Chapter 6 – The Message from the Past

Six peaceful months passed after Alina and Justin got married. Life felt calm and safe. Alina often thought, “Maybe this is what I was always looking for.” Justin treated her with care, never raising his voice, never letting her feel alone. He made her laugh at small things. Sometimes, she even forgot that she was once broken.

But life has strange ways of testing people when they least expect it. One evening, while checking her phone, Alina saw a message from an unknown number. The words were simple—“I miss you, Alina.” Her heart stopped for a second. She stared at the screen, her mind confused. It was Barry.

She kept looking at his name, her fingers shaking. She wanted to delete it, but her eyes couldn’t move. After a long pause, she whispered, “Why now?” She didn’t reply that day. She told herself, “He doesn’t deserve an answer.” Yet, she couldn’t sleep. Her mind played old memories she had buried deep inside.

The next morning, another message came—“I made a mistake. Please talk to me once.” Alina read it again and again. Her chest felt heavy. She sat quietly, thinking of the man who had once promised her forever and then left her like she meant nothing.

For days, she ignored him. She focused on her work and on Justin. But Barry didn’t stop. Every few days, another message appeared—words full of guilt and sadness. “I lost everything. I can’t stop thinking about you.”

One night, she whispered to herself, “You broke me, and now you say you miss me.” But her eyes were wet. She didn’t understand if her tears were for him or for the memories that never left.

She kept it all inside, not telling Justin. She didn’t want to hurt him. She thought, “He won’t understand this confusion.” But hiding the truth felt like carrying a heavy stone in her heart.

A week later, Barry called. She didn’t answer, but hearing his voice on the voicemail made her heart ache. He said, “I’m sorry, Alina. I was blind. The girl I left you for cheated on me. I lost my peace, my home, everything. Please meet me once.”

Alina sat on the bed and cried silently. “Why did you remember me now?” she said to herself. “When I finally found peace, why do you want to destroy it again?”

The next few days were full of questions she couldn’t answer. Justin noticed her silence. “You seem distant lately,” he said softly. She smiled weakly, “Just tired from work.” He didn’t ask more, but his eyes showed concern.

One evening, Barry sent another message—“I just want to say sorry in person.” Alina stared at it for a long time. After a moment, she replied with one word: “Fine.” She promised herself it would be only once, only to close the past.

The next afternoon, Justin told her he had to travel for a business trip for a few days. Alina nodded, pretending to be normal. But her heart was restless. The day he left, she sat for hours before finally typing, “We can meet tomorrow. Only once.”

When Barry saw her message, he replied within seconds. “Thank you. I’ll be waiting.”

That night, Alina couldn’t sleep. She looked at Justin’s photo and whispered, “Forgive me. I just need to end what still hurts me.” She convinced herself it wasn’t wrong. But deep inside, she knew this meeting could change everything.

The next day, she met Barry at a small café. He looked different—older, tired, broken. When he saw her, his eyes filled with tears. “I can’t believe I’m seeing you,” he said quietly. Alina stayed calm and said, “Say what you came to say.”

Barry took a deep breath. “I destroyed everything good in my life. The woman I left you for betrayed me. I lost trust in everyone. I was a fool, Alina. You were the only one who truly loved me.”

Alina’s eyes filled, but she tried to stay strong. “You left me when I begged you to stay,” she said. “You said I wasn’t beautiful anymore. You broke me.”

Barry nodded with regret. “I was blind. I didn’t see what love really means. I see it now. Please forgive me.” His voice cracked.

Alina looked down. “Forgiveness doesn’t change the past,” she said. “You can’t fix what you burned.”

He leaned forward. “I’m not asking for the past. I’m asking for one more chance.”

Alina froze. Her hands shook. “You’re married now,” he said quietly. “But I still love you.”

She stood up. “This was a mistake,” she said, holding her tears. “You should move on. I have.” She left before he could say another word.

That night, she sat alone, feeling the storm inside her heart. She didn’t tell Justin what happened. She told herself it was over, but she knew it wasn’t. The words Barry spoke kept echoing in her mind.

In her diary, she wrote, “Some wounds don’t close even when you cover them.” Then she whispered, “Why do old memories hurt even when you try to forget?”

She turned off the light and tried to sleep, but Barry’s voice stayed in her ears—“I still love you.”