CONNECTED HEARTS

2: The Adyan Effect, "An unlikely start.."

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Kaltoom's eyes snapped towards the stranger, her gaze meeting his piercing stare.

"Hey miss, do you mind moving your car a bit backwards?" he asked, his deep voice sending a shiver down her spine. She felt a flutter in her chest as she took in the unfamiliar face, his words barely registering as she processed the sudden rush of emotions.

"Your car is blocking my way," he said, his voice firm as he pointed a finger at Kaltoom's car when she didn't pay any heed to him. She turned her gaze immediately to him, her eyes flashing with annoyance, ready to attack whoever thought they had the nerve to order her around. Her morning was already ruined thanks to her mom's drama, and she wasn't having anyone add to that frustration.

Her eyes met his, and she felt a flutter in her chest. He had dark, expressive eyes with full, thick lashes, and she got lost staring into them. Where the hell did this man come from? Damn! She wasn't the type to gape or stare, but in this moment, her eyes seemed to have a mind of their own.

She had always wondered what made girls go weak in the knees over her brothers, the way they threw themselves at them like moths to a flame, and now she was terrified she was feeling the same flutter in her chest - but before she could shake off the thought, his deep voice sliced through her reverie.

"Quit staring and move it, please." Irritation edged his voice, a tone Adyan was accustomed to commanding; yet, his thoughts remained preoccupied, rendering Kaltoom's gaze mere background noise.

Kaltoom snapped out of her reverie, flicking her eyelashes as she gave him a dismissive once-over. She knew men like him - the kind who thought their chiseled features and charming smiles could effortlessly win over every girl they laid eyes on, but she was different and he's got nothing on her

With a fiery glint in her eyes, she flared her nostrils in indignation and, without so much as a backward glance or a whispered word, she stalked away, leaving a bewildered "Muhammad Adyan" in her wake.

She quickened her pace, her heels clicking on the pavement as she hurried to the psychology department, muttering under her breath about not wanting to waste another minute on the self-absorbed man, lecture time already ticking away.

His eyes narrowed, a spark of annoyance igniting within him as he wondered who she thought she was, dismissing him so abruptly. With a swift motion, he pulled out his phone, dialed a number, and began speaking in low tones, his back turned to the fading figure as he walked away.

The first lecture had wrapped up, and Kaltoom was pleasantly surprised by how engaging the class was – the professor's teaching style was spot on. With a sense of accomplishment, she strolled out of the lecture hall alongside her best friend and coursemate, Amani, heading towards the cafeteria.

Amani had opted to stay behind with Kaltoom, studying together after Kaltoom had vented about her mom's strict rules and restrictions, which had prevented her from being in another part of the world right now studying It was a role reversal of sorts, given that Amani was usually the obedient "mommy's girl" who preferred staying close to home, but in this case, it suited them both perfectly.

Having Amani around made things easier, She'd have die of irritation if her bestie wasn't in that university with her.

They claimed a table, and Kaltoom buried herself in her phone, scrolling mindlessly through Twitter, her thumbs flying across the screen as she devoured the latest tweets. Meanwhile, Amani ordered a plate of fried rice and wings, accompanied by a refreshing smoothie, and dug in with gusto, completely disregarding Kaltoom's claim of not being hungry.

The silence was shattered when a hand suddenly clamped down on Kaltoom's wrist, making her jump in surprise. Her brand new iPhone 12 Pro Max, a gift from her dad just a week ago, slipped from her grasp and clattered to the table. Her eyes widened, and a flush of anger rose to her cheeks as she turned to confront the culprit, her eyes blazing with anger. Who did he think he was?

Her gaze locked onto the stranger's face, and her anger intensified as she realized it was none other than Muhammad Adyan, the same man she'd encountered in the parking lot. His expression remained impassive, his eyes fixed on her with an unreadable intensity.

Up close, he was even more striking than she'd initially thought, his chiseled features and piercing eyes making her heart skip a beat. But Kaltoom quickly shook off the thought, mentally smacking herself for the distraction. "What the hell do you think you're doing? Let go of me!" she snapped, her voice rising in anger. Before she could utter another word, he tightened his grip and pulled her out of the cafeteria, leaving Amani staring after them in utter confusion and fear.

"Let go of her!" Amani demanded, but Adyan's piercing glare silenced her, his eyes flashing with a warning that brooked no argument. He dragged Kaltoom to the parking lot and pushed her away, his voice firm. "Now, move this thing away." Kaltoom's face scrunched up in anger as she realized he was referring to her car as a "thing".

The sleek, brand new Mercedes Benz was a prized possession, and Kaltoom's eyes flashed with possessiveness as she glared at Adyan. She'd worked hard to convince her father to get it for her, and she wasn't about to let this infuriating stranger push her around. "What if I don't?" she spat, her voice laced with defiance, as she crossed her arms over her chest.

"Then you won't even imagine what would happen." Adyan's words hung in the air, laced with a menacing undertone that sent a shiver down Kaltoom's spine. Threats weren't usually directed at her, and she didn't take kindly to them. A spark of determination ignited within her as she turned to Amani, who was watching the exchange with wide eyes. "Hmmm, Amani, pass me my purse," Kaltoom said, her voice deceptively calm, as she gestured to her friend without breaking eye contact with Adyan..

Amani handed over the keys, and Kaltoom seized them, flinging the car keys at Adyan with a flick of her wrist. "If you badly need to move your junk, do it yourself," she snapped, her words dripping with venom as she returned the insult. "Fine, I'll move it. But just because I'm in a hurry, note that you'll regret this," Adyan retorted, his eyes glinting with a warning. With a swift motion, he got into her Mercedes, drove it out of the way, and then abruptly abandoned it, leaving the door open and the engine running. He hopped into his sleek BMW M5 and sped off, leaving Kaltoom seething with anger and humiliation.

Her day was ruined, and she felt a stinging sense of hurt and frustration. How dare he treat her like that? He  had managed to ruin her entire day, and she couldn't do anything about it. She hated him for it, especially on her first day at school. Tears pricked at the corners of her eyes as she felt like crying on the spot. If only Khalid were around... The thought brought her a pang of longing, and she felt utterly helpless.

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