Chapter 16 - The Aftermath

Saad sat alone in his car, staring blankly at the dashboard. The cold reality of what had just happened washed over him like a tidal wave. Alina was gone, and with her, a part of his life that he had taken for granted. The guilt was unbearable, and the emptiness inside him was profound.He drove aimlessly through the city, the lights blurring into streaks as tears welled up in his eyes. The vibrant energy of the streets felt like a cruel mockery of his despair. Every moment replayed in his mind, and each memory cut deeper than the last. How had he allowed himself to fall so far? How had he let down the people who had meant everything to him?Eventually, Saad found himself parked outside Sara's apartment. He wasn't sure why he had come here, but something about being close to her gave him a shred of comfort. But the comfort was fleeting; he knew that his relationship with Sara was built on the same foundation of lies that had just crumbled beneath him with Alina.He took a deep breath and dialed Sara's number. The phone rang twice before she picked up, her voice bright and cheerful. "Hey, Saad! I wasn't expecting you to call so late."Saad hesitated, his mind racing. Should he tell her everything? Should he come clean, knowing that it would likely destroy whatever they had? But before he could decide, Sara continued, her voice tinged with concern. "Is everything okay? You sound off."Saad swallowed hard. "Sara, can I come up? I need to talk to you."There was a brief pause before she replied, "Of course, Saad. Come on up."As he walked up to her apartment, Saad's legs felt like they were made of lead. Each step was heavy, as if the weight of his guilt was physically dragging him down. When he reached her door, it opened almost immediately, and Sara stood there, her face filled with concern."Saad, what's wrong? You're scaring me," she said, pulling him into a hug.Saad held her tightly, his mind spinning. This might be the last time he would feel her warmth, the last time he would hold her close. The thought was too much to bear, but he knew that he had no choice. He had to tell her the truth.They sat down on the couch, and Sara looked at him expectantly, her eyes searching his for answers. "Saad, whatever it is, just tell me. We can work through it together."Saad took a deep breath, his hands trembling. "Sara, there's something I've been hiding from you, and it's not fair to you or to anyone involved."Sara's expression shifted to one of confusion and worry. "What are you talking about, Saad?""I've been seeing someone else… for a while now," Saad confessed, his voice barely above a whisper. "Her name is Alina, and she… she didn't know about you, either."The room fell into a suffocating silence. Sara stared at Saad, her eyes wide with shock. The color drained from her face as the truth of his words sank in. "You've… been cheating on me?" she asked, her voice breaking.Saad couldn't bear to look at her. "I'm so sorry, Sara. I never wanted to hurt you, but I've made a mess of everything. I should have been honest with you from the start, but I was selfish… I didn't want to lose you or Alina."Tears welled up in Sara's eyes, and she turned away from him, trying to process what she had just heard. "I can't believe this… I trusted you, Saad. I thought we had something real."Saad reached out to her, but she recoiled, shaking her head. "Don't touch me," she whispered, her voice trembling with hurt and anger. "I can't even look at you right now."Saad's heart shattered at her words, but he knew that he deserved every bit of her pain and anger. He had betrayed her trust, and there was no excuse for what he had done. "I understand if you hate me, Sara. I hate myself for what I've done. I just… I wanted you to know the truth."Sara stood up, her eyes blazing with fury and tears streaming down her face. "You don't get to play the victim here, Saad. You lied to me, to both of us. You were selfish, and now you want my forgiveness? I don't think I can give you that."Saad's head hung low, his shoulders slumped in defeat. "I'm not asking for your forgiveness, Sara. I just wanted to be honest with you, finally. You deserve better than what I've given you."For a moment, Sara just stood there, her chest heaving with emotion. Then, without another word, she walked to the door and opened it, her back to Saad. "I think you should leave now," she said quietly.Saad nodded, knowing that there was nothing more to say. He walked to the door, pausing for a moment in the doorway. He wanted to say something, anything, to make it right, but he knew that no words could heal the wound he had inflicted. So he left, the door closing behind him with a soft click that felt like the final nail in the coffin of his relationship with Sara.As Saad walked back to his car, the reality of his situation hit him like a ton of bricks. He had lost both Alina and Sara in a single night, and it was entirely his own doing. The emptiness inside him grew, swallowing him whole. He had been playing with fire, and now he was left to deal with the ashes.For the first time in a long while, Saad felt completely alone. He drove back to his apartment in silence, the weight of his actions pressing down on him like a physical burden. The city lights, once vibrant and full of life, now seemed distant and cold. The world felt darker, as if the light had been snuffed out by his own choices.When he finally reached his apartment, Saad collapsed onto his bed, staring up at the ceiling. The events of the night replayed in his mind over and over again, each memory a painful reminder of what he had lost. He had loved two women, but in trying to keep them both, he had ended up with nothing.Tears slid down his cheeks as he lay there, the silence of the room deafening. He knew he had no one to blame but himself. His greed, his selfishness, had led him to this point, and now he was paying the price. The unraveling was complete, and all that was left was the hollow echo of what could have been.But even in the depths of his despair, Saad couldn't help but wonder: Was there a way forward from here? Could he rebuild his life, or was he doomed to live with the consequences of his actions forever? The questions swirled in his mind, but the answers remained elusive, hidden in the shadows of his broken heart.