part of her still wanted to.

♣
“Oh yeah, before I get caught up in the excitement of finally meeting the
man who has Bella’s heart, Ibty and I are planning to go on a girls trip next
month In Shaa Allah. We came up with the plan on Monday and I really,
really want to look forward to it but I have to run it through you first.
You’re my husband after all.”
Although she didn’t raise her head, Ayra knew Ibrahim stopped eating.
Using her chopsticks to pick a dumpling, she put it in her mouth and raised
her head to look at him, chewing softly. Practicing how to act with Ibtihaj
all week had paid off and while it had still been draining to pretend since he
got back, it wasn’t as tiring as it used to be.
Ibrahim stared back at her, his chopsticks in one hand and his other hand
on the top of the table. His expression was a mirror of her earlier one;
surprise and a little disbelief as clear as day. His voice was low when he
finally brought himself to ask “A girls trip?”
She nodded, swallowing the dumpling she’d finished chewing. “A girls
trip.” Her smile came with practiced ease and she propped an arm up
before resting her chin in her palm. “It was all we could talk about and I
really, really want to go. Ibty and I haven’t travelled beyond Atlantica’s
shores together before and now that she went to tour the UK, all we could
talk about was going together. However, we don’t want to tour just the UK,
we want to visit some other places in Europe too.”
A moment – maybe two – passed before Ibrahim lowered his chopsticks,
putting a smile on his face that was all shades of insincere. It took him
another moment to bring his gaze back to hers. “That’s…very impromptu.”
She nodded, pushing down the part that felt a little bad. “I know but
please…We won’t stay long, I promise. I just really, really, really want to go
on this trip with Ibty and I want it to be before the year runs out.”
Although the reminder made her chest squeeze, she kept smiling and
playing her part well. “Our anniversary’s coming up soon and while I’m not
going to tell you if I have anything planned, I want to be home with more
than enough time to spare in case I do have something planned.”
That got a very small laugh out of him. “That’s a very bad way of telling me
you do have something planned, Ayra.”

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She grinned while her heart cracked. She leaned forward. “Good thing you
don’t know what it is. That’s if I do have something planned.”
His smile was a ghost on his face and he lowered his head. A near minute
passed before he asked “Where do you two want to go?”
“We’ll start with the UK and then we’ll go to this town in Turkey Ibty can’t
shut up about because a lot of people are making bookings there with her
company.” She made the face she’d practiced so many times; one that made
her appear cutely confused. “I don’t think I remember the name right
now.” Her smile reappeared. “I’ll ask Ibty later…Anyway, we’ll tour the UK
first and then we’ll go to Turkey and then we’ll tour whatever town comes
to mind before coming back to Atlantica. Ibty said we should make a short
stop at this new resort in Costa Casa before returning to Aomi.”
Ibrahim was back to staring at her and there was sadness mixed with
another emotion she couldn’t decipher on his face. She felt a stab of guilt
which she pushed down with immediacy.
“How long is this going to take?” He asked quietly. “You said you want to
be back with enough time before our anniversary and that’s a lot of touring
you’re about to do so…How long are you going to be away for again?”
She lowered her chopsticks and moved her hands to her laps. Silently
blowing out a breath, she crossed one leg over the other and once again
held his gaze. “Two weeks. Like I said, we won’t stay long and that’s a
promise. Ibty already has the offers lined up so if you’re okay with me
leaving, I’ll just give her the go ahead and she’ll get started.” She smiled
perfectly well. “Perks of having a friend in the travel and tourism industry,
right?”
He didn’t smile back. “What if I’m not fine with it?”
Ayra’s stomach dipped and her smile froze on her face. On her laps, her
hand loosely gripped the fabric of her dress. “Ibrahim.”
“I’m just asking.” He pushed away his plate of dumplings and then folded
his arms on the top of the table, leaning forward. “What if I’m not okay
with you travelling, Ayra?”
She gripped the fabric tighter, tightening the leash on her rage. “Please be
okay with it, Ibrahim.” The next words left a bitter taste on her tongue as
she wasn’t one to emotionally blackmail but desperate times called
desperate measures. “This is the first time I’m asking to travel, Ibrahim.
You’ve travelled with the others a lot while I stayed back on my own and I
just want to travel with Ibty this once. Please.”

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The brief flash of pain on his face told her she’d hit her desired mark and
while a part of her revelled in the victory, another part felt like a little
monster. She didn’t stop gripping her dress.
On the other side of the table, Ibrahim felt as though he’d been shot in the
chest; the bullet hitting his heart squarely and perfectly. He stared at her and
she stared back, the silence heavy and tense. She had a valid argument; he
wasn’t going to deny it. However, all it’d made him feel was even way worse
than he’d been feeling since he’d walked into the house.
He had no valid reason to stop her to travelling with Ibtihaj, he knew it, but
he wasn’t ready to watch her leave again; not when she just got back. Not
when he could barely survive a week without her. Not when everything
about him – his thoughts, emotions, dreams, and even daily actions – had
begun to revolve around her.
“Please don’t say no, Ibrahim.” She said quietly. “I’m really excited for this
trip and I promise we won’t stay long. Just please, don’t say no. I’m begging
you.”
A band around his chest tightened to the point of sheer pain and he had to
swallow the lump in his throat. When the urge to cry returned, he pushed
his chair back and stood. Walking around the table, he took her hand and
carefully pulled her up. He pushed away the plates, had her sit on the table
and then he kissed her, holding his tears back when she returned the kiss.
He held her close and his lips moved from hers to her neck. Her hands
moved to his hair and she tugged a little while he went on to leave little
kisses on her exposed shoulder, unsure of whether he wanted them to go
any further but not wanting to pull away.
“Ibrahim.”
Maybe it was how softly she called his name or maybe it was the fact that in
the hour they’d been together, he’d felt way more than he’d felt all week.
Whatever it was, it made his movements stop and he rested his forehead on
her shoulder for a moment before hugging her, burying his face in the
crook of her neck.
Ayra frowned, hugging him back out of habit. “Ibrahim?”
She felt the dampness against her skin a moment later and when she tried to
pull back, he held her tighter. He cried silently, the feel of his tears against
her bare skin the only thing that gave him away.
Quite unsure of what to do, Ayra slowly patted his back while feeling a lot
at once; the urge to push him away, the urge to hold him as tightly as he

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held her, and the urge to continuously remind herself that he’d hurt her too
and she had no right feeling bad for him in any way. He’d broken her first
after all.
Although she didn’t think it was possible, Ibrahim’s arms around her
tightened and a quiet sob made his shoulders shake. Not wanting to feel any
worse than she already did, Ayra hugged him tightly; not as tightly as he
hugged her but tight enough. She told herself she wasn’t going to care more
than she’d already done. She wasn’t going to give him any more of herself;
not when she was still putting her pieces together.
At Raven Isle, Bella smiled at the couple that approached. Beside her,
Anneth smiled too. Serkan Yilmaz grinned and removed his shades, his wife
right at his side. “We’re back!”
Bella’s smile widened. “And we’re so glad to have you back.” She then
stepped into his open arms, hugging him as tightly as she and the others
always did.
“Hello, Isabella.”
“Hi.”

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36
Ibrahim Fahad was beautiful when he slept. Ayra always acknowledged that
fact each time she woke up before he did on the nights and afternoons they
slept in the same bed.
Unlike those times, there were no butterflies in her belly. A hollow space
was what stayed in her chest and she no longer felt honoured to be blessed
with the beauty of his sleeping face; not when Bella and the others had seen
it more times than she’d done.
She watched him sleep for a minute longer, once more committing
everything to memory; his skin that was the shade of smooth honey, his
dishevelled curls, his full brows that furrowed slightly and relaxed at
intervals, his long lashes, his straight nose, his lips, and his stubble-beard
that was as neatly kept as it always was.
With a silent sigh, she gently pulled away from him. Putting a pillow
underneath his arm where she’d been all morning, she got off the bed. She
picked her nightdress from the ottoman at the foot of the bed and left the
room. She walked past the family lounge where their prayer mats were still
folded from Fajr and went straight to her room. She dumped the nightdress
in the laundry basket in her bathroom and stepped into the shower area.
The water was warm against her skin and she took her time performing
ghusl. The hollowness in her chest didn’t ease up and she didn’t try to force
it. She thought back to the previous night; Ibrahim crying until he had no
more tears to shed and then him taking her up to his room. He’d kissed her
so tenderly and little by little, their clothes had come off and he’d made love
to her. Although she’d told herself it was just sex, she wasn’t going to deny
it’d been beautiful and extremely gentle; as though he’d break them both if
he applied even the littlest pressure. If things had been different, she would
have loved every bit of it but things weren’t different and when it had
ended, the first thought she’d had – as he held her against him – was
whether he’d had such tender moments with Bella and if he thought about
Bella as he held her in his bed.
She’d stayed the night as he’d refused to let her go and after Fajr, they’d
repeated the night’s events. She’d been unable to fall asleep after that and
she didn’t have it in her to stay there until he woke up from sleep. Not with
how hollow she felt as she stared at him after loving him so much for so
many years.
Turning off the shower, she stepped out of the shower area and grabbed a
towel from the rack. Once she’d patted her skin dry, she brushed her teeth
and then exited the bathroom. On her way to the walk-in, she grabbed her

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phone and met messages from Ibtihaj. Stepping into the walk-in, she
switched on the lights and dialled her best friend’s line. It was answered
almost immediately.
“Ayra, tell me if you’re well or if you want me to come over and murder
those people starting from Ibrahim Fahad.”
Ayra had to laugh. She stopped at the vanity, put the call on speaker mode,
dropped the phone on the top of the dresser and then picked up her bottle
of lotion. “I’m well. There’s no need to come over and murder them, not
when you’d be murdering them in your head this night.”
Ibtihaj hissed. “I was kind of hoping you would ask me to come. I woke up
wanting to slap someone this morning.”
“Sorry to disappoint.”
“Abeg forget that one first.” There was slight ruffling. “Anyways, how far?
I didn’t hear back from you last night and I didn’t want to imagine what
was going on.”
Ayra applied lotion generously to her arms and then moved to her middle.
“Last night was a lot honestly.”
“Ah, wetin happen?”
“Nothing bad.” She bent to rub her legs. “I came home before he did
actually and it was easier to act around him. Thank you for the acting
lessons. They’re paying off.”
“Of course! Na me na. You can’t find a better actress than me.”
Ayra rolled her eyes. “Get out.”
“Never! Continue, my dear.”
“He was really…sweet last night, Ibty, and it hurt a bit, y’know? I mean,
this is the man I’ve always wanted but why is he coming now that he’s
tainted the image I’ve always had of him?”
“Shey he’s doing that yeye thing of falling in love now that you’re changing?
Why are men like this?”
Ayra closed the lotion bottle and put it in place. She then picked up her
body mist and went on to spritz. “I don’t think he’s in love with me
because that’ll be a stretch but it’s like he’s seeing me clearly for the first
time and it made me feel a lot of ways.”
“Ayra, I swear –”

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“I’m not taking him back, Ibty. I’m not going to thwart all the plans we’ve
made. I’m more sensible than that.”
“Better.”
“I just –” She applied the powder to her face, her nose twitching at the
sheer mist it created. “I just feel a lot and it’s not the easiest thing. He even
cried last night and…” She sighed. “Ibrahim of last night and this morning
isn’t the same Ibrahim that left for Costa Casa with Bella. He also isn’t the
same Ibrahim I left last week and I don’t want to dwell on it so I’m
reminding myself that I don’t need to feel bad for him because he broke me
first and all…I’ll be fine.”
“Yes, Ayra.” Ibtihaj said softly. “You’ll be fine and I’m right here beside
you, all the way.”
Ayra smiled cutely. “Thank you.”
“There’s no need for that jor! Ehen, shey we are travelling o? I hope that
man did not say no.”
Ayra moved to one of the racks and pulled a maxi dress off the hanger. “He
said yes.” She pushed down the memory of him doing so as he held her
against him, his lips on her hairline. “I just told him we’d be going to the
UK, then Turkey, and then Costa Casa. I didn’t mention Cape Town so he
doesn’t get suspicious. Bella texted him this morning. Serkan Yilmaz and
Aliana are here and they’re looking forward to meeting us this evening.”
“Better, because I am looking forward to meeting them too.”
“Ibty…”
“I have promised to be on my best behaviour na.” Ibtihaj whined. “Free me
abeg. I’ve already told you I’ll be murdering them in my head but omo, if
they do anyhow, they’ll see anyhow.”
Ayra put the dress on, pushing away the mental reminder that she didn’t
put on underwear. “I have no doubt about it. I’ll give you my passport
when you come this evening.”
“Oya na. Lemme text Collin to secure those deals for me. If Ibro tells you
he’s going to give you money, collect o. Let’s finish the money that we can
before we leave. You deserve it. Think about it as you getting paid for
damages.”
“Ibty!”
“My dear, such is life o. We will survive and until you stop being Mrs
Fahad, let’s make use of what we have. It’s all the best, Ayra. We’ll be fine.”

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Ayra walked back to the vanity and picked up her phone. “In Shaa
Allah…Anyways, I’ll see you in a bit. Lemme go and get something to eat.
I’ve had a long evening and morning.”
“You people did it?! Ayra!”
Ayra hung up, warmth of embarrassment rising to her cheeks. Putting the
device to sleep, she proceeded to loosen her jumbo braids and brush out
the curls before pulling them into one single braid. Satisfied with the
woman staring back at her through the mirror, she grabbed her phone and
turned around.
She opened the door of the walk-in to step out but stopped in her tracks
when Ibrahim let his hand – which had been raised to knock – fall back to
his side, both hands disappearing a moment later into the pockets of the
navy blue sweatpants he had on. His smile was sleepily pretty. “You ran
away.”
Ayra slipped back into acting mode, doing it half-heartedly as she just really
wanted to eat and then try to get some sleep, alone. Giving him a small
smile, she leaned against the door she held open. “I wasn’t able to go back
to sleep so I decided I’ll just perform ghusl, take a bath, and then get
something to eat.”
He stared at her so softly that her chest squeezed. Sincere worry became
etched on his face. “Are you okay?”
She nodded. “I am. Just tired…You can’t blame me for that though.”
He smiled boyishly. “I can’t.” With a sigh, he got out his left hand and took
her right one, squeezing softly. “Come on, let’s go down. I’ll whip up
something for you.”
Something – despite it being very little – cracked a bit as she allowed him
pull her forward, towards him. “Anything I want?”
Ibrahim’s smile didn’t waver and just like the first day, she was reminded
that he was beautiful. He nodded, his arm going around her waist and
holding her steady; her clothed body against his bare torso. “Anything you
want.”
She held his gaze for a heart-breaking moment and then she plastered an
excited smile on her face. “I’ll make sure to stress you.”
He nodded yet again. “That’s fine.” His smile then widened a little and he
leaned forward, pressing his lips to her forehead. “Hi, sweetheart.”

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Her chest squeezing and a small sob forming in her throat, Ayra shut her
eyes. “Hi.”
♣
Ibrahim walked to the mirror, adjusting the strap of the black watch he
wore. Once the watch snug perfectly to his wrist, he blew out a breath and
raised his head.
Compared to the times they – he and the squad – had to meet Serkan and
Aliana, Ibrahim was dressed comfortably; a forest green long-sleeved
sweater shirt, pale cream trousers, and white sneakers. He left his hair
messy, his fingers being the comb that ran through them minutes earlier,
and apart from the watch on his wrist, he didn’t have on any jewellery piece.
Satisfied with his reflection, Ibrahim walked over to one of the drawers and
pulled it open, revealing rows of his signature perfume. He picked up the
current bottle he was using and sprayed just a little before putting it back.
Grabbing his phone and wallet from the top of his watches’ display case, he
switched off the lights and headed out.
His steps were light, almost silent as he left the room, purposely ignoring
the painting of Bella on the wall as he no longer thought it fit the room’s
aesthetic, wanting Ayra’s painting on the wall instead. He stepped into the
family lounge, wanting to call out to her, but his words died in his throat
and his heart did a treacherous flip when Ayra raised her head and looked
his way.
Like him, she’d dressed comfortably but just like he was starting to
appreciate everything that came to her, he took a minute to appreciate how
beautiful she looked. She wore black and white; a white long-sleeved inner
shirt which she covered with a black, square necked, sleeveless dress that
clinched slightly at her waist before flowing down to a mere inch below her
ankle. There were black boots on her feet and a white crinkle cotton veil
was wrapped around her head as a simple turban. There were simple stud
earrings on her ears and her face was bare, devoid of make-up.
Ibrahim pleaded with his heart to not give up on him, especially when she
gave him a little smile, her dimples making a shy show. She pushed herself
off the loveseat and rose to her full height, her hands disappearing into the
pockets he had no idea the dress had.
“Ibty’s on her way up.” She told him. “I hope you don’t mind us waiting
for her.”
He shook his head, putting his hands in his own pockets as she walked
over, to him. “No, I don’t.” He cleared his throat, attempting to chase away

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the slight breathlessness. “You look…Beautiful. You look really beautiful,
Ayra.”
Her cheeks warmed a bit as she stopped right in front of him, her smile not
leaving her face. “Thank you. You don’t look so bad yourself.”
“I just wanted to be comfortable.” Warmth crept up the back of his neck
and a little flutter tickled his chest. “Thank you though.”
“You’re welcome.”
The doorbell ringing cut off his next sentence and disappointment hit when
she turned around, away from him. “Ibty’s here. I’ll get the door.”
Not waiting for his reply, she walked away and he had to breathe in and out
before pushing down every bitter feeling he had. Putting a tight leash on his
emotional box, he went after her. Their excited voices reached his ears as
soon as he descended the stairs and he purposely slowed his pace, wanting
to listen to Ayra’s excited and animated sentences a little longer.
“Oh, here’s my passport.” She said. “Let me not forget.”
“As if I’ll allow you.” Ibtihaj said. “When you’re not mad.”
The reminder that she was travelling was a punch in Ibrahim’s gut and he
barely had time to dwell on it as he stepped into the foyer. Ayra had her
back facing him while Ibtihaj faced him perfectly. Ibrahim watched as
Ibtihaj’s smile slipped off her face, her gaze turning to frosty ice, making his
stomach drop. He knew Ibtihaj could be dramatic but in that moment, it
didn’t feel as though she was being dramatic or overbearing. It felt as
though he’d messed up in every way possible and she knew all about it.
“Ibrahim. Fahad.”
Ibrahim plastered a smile on his face, stopping beside his wife. “Ibty. I’m so
glad you could make it.”
Ibtihaj’s smile did not reach her eyes. She put Ayra’s passport in the bag she
came with as she replied. “Oh, I couldn’t miss it. I haven’t met Bella’s lover
before so I was really looking forward to this.”
Ayra’s voice was soft. “Ibty, you said you’d be on your best behaviour.”
Ibtihaj turned from Ibrahim to her best friend. “I said I’d try.” She turned
back to Ibrahim. “As long as you don’t annoy me tonight.”
Ibrahim forced out a laugh, dread starting to settle in his stomach. “I won’t.
That much I can promise you.”

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“Better.” Ibtihaj then grinned and pulled Ayra closer, linking their arms.
“Oya let’s go.” She glared at Ibrahim. “Shey you can walk on your own?”
Ibrahim nodded although he wanted nothing more than to hold Ayra’s
hand. “I can. Let’s go?”
Ayra nodded, her smile small but radiant. “Lead the way.”
He did just that, walking in front of them all the way to the elevator. They
chattered about their upcoming trip and Ibrahim felt his chest twist over
and over painfully as he had no choice but to listen as they got lost in their
own world. By the time they got to his and Bella’s place, he wasn’t certain
he wanted to continue with the dinner; not when he felt like a mess.
Unfortunately for him, he didn’t get the chance to come up with an excuse
and flee. The door went open before they could even ring the bell and Jalal
grinned at them before looking over his shoulder to yell “They’re here!”
Ibrahim could only offer a small smile, watching with a stab of jealousy as
Ayra beamed, Ibtihaj doing the same beside her. “Jalal!”
Jalal’s grin brightened and Ibrahim felt the urge to punch his friend. “Ayra!
Ibty! It’s been ages.”
Ayra nodded, her laugh beautifully light. “Tell me about it. God, I missed
you.”
“Me too.” Ibtihaj said. “Shey you cannot call ni?”
Jalal laughed. “Don’t mind me. I’ll make it up to you two from now on.”
Ayra’s smile was so bright. “As you should.”
Ibrahim cleared his throat, getting Jalal’s attention. The latter raised a brow,
opening his mouth to speak. Fortunately – for Ibrahim – Anneth joined
them and she squealed as she hugged Ayra before hugging Ibtihaj, stating
that she’d “missed them so much”. Nathaniel and Tobi joined them and as
Ibtihaj glared at Tobi, warning him in Yoruba to not come close to him,
Ibrahim felt like the world’s greatest hypocrite.
They – Jalal, Tobi, Anneth, and Nathaniel – did not mean a single word
they said and Ibrahim knew it all too well. After all, he’d pretended like
them once upon a time. However, things were changing and it was the first
time he so badly wanted to shield Ayra from them. Unfortunately, he
couldn’t; not when he’d been on their end once and not when he still had
loyal ties to them – ties that had existed long before he even knew Ayra
existed.

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Anneth playfully hitting his arm pulled him out of his head. “Ibrahim!
Where have you gone?”
Jalal was leading Ayra and Ibtihaj in while Anneth, Tobi and Nathaniel
stared at him. Ibrahim schooled on a fool proof expression and returned his
hands to his pockets, shrugging. “I’m lost in my head. You know how I get
when such dinners come up.”
Nathaniel snickered. “You better gear up. Serkan’s in full acting mode
tonight.”
On cue, Ibrahim let out a fake groan that he prayed seemed genuine. “Oh
Lord. I’ll kill him.”
They all laughed and then pulled him in. In the living room, Ayra kept her
practiced excited smile as Bella introduced her and Ibtihaj to Serkan and
Aliana, her “lover” and “his best friend”.
For the first time, Ayra saw through their smiles and clearly saw the
mockery their eyes held as they expected her to buy it all; like she’d always
done. Keeping her smile on, she hid the fact that yet another part of her
broke deep, deep inside. She’d really been a fool.
Beside her, Ibtihaj smiled too but in her head, she had each one of them
hanging from ropes tied to a high bar while she tortured them over and
over again.

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37
It was one thing for Ayra to find out the squad – including Serkan and
Aliana Yilmaz – had been lying all along and acting perfectly well, and it was
a completely different thing to witness it first-hand now that the rose-tinted
glasses of love and naivety had been taken off.
Every member of the squad was a beautiful liar and Ayra kept a practiced
smile on her face while smiling ruefully inside at how much of an idiot she’d
been. The squad’s smiles were all shades of fake and their gazes held
mockery as they delivered subtle jabs which she’d seen as complements in
the time they’d all known each other.
The only thing that was different was that Ibrahim was quieter than normal
and while Ayra thought it was a bit hypocritical as he’d definitely spoken
about her and Ibtihaj time and time again, she derived slight satisfaction
knowing that his changing tide affected the squad although they were doing
their best to hide it while asking if he was alright.
Once introductions were out of the way, Serkan asked that they move up to
the roof where dinner had been set as the dining table in the apartment
wouldn’t have been able to take them all. In that same moment, Falilat
called and asked Ibtihaj to kindly return him as she – Falilat – wanted to
take Al-Amin to the hospital to get a shot for the fever he’d come down
with.
Although she was apologetic towards Ayra, Ibtihaj was happy to leave as
she was more than ready to commit bloody murder. Ayra couldn’t blame
her best friend; not when she knew she’d honestly leave if the opportunity
presented itself. For a dinner that had barely begun, it already seemed way
too long and with how everyone was pretending, she knew there was a high
chance it was only going to get worse.
While the others headed to the roof, Ayra saw Ibtihaj down to the lobby,
unable to stop herself from laughing at how the latter insulted every single
person they’d left behind. She – Ayra – waited until the chartered Ryde was
gone with her best friend before taking the elevator back up to the roof
level. By the time the carriage stopped and the doors went open, she’d
slipped back into the Ayra they knew and took advantage of while keeping a
box in her mind open for any information she didn’t know of before.
The roof level of The Oasis was nothing short of stunning; its views of
Aomi being the best offered by the entire building complex. The general
pool was a clear and stunning shade of blue, lit up on all sides; including the
side where a round table wide enough to sit ten people had been set for
them, dishes – both local and intercontinental – laid out beautifully on

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stunning dinnerware that clearly were reserved for nothing but the best
occasion.
Like they always did, the squad acted well; gasping at the perfect moments
and stating that Serkan and Bella didn’t have to. Despite her smile and
practiced awe, Ayra saw it clearly that Serkan and Bella didn’t fit. When they
thought she wasn’t looking, Serkan and Aliana snuck in little movements;
his hand moving to the back of the chair she pulled out, his hand brushing
hers, and him adjusting one thing or the other.
Ayra had to applaud their audacity as it was a whole lot. She pulled out the
chair opposite Serkan and sat, only turning her head when the chair on her
right was pulled out and Ibrahim sat, pulling the chair closer to the table
once he was comfortable. Judging from how the table became momentarily
quiet, Ayra had a hunch Ibrahim’s current sitting position was not the one
they – the squad – had agreed on.
“Ibrahim,” It was Bella. The smile on her face was tight and for some
reason, Ayra loved it. “Serkan was hoping you’d sit closer.” She patted the
chair beside her that was still empty. “Like somewhere here.”
Ibrahim, whose expression had been impassive, cracked a small smile. “I’m
more comfortable here.” He moved his line of sight to Serkan and Aliana.
“Besides, I think this is better since we’re facing each other.”
Bella’s glare was icy despite the fact that she was still smiling. “Ibrahim, you
–”
Serkan cut her off, taking his hand in hers. “Let’s not have a fight between
best friends now, sweetheart.” He turned to Ayra who saw through how
fake his smile was. “Besides, tonight is to get to know Ayra better and also
catch up. It’s sad Ibty had to leave early.”
Ayra smiled back beautifully, finding petty happiness with how things were
playing out. “It’s sad indeed. She’s really going to miss out but I’ll let her
know how it goes.” She then linked her hand with Ibrahim’s on the table;
where all of them – especially Bella – could clearly see. Ignoring the
momentarily surprised look on Ibrahim’s face, she continued. “Also, please
let Ibrahim stay here. I’m a clingy person.”
Anneth snorted and covered it with a light laugh. “Tell us about it.”
In her head, Ayra pulled the trigger of a gun that had materialised out of
thin air, hitting Anneth in her chest. In reality, she simply smiled wider and
tried to pull her hand back, cursing internally when Ibrahim held her hand
tightly. On the other side of the table, Bella’s eyes were lasers and the smile
on her face – to Ayra – was sweetly murderous.

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Aliana, wanting to ease the tension, put a smile on her face. “Why don’t we
eat? The food shouldn’t get cold.”
Sliding into the seat that should have been Ibrahim’s, Jalal nodded with his
signature smile on his face while amusement danced in his eyes. “Yes,
please. I’m starved.”
Ayra should not have been relieved when Ibrahim let go of her hand to take
the bowl Nathaniel was passing across but her silent exhale spoke volumes.
The conversations – once the awkwardness from Ibrahim not staying in his
assigned spot lifted – were light and they – the squad (including Serkan and
Aliana) – spoke about everything they’d been up to with Ayra joining the
conversation at intervals. Ibrahim majorly stayed quiet and Ayra told herself
not to care.
By the time they got to desserts of cheesecake with vanilla scoops, Ayra
told herself she’d had enough of their hypocritical conversations, jabs, and
laughter. She decided to rein the conversation her way.
“I’m so, so glad we’re having this dinner, Serkan.” She said sweetly,
ignoring the subtle eye roll from Bella. “You have no idea how excited I’ve
been ever since I got Anneth’s text.”
Beside her, Ibrahim flexed his fingers just so he wouldn’t give into the urge
to fist them, courtesy of the stab of jealousy he felt; an ironic moment as
such stabs of jealousy were usually because of how touchy Serkan used to
be with Bella each time all of them – without Ayra – met each other.
On the other side of the table, Serkan leaned back and rested his left arm
on the back of Bella’s chair and his right on the back of Aliana’s chair. His
smile was good but it held the mockery Ayra saw clearly. “I would have
been fooled. I didn’t really get that vibe from you so I tuned down my own
excitement.”
The others – except Ibrahim – snickered and Ayra’s smile shrunk a bit,
making her seem embarrassed when she felt anything but. She crossed a leg
over the other under the table, losing interest in the cheesecake although
she was going to end up finishing it.
“I didn’t want to come off as too excited too.” Her laugh was disbelievingly
sincere and she even brought a hand up to her mouth, as though she was
bashful. “I’ve been really, really, really excited, Serkan.” She let her hand fall
back to her lap. “And so far, you haven’t disappointed. I’m awed.”
Serkan, laughing lightly, leaned forward – as though he was bowing for a
cheering audience. “I’m flattered.” He straightened in his seat. “It’s also
really lovely to be meeting you, Ayra. You haven’t disappointed too and it’s

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so nice to see that all I heard about you is what I’m presented with. It’s
really lovely. Like I said earlier, it’s a shame Ibty had to leave early.”
Beside Ayra, Ibrahim wanted the dinner to come to an end altogether as he
knew every single thing Serkan was saying; things he assumed Ayra didn’t
know.
Ayra’s smile didn’t waver. “Surely you’ll be here in Aomi for a bit so you’ll
definitely see her around.”
Serkan’s smile deserved an Oscar. “Let’s see how it goes. Hopefully, family
won’t call me back for one thing or the other before I can even enjoy being
back here, with all of you.”
Ayra, on a row with her performance, pouted as though she was really
saddened. “Gosh, I hope that doesn’t happen. I’d really love to have you
around. I’m sure Bella would too. She talks about you so beautifully and I’m
sure she missed you a lot.”
Smirking while the others snickered, Serkan turned to Bella whose cheeks
were stained with a little colour. “You did, didn’t you?”
Bella pushed his face away, quickly glancing Ibrahim’s way while Serkan
laughed. “Allontanati da me, Serkan (Get away from me, Serkan).”
They – except Ibrahim – laughed, including Ayra who didn’t know what
had been said neither did she care. When they sobered, she turned to Aliana
and offered a heart-warming smile. “And you, Aliana, it’s so, so lovely to
meet you. Just as with Serkan, I didn’t want to come off as overly excited
but I’m so curious about you. It’s not every day I get to meet someone as
amazing as you’ve shown yourself to be so far.”
Aliana’s cheeks darkened and her laugh was airy as she tucked a stray lock
of hair behind her ear, revealing the five piercings that ear had. “You know
how to flatter people, Ayra.”
Ayra’s smile widened. “Consider it one of my talents.”
Barely hiding a smile, Bella turned to Anneth who sat between Tobi and
Nathaniel. “Oltre ad essere abbastanza stupido al punto che é cosi facile ingannarti
(As well as being dumb enough to the extent that it’s so easy to fool you).”
She smiled evidently when they snorted, trying to hide it as coughs, and
then she turned back to Ayra. “You have a lot of talents, Ayra.”
Ibrahim felt his anger simmering. He focused on Bella who stopped smiling
when she saw the look on his face. “Smettila (Stop it).”

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Ayra acted as though she was genuinely confused while a part of her
cracked deeply. “Why are we switching to Italian? I don’t –”
Ibrahim cut in, taking her hand and giving it a gentle squeeze. “It’s bad
habit.” He brought her hand up to his lips without much thought and
kissed the back of it. “I’ve told them to stop. We can carry on with yours
and Aliana’s conversation.”
Silence descended and another part of Ayra cracked. Where she sat, Bella
fisted the fabric of her skirt, her voice icy when she spoke. “Serkan.”
Ibrahim gave her a blank stare while Serkan put an arm around her
shoulder, smiling at her. “I’m right here, sweetheart. Don’t mind him.”
Her pettiness returning, Ayra went with every idea that popped up in her
head, telling herself two could play a game although it was going to hurt her
even by the littlest bit. She leaned in Ibrahim’s direction, still smiling with
their hands still linked together. “You and Serkan are really cute, Bella.”
Aliana took a sip of her wine, nodding while the others looked from one
person to the other. “Tell me about it. They really are.”
Bella glared, only looking away when Anneth, Tobi, Jalal, and Nathaniel
shared a joke that had her chuckling; a joke Ayra didn’t know. Ibrahim’s
other hand balled into a fist and Ayra had to remind herself not to dwell on
it as she refocused on Aliana and Serkan.
“So,” She asked. “How did you two meet and become best friends? Serkan,
Bella says you’re Turkish. Aliana, are you Turkish too?”
Aliana nodded. “I am. Serkan and I have known each other for as long as
we could remember.”
Serkan smiled fondly. “True. Like our parents said, we ran after each other
with nothing but diapers and made sure to follow ourselves everywhere, up
until now.”
While the others smiled, Aliana let out a lovely laugh. “That’s true. There
are so many memories.”
Ayra, who smiled coldly, cut in then. “So where exactly in Turkey are you
from? Ibty and I are travelling by next month and Turkey’s one of our stops
so maybe we can take a short tour round your hometown.”
Smiles froze and some of them stilled. Her hand in his, Ibrahim squeezed
and although it was nothing too tight, it was clear he wasn’t fully
comfortable. Nathaniel looked from Ibrahim to Ayra. “You and Ibty are
travelling?”

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Gladly, Ayra nodded. “We are.”
Bella fixed her line of sight on Ibrahim. “That’s very sudden. There was
literally no notice about it.” She smiled but it didn’t reach her eyes. “I
thought we tell each other everything, Ayra?”
Ayra’s smile stretched and she pictured herself for the first time as a villain
in a story. “It was very spontaneous. You know Ibty’s been away on work
so we haven’t seen each other in a while. I spent the week with her, I’m
sure you know about that already, and we made the decision to go tour
Europe before coming back to explore a new resort in Costa Casa and then
come back to Aomi. Turkey’s one of our stops and we want to explore
Antalya. Let’s know where you and Serkan are from, Aliana, so we can visit
there too.”
Anneth spoke before Aliana could. “Really though, this is so spontaneous.
We didn’t even know Ibty was gone until we came back from our last trip.”
Ayra gave a half-shrug. “You six were busy in Costa Casa and I was busy
with the renovation so let’s just say it skipped my mind.” She turned back
to Aliana. “So where are you two from, Aliana and Serkan?”
Aliana’s reply stopped Anneth from saying anything else. “Cappadocia.
Serkan and I are from Cappadocia.”
Ayra turned to Serkan. “So after our Nikkah, you had to go back to
Cappadocia?”
Serkan’s smile was small as he nodded. “Yeah.”
“So your families are based there?”
Both Serkan and Aliana nodded and Ayra smiled bitterly. She continued
with her statements and questions. “Can Ibty and I pay a visit to your
families if we can? Would that be okay?”
“That’s really impromptu.” Tobi stated, moving forward in his seat. “If
you’re travelling by next month, there’s little to no time to inform them that
you’re coming. They probably have things planned.”
“We have events across Europe this period.” Serkan told Ayra. “So there
would barely be anyone in Turkey until Christmas and New Year. Even
that’s a probability.”
Ayra nodded, as though she didn’t know they were lying with their eyes
wide open and their bodies unflinching. She continued. “So you two have
been best friends forever. Before Serkan met Bella, did you two ever feel
like you’d get married?”

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Bella frowned. “You’re very interested in Serkan and Aliana, Ayra.”
Ayra pulled her hand away from Ibrahim’s, folded her arms on the table
and leaned forward, nodding with a grin. “I am! I told you I was excited to
meet them and very curious.” She turned back to Aliana and Serkan. “So
did you two ever think you’d get married?”
Aliana nodded, sharing a brief look with Serkan before turning back to
Ayra. “I think all best friends who have known each other for so long think
about that at some point. However, Serkan met Bella and I’m married to a
man who’s also – coincidentally – named Serkan. He’s just as sweet too.”
Ayra’s bitter smile returned, hidden beneath her pretence. “Oh really? There
must be a lot of people named Serkan. Right, Serkan?”
Serkan’s laugh wasn’t sincere in any way. “You can say that. It’s a name
with a beautiful meaning so…”
Ayra turned back to Aliana. “So you and your Serkan are married. Do you
have kids?”
Aliana nodded. “Yep. We have two daughters; Kehlani and Ayah. They’re
the prettiest duo.”
Although Ayra knew both daughters’ faces, she asked “Can I see their
pictures? I’m sure they’re beautiful, seeing how beautiful you are.”
The others – except Ibrahim and Serkan – opened their mouths but Aliana
was faster. She shook her head. “I’m very private about my family. I know
you’re trustworthy because of how well they’ve spoken about you but I’d
like to know you a little more before showing you more about my family. I
hope you understand.”
Ayra wasted no time in nodding. “Yes, I understand.” She then turned back
to Serkan. “Serkan, you said your name has a beautiful meaning. What is
it?”
Serkan adjusted his seat. “It means ‘of noble blood’. It can also mean
‘leader’ or basically, someone who’s of noble origin.” He nodded slowly.
“Yeah, that’s it.”
Ayra’s smile shrunk. “That’s really nice…Has there been any situation
where you’ve inspired someone to take on the name? I think Serkan’s a
lovely name that can be taken, even if it’s as a nickname.”
She turned to Ibrahim who brought his glass of juice to his lips and her
smile was that of the devil. “Serkan Fahad. It has a nice ring to it, right?”

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Ibrahim choked on his juice and Jalal’s cheesecake went down the wrong
windpipe, causing him to go on a coughing fit. All around the table, the
others looked like they’d seen a ghost and Ayra loved it. When Ibrahim was
able to properly breathe once again, he faced her with wide eyes and Ayra
smiled so sweetly; the perfect epitome of an angel who could do no harm.
“Serkan Fahad sounds so beautiful.” She hoped her eyes shone so brightly
that it hurt him. “Don’t you agree?”
“Ibrahim sounds perfectly fine.” Bella gritted out through her false grin. “I
don’t think Ibrahim’s the type of person you can call Serkan.”
But that’s what you and everyone else here call him, Ayra wanted to say. Instead she
asked “Why do you think Ibrahim’s not the type of person to be called
Serkan? He’s of noble blood so…”
Bella’s right eye twitched. “He’s just not a Serkan. Serkan Fahad doesn’t
have a nice ring to it.”
Enjoying herself so well, Ayra leaned back in her seat. “I think it does. I’m
sure Serkan would agree. You too, Aliana.”
Bella’s eye twitched again. “Ayra, I said it doesn’t –”
“Guys!” It was Anneth. Her smile was so shaky that Ayra noticed. “Let’s
not fight. Bella, Ayra’s just joking. She likes Serkan’s name and she just
thinks it’ll be cool as a nickname for Ibrahim. It doesn’t mean she actually
wants to call him Serkan and –”
Ayra cut in. “What if I want to? I really like Serkan as a name.”
Tobi made a sound in his throat while Nathaniel shook his head. “I don’t
think you should. We can’t have two Serkans in one group.”
“But Aliana’s husband is also a Serkan,” Ayra argued. “And I don’t think he
and this Serkan have any issues. It wouldn’t hurt to have one more.”
Ibrahim, who felt as though his heart and his head would implode, spoke
up then. “Please stop.”
Ayra pouted, leaning towards him; unaware of the depth of how affected he
was. “But Ibrahim –”
“Let’s stop.” Serkan said. “Like Nate said, two Serkans in one group is not
nice. We don’t have to fight about it. Ayra,” He smiled. “Why don’t you
find another nickname for Ibrahim?”
Ayra went on to be evil. “How about Sevgilim?”

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Ibrahim had never felt so pained in his life, his chest constricted so tightly
that it was insanely difficult to breathe. Bella pushed her chair back, the legs
scraping against the smooth floor; a sound that caused Anneth, Tobi, Jalal,
and Nathaniel to flinch. If looks could kill, Ayra would have been six foot
under the tall building that was The Oasis.
“I’ve lost my appetite.” Bella said. “You all should carry on without me.”
Without waiting for a reply, she walked away. Acting confused, Ayra looked
from one person to the other. “Was it something I said?”
Serkan pushed his own chair and stood, shaking his head. “No, it isn’t.
Sevgilim is off the table too. That’s what I call her. How did you even learn
that?”
Ayra grinned. “Ever since Ibty and I agreed we’d stop at Turkey, I looked
up Turkish endearment terms.” Her grin dropped. “I really liked Sevgilim but
if that’s what you call her, that’s fine.”
Serkan nodded slowly. “Right…Well,” His smile returned. “I’ll just go
check on her. You all should continue dinner. I’ll try to pull her back.”
Anneth stood. “I’ll come with you.”
With one dirty look thrown Ayra’s way, she went after him. Ayra let a
minute go by, for Ibrahim’s sake as he breathed in and out while flexing his
fingers on his laps. She then smiled at Aliana. “Bella said Serkan’s into tech
like every other person here, except me of course. Are you into tech too?”
Jalal’s expression was the coldest it had ever been in Ayra’s presence.
“Shouldn’t we stop asking questions, Ayra? Your questions just pushed
Bella out.”
Ayra turned to him, sputtering with practiced ease. “B-but I didn’t do
anything. I had no idea that’s what Serkan calls her.”
Jalal stood and walked away. “I’m done with all of this.”
Ayra turned to Ibrahim. “What did I do now?”
He sighed. “It wasn’t your fault.” He stood and took her hand, pulling her
up. “Come on, let’s get you home before I go down to be sure Bella’s fine.”
He shot a small smile at Aliana, Nathaniel, and Tobi. “Sorry, guys.”
Aliana said it was fine while Nathaniel and Tobi’s eyes danced between
them, their brows raised. Ayra let Ibrahim lead the way to the elevator, her
façade dropping with his back turned towards her. Inside the carriage, they
stayed on opposite sides and when it stopped on their floor, she stepped
out, turning around when he did not step out after her.

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Ibrahim felt ripped; too torn between going with her or going down to his
home and Bella’s. Ayra’s expression didn’t help matters for him; her eyes so
round and her adorable confusion. His finger on the button was the only
thing stopping the doors from closing and his free hand was a tight fist by
his side while a vice tightly gripped his heart.
“Ibrahim?”
He cursed his fate and then cursed the love he had for Bella and everything
that had been against them being together; situations that forced him to
give into the crazy idea of marrying Ayra just so he could keep living the
best of two different worlds that were never meant to collide.
He swallowed and forced on a small smile. “I’ll be with you in a bit, Ayra, I
promise. I’ll check on Bella and head back up.”
“Can’t I come with you?”
He shook his head, his chest way too tight. “Not now. Later, okay?”
She nodded. “Okay.”
He let go of the button and the doors began to slide together. When they
closed, the carriage continued its descent. Where she was left, Ayra’s
expression frosted and her fists were loose at her sides. The laugh that
slipped past her lips was dry and it lacked every trace of humour. “Why am
I not surprised?”
Inside the carriage that was coming to a slow stop, Ibrahim struggled to get
his thoughts on track. The ride stopped completely and the doors went
open. Breathing in and out, he stepped out and walked straight to the
apartment. He punched each keypad with hesitation and an unfamiliar
feeling of heaviness. Once the door unlocked, he let out a long exhale
before pulling it open. He stepped in and as soon as the door shut behind
him, Bella pushed him, causing him to slam into the barrier that shut out
the outside world.
“What the hell was that?!”
Anneth pulled her back. “Bella –”
Bella shrugged her best friend’s hand off, her eyes lasers aimed at Ibrahim.
“Serkan, what the hell was that?! This dinner was supposed to go well!”
“And I didn’t do anything to ruin it.” Ibrahim said calmly despite being
anything but.

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Venom laced her every word. “Your wife did! Why on earth didn’t you stop
her from asking those stupid questions?! Who the heck does she think she
is?!”
Behind both women, Jalal and Serkan stood with their hands in their
pockets. Bella continued, shoving Ibrahim back once again. “And you!
What do you think you were doing by telling me to stop talking?! And why
on earth did you kiss her hand?! Why did you even sit beside her when you
know where you were supposed to sit!? How dare you, Serkan?! How dare
she even try to call you Serkan?! What the fuck is wrong with the two of
you?!”
Anneth pinched the bridge of her nose and sighed. “This isn’t going to end
well. Bella, stop.”
Bella was too blinded by rage to listen. She fisted Ibrahim’s shirt and pulled
him towards her so they were eye to eye, her blazing ones meeting his dark
ones. “Answer me, Serkan!”
Ibrahim felt himself tethering dangerously towards a new territory where
rage bloomed in so many different ways. His voice was unfamiliarly low
when he said “Let go, Bella.”
She didn’t flinch. “Make me.”
A brow of his went up and Anneth stepped forward, a twinge of fear
tugging at her at Ibrahim’s expression. “Bella, come on, you need to –”
Surprising them all, Ibrahim grabbed both of Bella’s wrists and tore her
hands away from his shirt with a little more force than was needed, forcing
her to take a few steps back and slam into Anneth. When she recovered,
Bella turned back to him with eyes as wide as those of Anneth, Serkan, and
Jalal.
“Ibrahim, what the hell?!”
Ibrahim forced out a shaky breath, his hands returning to his sides as fists.
He inhaled and exhaled once again before speaking. “Isabella.”
Bella glared at him while Serkan whistled under his breath, saying “Okay,
he’s mad, mad.”
Ibrahim ignored him and everyone else. “I don’t think you have any right to
be mad at me, especially when I didn’t do anything wrong. Ayra did nothing
wrong too.”
Bella scoffed. “Mi stai prendendo in giro (You have got to be kidding me).”
When he stared at her, quietly, her expression frosted. “Ibrahim Fahad!”

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“Yes, this dinner was to be one of our numerous pretences but don’t try to
play victim now when you and everyone else made snide comments here
and there about Ayra.”
“Don’t act like you haven’t said bad things about her too!”
Ibrahim would have preferred being shot over the pain that came with the
truth of Bella’s words. “I have.” And he’d never hated himself so much.
“I’ve said much worse about her and I’ve made snide comments when she
was there with Ibty but it’s never been this bad. It’s never been this open
and you know it, Bella. You, Jalal, Serkan, Anneth, and everyone else know
it!”
Bella’s jaw locked and she trembled with rage that rolled off her in
extremely tall waves.
“And yes, Ayra’s questions hit areas they shouldn’t have, especially with
everything we’ve crafted but you can’t really blame her for it, can you?”
When she stayed quiet, he looked from her to Anneth, Jalal, and Serkan.
“We’re the ones who wanted to play her further so it’s all on us.”
Bella stepped forward, towards him. “And her trip with Ibty? You couldn’t
have mentioned that beforehand?”
“Bold of you to assume I knew about it earlier than yester night.”
“That’s still enough time!”
Ibrahim lost it. “Are you out of your damn mind, Bella? What the hell is
wrong with you this night!?”
Bella sputtered. “Excuse me!?”
Serkan, who’d moved, got between them. “Guys, cut it out.” He turned to
Ibrahim, ignoring Bella’s scoff. “Stop it.”
Ibrahim was tempted to punch the other man. “What am I doing that
you’re asking me to stop?”
“You’re defending her!” Bella screamed as Anneth held her back. “You’ve
defended her all evening!”
“What was I supposed to do?” Ibrahim shot back. “Let you seven say
everything you want when she’s right there? Let you all blame her for our
games not going the way we wanted?”
“Why do you even care?” Anneth asked him. “It wouldn’t be the first time
anyways. We’ve said worse things about her so what was wrong is saying a
little more while she’s there? It’s not even as though she speaks Italian.

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Also, her questions were too much and you actually did nothing to stop her.
Ayra’s not the victim here, Ibrahim. We are, especially Aliana and Serkan.”
Ibrahim stared at them for a moment before he laughed dryly, the fight and
rage leaving him. He ran a hand through his hair and ended his laughter
with a heavy sigh. He spoke when his hand fell back to his side. “We
shouldn’t have gone through with this.”
Jalal stepped forward. “Ibrahim –”
Ibrahim took a step back. “We really shouldn’t have. No matter how much
I love you, Bella, we shouldn’t have gone through with it. I shouldn’t have
given in. At least then, we wouldn’t be here, wanting to murder each other
over something we all couldn’t control.”
Bella scoffed yet again. “Please tell me you’re joking.”
“I’m not.” And Ibrahim knew he meant every word. “Our lies are getting
too tangled and I don’t know about you all but I’m getting so sick and tired
of it all.”
“Are you crazy?!” Bella pushed Serkan aside and got in Ibrahim’s face,
seething. “This was for our own good!”
“And look where it’s gotten us!” He hissed. “Does this feel like it’s for our
own good anymore?”
“Ibrahim!”
He exhaled, his shoulders dropping. He then shook his head. “I can’t do
this. Not tonight at least.”
Bella’s anger dissipated, replaced by a mix of dread and fear as her heart
dropped. “Serkan.”
Anneth, Jalal, and Serkan called out to him at the same time. “Ibrahim.”
Ibrahim found himself blinking back tears. “I can’t do this anymore, guys.
We didn’t think this through as much as we thought we did. I don’t know
when you guys are going to see it but it now seems as though we’re driving
off course. I don’t know how long we can keep this on for.”
“We can keep it on.” Serkan said, holding Ibrahim’s gaze. “As long as none
of our loyalties shift and we don’t get distracted, we can keep it going. I can
speak for everyone else but I can’t speak for you, Ibrahim, especially not
with how you behaved earlier and how you’re behaving now.” His voice
dropped. “You better not be in love with Ayra. You better not even be
thinking about it, not when your loyalties are supposed to lie here; with
Bella.”

LATIFAH EFUA A.
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Ibrahim, with his chest torn wide open and left to bleed, turned from
Serkan to Bella who stared right back with a mix of emotions he didn’t
want to decipher; not when he could clearly make out apprehension and
betrayal.
“Ibrahim.” It was Jalal. “Please tell us you’re not walking down that path.”
Ibrahim’s hands returned to fists and his chest tore even more. His fists
tightened and he swallowed before forcing the words out. “I’m not.” The
taste left on his tongue was extremely bitter. “I have a role to play and I’m
playing it out to the best of my ability.” He turned to Serkan. “You should
take a tip or two. You slipped up a number of times earlier with Aliana and
it’s good Ayra didn’t notice.”
He pushed down the urge to cry and continued. “I meant all I said though.
This is going to fail, especially if this is how we’re going to react after a
dinner that’s going to occur many more times. If this is how we’re reacting
with just Ayra, then I think we need to brace ourselves for a dinner with
Ibty in attendance throughout because it’s definitely going to worse than
this.”
Bella’s lips parted. “Serkan –”
Ibrahim turned around. “Goodnight.”
“Serkan, wait!”
He all but ran out of the apartment, nearly running into Aliana who’d come
down with Tobi and Nathaniel. They asked if he was fine but he didn’t wait
to give them a reply. He ditched the elevators and took the stairs, heading
down and ignoring their calls for him. He didn’t stop until he got to the
basement level. Finding a corner, he squatted and forced himself to try and
breathe as he broke into way too many pieces; the life he had and the life he
was starting to wish he had clashing against each other.
Ibrahim brought his hands up to cover his face and he cried, feeling so
much to the extent that it felt as though he’d been set ablaze. Back in the
apartment he’d left, Bella tuned everyone out and focused on breathing and
out, repeating in her head that they – she and Ibrahim – were fine and no
one – including Ayra – was going to break them apart.
One by one, their phones beeped and they all got the devices, clicking on
the invitation that’d come in from Fareeda Fahad; Ibrahim’s mother. On
the tenth floor, in the living room where she’d made herself comfortable,
Ayra had a brow raised as she clicked on the invitation, reading the message
that’d been attached.

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Mum: Dear Ayra, I hope this message finds you in very good
condition. I do apologise for not texting you all this time. Well, you
didn’t text too but that’s a story for another day. Do accept this as me
personally inviting you to our biennial Fahad gathering which Salim
and I are hosting on behalf of the family. I’ll be giving you a gift, too
so do make sure you attend and be sure to bring Ibty too. I don’t want
to hear any excuses. See you October 2nd (Saturday!).
Ayra took in the invitation again, finding it beautiful how purple and gold
came together elegantly. She lowered her phone, realising then that she
didn’t look forward to returning to the Fahad home, not with everything
that had happened since their last meeting.
In the basement level, Ibrahim kept crying.

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38
October, 2021
Once the living lights were switched off, Ibrahim blew out a small breath
and stepped into the foyer. He stopped in front of the mirror and took in
his reflection.
His hair had been slicked back and his face was a little pale, devoid of any
emotion. There were dark circles underneath each eye; not as dark as they’d
been all week but still there all the same. He looked tired, even with his
expensive outfit, and there was only so much he could do to hide it.
His suit was a deep shade of denim blue; perfectly tailored trousers and a
double breasted blazer which he’d left unbuttoned, the hem brushing his
mid-thighs and exposing the dark blue-black turtleneck he’d wore inside
simply because he wasn’t in the mood for a tie. A black strapped watch
adorned his left wrist and there was a ring on his right hand; one that
matched the one Ayra had worn on her way out to get ready at Ibtihaj’s
house.
Knowing – for the millionth time – that he couldn’t ditch his parents’ event
for the entire Fahad family, Ibrahim turned away from the mirror and
dropped his shoes on the rug. It was easy to put them on and when he rose
to his full height, he straightened out the invisible creases on his outfit,
grabbed his keys from the floating shelf, took one last look at his reflection,
and exited the apartment.
It took two and a half minutes for the elevator carriage to come up to the
tenth floor and he was glad it was empty. He stepped in, pressed the
basement level button, and the doors slid shut. The descent began and
stopped not long after, making Ibrahim’s heart drop when he realised it was
on the eighth floor; the one floor he’d avoided like a plague since the
disastrous aftermath of the dinner with Serkan and Aliana; something he’d
yet to fully recover from.
The elevator doors slid open and his chest squeezed at the sight of Bella.
She raised her head, surprise as clear as day on her face at the sight of him.
Regaining composure, she schooled her expression and stepped into the
carriage, the doors sliding shut almost immediately. The journey down
continued with them standing side by side, the mirrored walls reflecting
their every angle.
Unlike him, Bella was brightly dressed in a tempting shade of burgundy red;
an off-the-shoulder vintage tulle ball gown with ball sleeves, a clinched
waist, and a layered tulle skirt that flowed down to the floor. Her hair was
styled in an elegant chignon bun and her jewellery pieces were silver and

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simple including the clutch she held. As usual, her make-up was flawless;
her lips a shade of burgundy that would have pulled him in for a kiss but
Ibrahim was certain he didn’t feel anything like that as the ride down
continued.
When they got to the ground floor level, approaching the basement, she
scoffed. “Really, Ibrahim? You’re still going to ignore me even when we’re
in the same space?”
He told himself to not ball his hands into fists. “I’m not ignoring you.”
“Funny.” She said dryly. “Your actions are saying otherwise.”
“There isn’t much I want to say, Bella. There hasn’t been much to say since
Saturday.”
“And did it occur to you that there’s much we have to say, especially me?”
She turned to face him fully. “Serkan and Aliana left without properly
saying goodbye to you and you know how I usually feel about going to see
your shitty parents yet we’ve been on opposite ends of a tunnel, drawing
further and further apart.”
A soft throb began in his temple as the carriage came to a stop. “Bella,
please not now.”
“And don’t think I don’t know you’ve been mostly indoors with Ayra all
week. She even went out more than you did.”
“Bella –”
“I’m surprised she isn’t here with you. Wouldn’t put it past her to be
downstairs already, waiting for you to –”
“Bella, please!”
The carriage stopped completely, the silence tense enough that it could be
sliced with a knife. Ibrahim counted to five in his head before he exhaled,
turning to her as the doors slid open. “Not now, please. We can talk about
everything and you can scream at me about whatever you want later but not
now. I just –” He blew out another breath. “I just want to get through
tonight as best as I can so please…”
Not wanting to see her expression softening, he walked out of the carriage
and into the parking lot. She went after him. “Ibrahim, are you okay?”
“I’ll be fine.” He hoped she didn’t push it. “I’ll be alright after tonight.”
She put her hand on his, stopping him from opening his car door. Fighting
back a tired sigh, he turned to look at her. She offered him a small smile.
“I’m sorry.”

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“I know.” He couldn’t bring himself to tell her he was sorry too when he
knew fully well that he wasn’t.
“Where’s Ayra though? She’s not going?”
“She is. She’s at Ibty’s place. They’ll be coming together.”
Her eyes brightened with mischief and Ibrahim found himself hating it.
“So, I can go with you instead of driving down to Nathaniel and Anneth’s
place so I can join the limo?”
“You’ll have to still go with them though. I’m coming back with Ayra.”
She smiled and let his hand go. “That’s fine. Let’s deal with that when we
get to the event and we have to leave.” She walked around the car and
pulled open the passenger door, easily sliding in. “Come on, Serkan.”
His chest heavy, Ibrahim pulled open his door and slid behind the wheel. A
minute later, the engine was coming to life and she spoke. “You look good.
I’ve never really seen you wear this before.”
He pushed down the memory of Ayra picking it out that morning when he
told her he didn’t know what to wear, just because he wanted to have her in
his room; just because he wanted to hold onto her for a little longer, the
way he’d done all week.
“I guess it’s new.” It wasn’t. He got it back in July, when he’d purchased
Ayra’s birthday dress. He put the gear in reverse and eased down on the gas
pedal. “I didn’t think much of what I wanted to wear. I just picked it out.”
“It’s really good.”
“You don’t look bad yourself.”
“That’s a lame compliment coming from you, Serkan. You usually do better
than that.”
He gave her a small smile. “That’s all I can come up with right now.
Hopefully, by the end of tonight I’ll have something better.”
“You hate the fact that we have to attend so badly?”
Not for the same reasons as you, he wanted to say. “You have no idea.”
She laughed, reaching out to take his hand that rested between the seats.
She laced their fingers. “I love you, Serkan.”
His chest constricted and he simply smiled, finding himself unable to say
his usual “I love you too”. Keeping a small smile on her face, Bella turned
the other way and stared out of the tinted window at the places they drove
past. Her smile faded and she tucked her tongue inside her cheek, forcing

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herself to turn a blind eye to the fact that there were a lot of things that
needed to be sorted between them. She told herself that they were to going
to be fine, no matter what it took.
They had to be.
♣
Palm Drive saw an influx of luxurious cars that evening. Some cars were
tinted, others weren’t; some with covered number plates, others without.
Security, as expected, was tight and every single person knew better than to
not follow the standard protocols so everything ran smoothly.
Beyond the huge open gates of House 16A, the Fahad mansion was a
masterpiece. Recently renovated, the walls gleamed beautifully; the shrubs
and trees were trimmed; the pathways actually shone and there was no
single dirt in sight. Smartly dressed officials directed cars into parking
spaces and guests were led to the back, down the sunken limestone terrace,
and into the rear gardens where tables had been arranged, each one covered
with golden fabric with dinnerware set perfectly and dishes and drinks laid
out in the buffet area, snacks in tall aesthetically pleasing towers.
Every member of the Fahad family, and those who were plus-ones, were
dressed regally to impress – and outshine – the other and conversations
flowed as they caught up, laughing over little jokes and discussing the major
happenings that had taken place since they’d all last seen each other.
Ibrahim was one of the few who did not need to go through the security
protocol. Once his number plate was sighted, access was granted at all gates
and he drove into the compound he’d grown up in, finding his reserved
parking space quite easily. The space beside his got filled a minute later and
he recognised the limo as that of his friends’.
In the passenger seat, Bella unbuckled her seat belt and smiled at him.
“You’ll stay with me or close to me tonight, right? You know how it can
get.”
Acting as though there wasn’t a small wave of dread in his stomach,
Ibrahim managed a small smile. “I’ll try my best.”
They got out of the car at the same time, the others – Tobi, Jalal, Nathaniel,
and Anneth – stepping out of the limo too. While Jalal and Nathaniel were
in lapelled suits, Tobi was in an agbada and its matching cap. Anneth was in
an ink blue dress that shimmered and hugged her like a second skin, the
side slit up to her thigh, exposing an entire flawless leg. Her hair was in its
afro glory and her make-up, like always, was stunning.

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She smiled at Ibrahim and Bella. “I see you two have made up already.” She
then feigned a glare, aiming it Ibrahim’s way. “Don’t forget you have to
make it up to us too.”
Ibrahim said nothing, simply looking away while Bella laughed and told
Anneth to cut it out before they went on to complement each other. Faces
of aunts, uncles, cousins, and distant relatives were all Ibrahim could see as
he looked from one person to the other and he wondered whether or not
Ayra and Ibtihaj had arrived yet. He found himself praying they hadn’t; so
he could walk to the rear gardens with Ayra’s arm in his and not Bella’s.
“Well, well, well…If it isn’t my son and his best friends.”
They all turned, watching as Fareeda approached them with a smile on her
face and her hands in front of her. Like always, she was as graceful as a
queen who was very comfortable in her kingdom. Her dress was in an
elegant navy shade which complemented the honey-brown skin Ibrahim
had gotten. It had a closed neckline and Pearson styled sleeves, a detailed
embroidered bodice, a slim waist sash, and a skirt that flowed to the ground
in slim layers of chiffon, satin, and crepe. Her turban was simple, pushed
back to start from the near middle of her head; thereby exposing jet black
hair that had been parted in the middle and brushed back. She wore little
jewellery and if they didn’t know her well, they would have sworn she was
not wearing any make-up.
She stopped right in front of the small crowd and focused on Ibrahim first.
“I was hoping you’d call since the last time we saw each other. I should
have known your old habits won’t die so easily even though we seemed fine
before and after you and Ayra got married.”
Ibrahim wanted to bristle but he didn’t. With false calmness, he smiled at
her. “It’s not like you called either.”
“I purposely did so, Ibrahim, just so you could reach out first and not
complain that I’m hounding you the way you used to.”
For the first time, Ibrahim felt her words hit him squarely in his chest. He
pushed down the ball of emptions before it fully formed. “I’ll do better.”
He then stepped forward and hugged her, surprising himself at how he felt
the need to cry when she hugged him back. “Hello, Mum.”
“Hello to you too.” Fareeda pulled back, cutting the hug short. Blinking
back how momentarily taken aback she was by the hug, she turned to Bella.
Her smile turned frosty. “Isabella Mariá Valentino.”
Bella’s smile did not reach her eyes. “Fareeda Fahad.”

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“It has been a while, has it not? A couple of years, right?”
“Yes, it has.” Bella’s fake smile stretched. “Time flies. It feels like forever
has passed since then.”
Fareeda nodded, twice. “Forever has passed since then. You six have
achieved greater heights, Salim and I have grown older,” Her smile turned
mean. “And Ibrahim has gotten married. Something you told me back then
would never happen because both of you were always going to be together
whether or not Salim and I gave our approval. So yes, Isabella Mariá, it has
been forever.”
Bella’s glare was lethal and Ibrahim’s stomach sunk lower. “Mum.”
Fareeda ignored him, her smile brightening as she turned to the others.
“Anneth and Nathaniel Samson, Jalal Ahmad, and Tobi Enioluwa. It’s good
to see you four again after such a long time. I trust you’ve all been fine,
although there have been news of your countless parties and a string of one
night stands and broken hearts both within and outside Atlantica.”
Ibrahim grabbed her arm. “Mum, stop.”
Anneth’s smile was bitter. “I should have known you’d be this petty when
we received the invitation. It’s good to know you haven’t changed much,
Fareeda. I can imagine Salim being much worse.”
Ibrahim turned to his friend. “Anneth.”
“Oh trust me, Anneth, when it comes to you, I haven’t really changed at
all.” Fareeda said, still smiling so beautifully. “I still think Ibrahim could
have done better. In terms of business and the company, you’re all one
great team. In terms of love and friendship though, you six are a big
mistake and I’m still waiting for the day you all realise it, no matter how
long it takes.”
Ibrahim closed his eyes and prayed for strength, letting go of his mother’s
hand. Bella had one hand tightly gripping her clutch while the other hand
was a fist that pushed her nails into her skin. “So,” She asked Fareeda. “Did
you invite us here to clearly show your displeasure and stoop even lower
than you’ve done all these years? Even when you know that majority of the
family you hold so dearly have long accepted us despite you and your
husband’s disapproval?”
“I invited you because of Ayra.” Fareeda responded, her smile nearly gone.
“Ayra’s my daughter-in-law and I know she considers you five her friends
even though there’s a high chance you all might just be humouring her
when there is need for it.”

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Ibrahim’s stomach kept sinking. Fareeda went on. “I wasn’t looking
forward to her asking why you all weren’t invited. The times she’s been
here, there’s always been one reason or the other why you five couldn’t
make it. Tonight, there would be none and I can manage a few hours with
you all in my house instead of lying through my teeth, pushing out one
reason or the other.”
Nathaniel scoffed. “Well, aren’t you the best mother-in-law.”
“I’m far from it, Nathaniel, but thank you.” She gestured towards one of
the smartly dressed men. “Kian would lead you to the gardens although I’m
sure you five can find your way.” She turned to her son, her smile long
gone. “I need to have a word with Ibrahim.”
Bella, Nathaniel, Anneth, Tobi, and Jalal stared at her for a moment before
they laughed dryly and walked away, leaving her and Ibrahim alone. Ibrahim
watched them go and when they disappeared out of sight, he turned to his
mother. “Mum, you have no right –”
“I heard a rumour, Ibrahim, and I hope to God that it’s not true.”
The band that never failed to squeeze Ibrahim’s chest when the need arose
showed up then, squeezing just a little. Ibrahim forced his calm façade to
stay on. “There are a lot of rumours, Mum, so you should clarify what
you’re talking about.”
Fareeda took a small step forward, cutting the little space between them by
half. He was taller than her with about four to five inches but in that
moment – as she stared at him with a hostile coldness he’d never seen
before, even on the days they fought when he was growing up – Ibrahim
felt as though he was the small one and she was taller.
“I hope you’re not seeing Bella, Ibrahim. I hope, like you said, that things
ended between you two years back. I hope you didn’t lie to me when you
said you liked Ayra and wanted to settle with her, Ibrahim. I really hope you
didn’t.”
The band around Ibrahim’s chest tightened and his throat dried, his mind
going blank. He could only stare at her, his heart sinking into a hole it had
dug. An extremely tensed moment passed and then Fareeda’s emotions
were as clear as the day.
For the first time, the disbelief in her eyes hurt him. The disappointment
that followed was a punch in the gut. Her humourless laugh as she stepped
back from him was a knife and it stabbed him well. His mouth opened on
its own accord. “Mum –”

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She held up a hand, looking away. “You’re no better than your father.”
If he’d been tethering dangerously towards the edge of a cliff, her statement
threw him off it. Ibrahim felt himself freeze for what felt for the longest
minute of his life before slowly, he cracked and began to shatter, each
broken fragment smaller than the last. Somewhere deep within, there a
small slice of anger. His hands balled into fists and he thickly swallowed.
“I’m not Dad.”
Fareeda faced him once again. “How are you any better right now, Ibrahim?
Give me one thing that backs up the fact that you’re not Salim. Just one
thing, Ibrahim…Come on, tell me.”
Ibrahim’s fists tightened and he lost the war against his tears. His vision
began to blur. “We wouldn’t have done this if you and Dad had given your
blessings. If you hadn’t tried to manipulate me like a marionette nearly all
my life, to the extent that I had to leave for Leicester just so I could
breathe, we wouldn’t be here. When I brought Bella home time and time
again and begged you to accept her, if you had actually done it, we wouldn’t
be here. I’d be happy, Mum, and I wouldn’t be trying to balance out two
lives. I’m not Dad.”
Fareeda’s smile was so sad it felt like a slap to Ibrahim’s face. She shook her
head. “You wouldn’t be happy, Ibrahim. I still stand by what I said the first
day you brought Bella home. You don’t love her, you never have, but
you’re too loyal to her and those other good for nothings that you’d rather
stay and ruin yourself than leave and here we are…I admit I wasn’t the best
mother but I did try, Ibrahim, just so you didn’t end up like me or put
someone in the position my family and your father’s family did. I admit that
I didn’t go about things well but still…” She laughed bitterly. “Here we are.
Fate really did me dirty with this one. An apple really doesn’t fall far from
its tree.”
Ibrahim kept breaking. “Stop it. Please.”
“Does she know? Ayra, I mean.”
He found himself shaking his head and answering her so easily, furiously
blinking the tears back. “No, she doesn’t”
Fareeda regained composure, her neutral mask sliding right back in place.
In front of her, though, her hands were tightly clasped together. “End it,
Ibrahim. Ayra might not have been the first choice candidate we had for a
wife for you but you convinced us that she was the one you wanted and we
gave in. She is your wife and while your father and I are going to try our
bests to do better, you will try your best to be a better husband. I don’t care

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if it’s going to hurt but you should and you will end what you’re having with
Bella.”
He shook his head again, a tear breaking past the shaky barrier he’d tried to
erect and sliding down his cheek. “I can’t. You don’t –”
“I don’t care, Ibrahim. I really don’t care. What I do know is that if you
keep this going, you’re going to get hurt. When that happens, you’re going
to see every reason why your father and I told you Bella and the others
weren’t good for you. Your father and I aren’t perfect beings and we’re
seeing that but if you stubbornly choose to walk down this path that we
took, I hope you can bear it when it all goes up in flames. Just because your
father and I survived it doesn’t mean you will. Don’t put Ayra in that
position I was in, Ibrahim.”
Ibrahim could stare at her, tears streaming down his cheeks. For a moment,
her façade cracked and he caught a glimpse of the hurt she was trying to
hide before the mask slid back in place. She sighed a moment later and
stepped forward, hugging him briefly.
“Freshen up inside and meet us in the gardens when you feel better.” She
told him. “I’ll tell everyone you needed a minute to pick something for me.”
He simply nodded and she stepped away. Turning around, she raised the
hem of her dress, revealing black suede platform heels, and walked away.
Ibrahim stood there for a few more seconds before he walked in the
opposite direction, heading into the house he’d always wanted to get out
from.
A few spots away from where his car was parked, the backdoors of a
heavily tinted Land Cruiser Prado went open and Ibtihaj stepped out before
Ayra did. In the rear gardens, the members of the Hexad squad spoke with
those they were friendly with, smiles on their faces although they were
mostly seethed deep within.
Inside the mansion, Ibrahim went straight up to his room, shut and locked
the door, before resting his back against it and sliding to the floor,
repeatedly telling himself that he was not his father. He was never going to
be.

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39
Ayra first made a stop inside the mansion to use the restroom, using the
mirror to fix her dress and turban once she’d relieved herself. Satisfied with
her reflection and with the pep talks she gave herself just so she acted well
the entire night, she grabbed her clutch and stepped out of the guest
bathroom, stopping in place at the sight of Ibrahim descending the stairs.
He also stopped in place when he sighted her, his gaze slightly sad as he
took her in. Ayra’s chest did a little squeeze and she forced every
unwelcome emotion back. All week, since the sorry excuse of the dinner
with Serkan and Aliana, he’d carried around him a cloud of sadness and had
been a little clingier than usual; to the extent that she had to stop herself
from feeling bad for him when he hurt her with every discovery she made
and every plan she had to put in place.
Regaining composure, she closed the bathroom door while he descended
the remaining stairs before making his way towards her with slow but
graceful steps. He looked so good, Ayra was not going to deny it, but unlike
before, she couldn’t bring herself to say the words. They’d since gone past
that.
He stopped in front of her, offering a small smile. “Hey.”
She acted as though she didn’t see the tell-tale signs that he’d cried. She
smiled back. “Hi.”
“Are you just arriving?”
She shook her head. “We arrived a little earlier. I can’t say how long it’s
been actually. Since Ibty’s using the opportunity to talk to this really good
friend of hers, I decided to use the restroom and then admire myself in the
mirror.”
The last part got a small laugh out of him and it made her chest squeeze
again. He ended his laughter with a sigh, a moment passing before he said
“You look beautiful, Ayra. You’d definitely turn heads tonight.”
Her blush was little and her smile turned sad although she did her best to
ensure he didn’t see it. She blessed him with a twirl. “I had to dress to
impress. It is a big event after all and a Fahad shouldn’t be caught lacking.”
The tender way he stared at her made her chest squeeze once more. The