It was like a dam broke. The words kept coming. And as she spoke, her whole face changed. Her eyes lit up, her expression softened, her voice warmed.
Alejandra let her talk. Let her unravel it all. Until she finally asked, gently, “Then why hide it? How? I mean… I could barely keep Callum at arm’s length, and he lives in another country. How did you do that? For how long?”
“Five years,” Asma muttered.
Alejandra almost choked on her beer.
“Por dios—how?”
“I focused on Lamina. Dated other guys. Pretended I didn’t care when he dated other women.”
Her voice hardened slightly.
“I kept a neutral face. Became a workaholic. My only goal was not letting any of it show.”
Five years.
That was… insane.
The waitress arrived with their burgers, and Alejandra’s stomach growled loudly in response.
“You deserve a medal for that level of restraint,” she said, eyeing the burger like it was a reward. “I barely managed.”
“I know,” Asma said with a small smile. “I can see you and Callum are clearly meant to be.”
Alejandra paused for half a second at that.
“As much as I hate to admit it,” Asma continued, “I’m not blind. I’ve seen how miserable he’s been lately.”
Her voice softened.
“But if he leaves… I’ll be stuck spending more time with Leif. And what if it doesn’t work? What if I give it a chance and everything goes to shit? Then I’m alone with Lamina.”
The spiral was fast. Immediate.
Alejandra reached across the table, placing her hand over Asma’s, stopping her.
The burger could wait.
“As someone who’s currently not doing great,” Alejandra said softly, “who’s rebuilding her life after the biggest injury of her career… and who, for the first time, has found someone who makes her heart skip beats…”
She smiled gently.
“Sometimes life doesn’t go the way you planned, but sometimes it gives you what you actually need.”
Asma looked at her, quiet now.
“Leif cares about you.”
“He hates me,” Asma shot back immediately. “I kissed him and then ran away. And didn’t talk to him. And then yelled at him tonight.”
Alejandra smiled. “I highly doubt he hates you.”
She squeezed her hand lightly.
“Why don’t you tell him what you just told me?”
“What if everything goes to shit?”
