as she lost herself in the music playing through her earbuds.

As she jogged through the neighborhood, her mind drifted to Niall. They hadn't spoken since the engagement party, and she couldn't help but feel a mix of resentment and hurt towards him. She had always considered Niall a friend, but his involvement in her personal life had only made things more complicated.

As Armina ran back to the hotel, she suddenly noticed a familiar figure up ahead. It was Niall, standing on the sidewalk, waiting for her. Her heart raced as she debated whether to stop and talk to him. But her anger and frustration won out, and she decided to keep running, increasing the volume of her music to drown out any attempts at conversation.

Niall, undeterred, began to follow her, jogging to catch up. He called out her name, but Armina refused to acknowledge him. She was determined to avoid any confrontation with him.

They continued like this for several blocks, with Niall trailing behind Armina as she ran, desperately trying to get her attention. Finally, they ended up in a random parking lot, both of them breathless from the run.

Armina slowed to a stop, and Niall approached her cautiously. "Armina, please," he implored, his voice filled with regret and sadness. "We need to talk."

Armina finally removed her earbuds, her chest heaving from the exertion. She turned to face Niall, her eyes filled with a mix of anger and hurt. "Talk about what, Niall?" she demanded, her voice sharp.

Niall took a deep breath, his gaze unwavering. "About everything," he replied. "About how I let you down by not confronting Cathlin, by not being there for you when you found out about Ethan."

Armina's anger began to ebb, replaced by a sense of resignation. She had been holding onto her anger for so long, and now, faced with Niall's sincerity, she wasn't sure if she had the energy to keep it up.