I swallow hard as her words hit something deeper inside of me that I don’t want to acknowledge. The thing is, I don’t believe in fate. I don’t believe in prophecies or soul mates or anything that steals away my control. To me, you are with who you choose and no one determines it.

I remember my mother talking about her relationship with my father. She said she chose him for what he could offer her, not because of love. But over time, she grew to love him. Their relationship was rocky, and ...