"Mother, I won't be able to accompany anyone."

He barely finished the sentence before another call cut through.

He glanced at the screen, it was his secretary.

"Mother, I have another call coming in. It's urgent. I'll call you later."

And without giving her the chance to argue, he ended the call and answered the next one.

His secretary's panicked voice came through immediately.

"Salam, Sheikh... we have an emergency."

Yahzaan's posture straightened instantly, the lazy calm from moments ago vanishing like it had never existed.

"What happened?"

"The construction project is facing serious issue. There's been a delay, and the investors are already questioning the management. The shareholders aren't happy at all."

A muscle ticked in his jaw.

"I'll be there in an hour."

He didn't wait for further explanation.

Ending the call, he pushed his chair back and rose to his feet.

The shift in him was immediate.

The man who had been quietly watching his wife just moments ago was gone.

The air around him seemed to change completely as he walked towards the bedroom.

Across the table, Layla had heard the entire conversation. A flicker of worry crossed her face. It wasn't that she cared about Yahzaan... but she wasn't the kind of person who found comfort in someone else's trouble.

Silently, she stood as well and followed him to their room.

By the time she entered, he was already in the bathroom. The steady sound of running water filling the space.

For a moment, she just stood there.

Then, quietly, she picked out his clothes with careful hands, placing them neatly on the bed.

After that, she stepped into the walk-in closet, fixing the slight mess she had created earlier, putting things back exactly where they belonged.

By the time she stepped out again, Yahzaan was almost ready.

His phone was pressed to his ear, his expression unreadable, but his voice was sharpe and controlled.

"No, I don't want excuses. I want solutions," he said, pacing once across the room. "Handle the media before this gets out of hand. I'll deal with the rest when I get there."

He ended the call with the same clipped finality and walked out of the room.

The moment he was gone, Layla let out the breath she hadn't realized she'd been holding.

She turned to leave as well but her eyes caught something on the bed.

His wallet.

He had forgotten it.

For a brief second, she hesitated. Then, grabbing it, she rushed out of the room.

She was halfway down the stairs when she saw him, he was just about to step into the elevator.

"Yahzaan!"

Her voice echoed slightly in the space.

He stopped.

Then slowly turned.

Confusion flickered across his face... followed by something close to disbelief.

She reached him, her steps faltering as she held out the wallet, he took it, his fingers brushing hers for the briefest second.

But before she could take a step back, his hand caught her.

His fingers wrapped around her waist, pulling her back.

For a moment, he said nothing. He just looked at her.

Then, slowly, he drew her closer, his hand lifted to tuck a rebellious strand of hair behind her ear.

"I was planning to take you out today," he said, his voice lower now, stripped of its earlier sharpness. "And... I wanted to apologize for that night. I behaved irrationally."

A pause.

"Forgive me."

Before she could respond, he leaned down and pressed a soft kiss to her forehead.

For a second, she forgot how to move.

Her fingers twitched at her sides, as if unsure what they were supposed to do. Her lips parted slightly, but no words came out. All she could feel was the faint echo of that touch, still burning against her skin.

"The elevator code is 6324," he added, stepping back slightly. "But I don't want you going out alone. I'll ask Khidr to accompany you wherever you want to go."

Layla blinked, once... then again, her mind refused to catch up.

She stood on her place, frozen with a messy mind.

She wanted to ask something.

Anything.

But the words stayed trapped between her thoughts and her lips.

So she did the only thing she could.

She stayed silent.

And just like that, he stepped into the elevator.

Left her there standing, with her thoughts tangled, her heart pounding loudly in her chest.

She couldn't process what had just happened.

Almost unconsciously, her hand rose to her forehead, brushing the spot where he had kissed her moments ago.

Her mind was a mess of tangled thoughts.

She stood there, frozen...God knew for how long, until the sharp ping of an email notification broke through the haze.

She walked to the couch and opened the email. It was from her university, another reminder about the assignment submission.

Earlier, she had planned to write to her professor, clear her doubts through the email.

But now...

Now she was thinking of attending the afternoon lecture.

And more importantly... she knew the elevator code.

A strange feeling settled inside her chest, fragile yet unfamiliar. She couldn't name it, but it made her feel... freer.

Less like a prisoner trapped in this golden cage.

Or maybe it was just another illusion.

Another fragile kindness he would shatter when it no longer suited him.

Still...

An opportunity had been placed in her hands.

And she would take it.

Because whatever happened later...whatever he chose to do... She refused to let this moment turn into regret.

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End of the chapter🤍

Thank you for reading ✨

Let me know your thoughts.❤️

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