Fatal Attraction.

20

Rashad's POV.

I take a deep breath.
"What's with all the breathing, just do it"

I glare at Abdulhadi "Don't pressurize me, let me do things at my pace"
He smiles "Lift it already"

I groan "I'm never coming to the gym with you" I say moving away. He's a gym junkie so I'm sure you can imagine how a 6'5, dark, bearded guy who works out 5hours 5days of the week looks.

We were on a call when I mentioned going to the gym and he told me his gym is better and I stupidly agreed to join him, worst mistake ever.

"You know, there's a saying that goes 'People who are obsessed with working out are trying to make up for something they don't have' I'm starting to think it might be true" I say.
He chuckles "And what am I lacking? You and I both know every girl who I end up in bed with become obsessed with this temple" he says looking at his body.

I roll my eyes "I'm hitting the shower, 3hours of working out is enough for one day" I pick up my towel dabbing it on my face.

"Okay, I think I'll do three today" he says as he follows me to the locker room.
"So—how's it like being a daddy?" he says with a smirk.

"Can you not make that word sound provocative? For once in your life?"
He shakes his head "Not even if I try".

I ignore him "It's okay, it's bliss actually"
He smiles "So things are good with your wife?"
I nod.

"So you love her?"
I stay quiet.
Yes, I care about her and there's really nothing to dislike about Ruqayyah, she's also my son's mother but if I say I love her, I'd be lying.

"Oh silence—so you're not sure"
"I'm sure"

"That you don't love her"
I look at him hesitantly "No—that I care for her and that's what matters. Love doesn't need to exist to sustain a marriage"
"But it does make it stronger"

I shrug "Not mine, my marriage can do very well without"
He nods "If you say so but she's a really good woman, don't lose her" he says before picking up his towel and entering the shower.

I huff looking at the floor idly.

::

"You're still up?" Ruqayyah asks joining me in the living room.
I nod "It's 12am, I'm more shocked you're awake"

She smiles sitting next to me "Fareed wouldn't sleep, he kept playing"
"He's asleep now or you need my help?"

"He's asleep"
I nod.

I could tell she had something to say "Is something wrong?"
She huffs "Can I ask you something?"

"Yeah, of course"
She takes a deep breath "I have a friend who's pregnant and her husband suspects it's not his because she was cheating at the time of the pregnancy"
"So?"

"He wants to confront the man she was cheating on him with and he asked me to come along to be there when he admits it"

I nod "So you don't want to betray your friend?"
"Yes and her brother is a very close friend. I don't want him to think I'm trying to sabotage his sister's marriage"

"How close?" I inquire.
"We dated in the past but we're good"

"Well—it's obvious they've move past the cheating but he's fearful the child might not be his which would ultimately create a rift in their marriage. Since he asked you he probably doesn't have anyone he can count on but I advice you stay far away from that marriage. If anything happens, she'll blame you"
She nods "You're not going to ask who it is?"

I shrug "As long as it doesn't involve me, I don't think I need to know"
She smiles awkwardly.

I have a feeling this involves me, I can't help but feel that way but at the same time I don't think it's something I need to worry about so I just disregard it.

::

Ruqayyah's POV.

Fareed is at his grandparent's place, Rashad's parents. Ma loves having him so I took him there.
I know he's still so young as he's just 3months but she kept begging and I didn't want it to seem like I'm declining her the right to see her grandchild, the good part about it is that Rashad is hesitant about it too, I took him before I made my way here and Rashad is picking him up tomorrow after work, he's attached to him.

"So you won't bring him here?" Mami asks with a pout.
I smile "Come on Mami, you know idywant to bring him but Ma has been begging us to bring him before they up and leave"

"Again? It seems like those old couple are having their honeymoon now"
I nod giggling "It sounds really nice though"

She huffs "I wish your father would do something like that but you know him, he's unromantic and boring"
I rest my hands on her shoulder "Believe me I know what you mean. Rashad is that way too except the boring part. He's toxically unromantic"

She shakes her head smiling "Too bad for you child"

Although I've called Nasir and told him I can't help with what he asked, I still can't seem to get it out of my head, Zoya cheated on him?
That sounds impossible, like beyond the bounds of possibility.
Although technically she had been behaving oddly for the longest time. I can't seem to come up with an excuse for her and Nasir sounds so broken.

I huff.
"What did you bring me?" Mami asks "I saw you with bags"

"Gifts from my mother-in-law, they're in your room"
She stands excitedly "Let's go check it out"
"Hm" I say following her.

::

Zarah and I decided to give out things at home that we don't need to less fortunate widows.

After arranging my stuff with hers in her trunk we get in the car and drive off.
"I heard you talking about your mum but not Zainab, isn't she home?"

"Nope, she's staying with my grandmother. After the whole Sadiq incident we thought it's best she's surrounded with our cousins"
She nods "Heartbreak is a bitch"

"For real"
She scoffs "What do you know about heartbreak?"

I gasp "Before I met Rashad I went through heartbreak"
"Ah yeah, you lost your ex"

"Lost?" I ask confused.
She nods "Yeah, Zoya told me you were depressed after he died, for months and then you met Rashad"

I was confused.
Like completely and utterly confused.
I don't remember losing an ex and going through depression, all I remember was I was heartbroken after getting dumped and then I met Rashad.

"That's not what happened"
She shrugs "I don't know, I was just told"
I smile "Maybe she doesn't have the facts straight"

She gasps as she keeps tapping me continuously.
"What? I'm right here"

She smiles "I got a really juicy gist for you"
I sit up excitedly "What is it?"
"Do you remember my friend Raliya?"
I shake my head "The name sounds familiar but I don't remember her"

"The one who opened that restaurant last two years, the one Zoya frequents because of their mad cocktails?"
"Ohhh yeah yeah" I say nodding.

"Apparently, she had to fire her bartenders because they've been sleeping around with her customers"
I gasp "For real?"

"Yeah, she kept getting reviews on her website. They kept calling her restaurant the gigolo lodge"
I couldn't help but laugh, the way people come up with these names.

"For real, so they flirt with women, whether married or not, as long as they're wealthy. I've even heard they do men too but that might just be a rumor. But I was shocked when I heard about it. She called complaining, saying that it made sense why women frequented more then men"
"Admittedly the bartenders are good looking and hot too"

She nods in agreement "I said the same thing. She didn't deny that she hired them for their looks"
I huff "We should ask Zoya for more info, maybe she still goes there"

She laughs excitedly "Yeah we should. Should we visit her next week"
"It's a date".

::