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I never believed in fate; life felt like a series of random events. But everything changed when I realized I was the reason Linda’s father was dead.<\/p>\n
I’m thirty, engaged to Linda, the love of my life. We met two years ago in New York City, and as we planned our wedding, I had no idea my past would catch up with me.<\/p>\n
Linda was close to her mother, Veronica. They talked daily, and I knew about Linda\u2019s father, Leonard, who died in a car accident when she was ten. It was a subject Linda rarely discussed, so I didn\u2019t push.<\/p>\n
A few months before our wedding, we visited her childhood home in Phoenix. Linda wanted to ask her mother for a special wedding veil. Excited to meet Veronica again, we drove through the sweltering Phoenix heat.<\/p>\n
Upon arrival, Veronica welcomed us warmly. After dinner, we laughed and looked through old photo albums. When I turned a page, I froze, staring at a picture of Linda with her father. My heart sank as I recognized his face.<\/p>\n
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Without thinking, I blurted, \u201cI\u2019m so sorry to say this, but I\u2019m the reason your father is dead. Linda, I killed him.\u201d<\/p>\n
Linda\u2019s laughter died, replaced by disbelief. \u201cWhat do you mean, Cole?\u201d<\/p>\n
I swallowed hard. \u201cDo you remember I told you my family lived in Phoenix for a year when I was ten? One afternoon, while riding my bike, I swerved into the wrong lane. A car swerved to avoid hitting me and crashed into a tree. I watched it happen and later saw the article in the newspaper. It was your father. He died while saving me.\u201d<\/p>\n
Veronica gasped, covering her mouth in shock. \u201cI didn\u2019t know,\u201d I whispered. \u201cI didn\u2019t know he was your dad.\u201d<\/p>\n
The weight of the truth pressed down on me. \u201cI understand if you want to call off the wedding,\u201d I said. \u201cWhat I did… it\u2019s unforgivable.\u201d<\/p>\n
Linda stared at me, her expression unreadable. Then she took my hand. \u201cI think it\u2019s fate that we met, Cole. You were a child; you didn\u2019t know. I can\u2019t blame you or my father. He did what any father would do. I forgive you.\u201d<\/p>\n
Her words hit me like a wave. I stood, needing air, and Linda embraced me tightly. Veronica joined us in a group hug, and in that moment, I felt a flicker of hope.<\/p>\n
A week later, as I wrote my vows, I reflected on what had happened. I still felt guilt, but Linda reassured me. \u201cYou\u2019re my favorite person in the world. Nothing will change that.\u201d<\/p>\n
Now, the evening before the wedding, I sat on the edge of the bed, tie undone, staring at the floor. I broke the silence. \u201cLinda, I keep thinking about tomorrow. Your dad should be walking you down the aisle, and… I\u2019m the reason he won\u2019t.\u201d<\/p>\n
She sat beside me. \u201cDarling, you didn\u2019t take my father away. He saved you. He would have protected any child that day.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cBut it should have been him walking with you tomorrow,\u201d I said, voice tight.<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019ve come to terms with my dad being gone,\u201d she replied. \u201cHe\u2019s a part of our story now, Cole. Because of what he did for you, we found each other.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cYou deserve everything good in this world,\u201d I said.<\/p>\n
\u201cI know,\u201d she smiled. \u201cI\u2019ve already got it. My dad would have liked you, probably given you a hard time, though.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cYeah, I think he would have,\u201d I agreed.<\/p>\n
\u201cCome on, we\u2019re getting married tomorrow. My dad will be watching. We\u2019re going to be okay. More than okay.\u201d<\/p>\n
Tomorrow, I\u2019ll stand at the altar waiting for her.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
I never believed in fate; life felt like a series of random events. But everything changed when I realized I was the reason Linda’s father was dead…. <\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":12622,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-12620","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-uncategorized"],"yoast_head":"\n