Chapter 56 – Amara's POV
"Let Me Go"
The moment I walked away from Ethan on that balcony, I felt the burn of frustration clinging to my chest like smoke after a fire. My heels clicked against the polished marble floor as I returned to the restaurant where Malik was waiting, seated exactly where I had left him. The candlelight flickered on his calm face, and when he looked up and met my eyes, I didn't see anger — just quiet knowing.
He gave a small, understanding smile as I sat back down, brushing a loose strand of hair behind my ear and trying not to show how shaken I still was. My emotions were a storm beneath my skin. Ethan's words still rang in my head. His jealousy, his audacity, and the way he had dragged me out like he had any right to do so.
"I'm sorry," I said softly, not quite meeting Malik's gaze.
He leaned forward slightly, resting his elbows on the table. "You don't need to apologize. I saw everything."
I winced. "I didn't mean for that to happen. He just—he always thinks he can control everything."
Malik's lips curved slightly, not quite a smile but not unkind. "It's okay, Amara. Really."
I looked up at him, confused by how gentle he was being. "You're not… upset?"
He shrugged, then reached for his drink. "No. I mean, I'd be lying if I said it didn't sting a little. But I think deep down, I always knew."
"Knew what?" I asked carefully, my voice a whisper.
"That you didn't love me," he replied simply. "Not the way I wanted you to. And honestly, I never thought you were trying to hurt me. You were trying to feel something, and I was… available."
His words made my chest ache in a different way. "Malik—"
He waved his hand gently. "Let me finish."
I nodded slowly, giving him space.
"When we started dating, I told myself I could make you love me if I just gave you enough time. But I saw the way your eyes wandered, how your mind drifted when we were together. I noticed how you smiled more when you talked about your art than when you were with me. And when Ethan entered the picture…"
He let out a slow breath.
"I saw the way you tensed whenever his name came up. The way you avoided saying too much about that one night you went missing, the way your eyes looked haunted every time he was brought up in passing. I may not have known the full story then, but I could tell he wasn't just some stranger from your past."
My throat was tight. "I didn't mean to lead you on."
"You didn't," he said kindly. "I chose to stay. I chose to be your friend even while we dated. I didn't stay because I thought something was going to happen. I stayed because I liked being around you. But I also prepared myself for the day it might end. Not because I didn't believe in us… but because I didn't want to be blindsided if you walked away."
I swallowed the lump in my throat. "That's… a lot more mature than most people would be."
He smiled at that. "I guess I always knew this might not be forever."
There was a pause. A soft silence settled between us, not uncomfortable, just heavy with unspoken truths.
"Why didn't you say anything before?" I asked gently.
He leaned back in his chair. "Because I hoped. And I didn't want to be the one to end things. I wanted you to choose. I wanted to believe that if you stayed, it would be because you truly wanted to."
I blinked back the sting of tears. I didn't know how to feel. Grateful? Guilty? Maybe both.
"I'm really sorry, Malik."
"I know," he said simply. "And that's why I think it's time we stop pretending. Let's just… be friends. For real this time. No expectations. No pressure."
I nodded slowly, the tension in my chest loosening. "I'd like that. You've been good to me, Malik. Better than I probably deserved."
He chuckled softly. "Don't do that. Don't punish yourself. We're all just trying to figure this out, Amara. Love is messy. Feelings are complicated. But I know you're not a bad person."
His kindness hit me harder than any anger would have. I reached across the table and squeezed his hand. "Thank you."
We didn't talk much for the rest of the night. We finished dinner like two friends closing a chapter — one that had meant something, even if it wasn't what either of us had expected.
As we stepped out into the cool night air, I felt lighter. Not entirely free, but like I had stopped dragging a weight behind me.
Malik hailed a cab and turned to me one last time. "You deserve to find what makes you happy. Even if it's complicated."
"I hope you do too," I whispered.
He nodded, then got into the cab and disappeared into the city.
I stood there for a moment, arms folded, heart still beating fast but in a different rhythm now.
When I finally turned to leave, I found myself looking up at the sky, stars peeking through the clouds. I didn't know what came next. But one thing was clear:
I was done letting Ethan Lantel pull my strings.
And I was done pretending I didn't care.