Under That Niqab

67. Too Good To Be True..?

A feeling of light-heartedness enveloped her, bringing forth an indescribable contentment and calmness that she hadn't felt in ages. There hadn't been a single day when she had experienced such pure joy in simply existing.

Perhaps the decision she had made to open herself up completely in front of him had lifted the weight of an anchor from her heart. She deliberately avoided indulging in anticipation or contemplating the various possibilities, for doing so would mean living those moments twice.

Shavez sat on her bed, a contented sigh escaping his lips as she gently fed him a spoonful of the concoction prepared by Rukhsana. The white liquid looked peculiar, and its taste was equally strange. The maid deemed it her secret, refusing to disclose the ingredients.

After a good five minutes of him showing his most childish behavior and pretending that he doesn't have enough strength to eat on his own so she should feed him, made her put her guard down in defeat.

She had the faintest smile on her lips, a smile that seemed to persist without any apparent reason, it kept creeping up and she felt happy to be able to do so. To be able to smile.

"Will you please fetch my laptop?" he requested, taking the tissue from her hand and dabbing it against his lips.

"You- weren't you too weak to lift a spoon a few moments ago?" She quipped, scoffing a little.

"I was, now I feel stronger for some magical hands casted a spell on me, I feel fine," He said amusingly raising his eyebrows to tease her.

"You and flattery go parallel I tell you, but it won't work on me." She said firm in her tone. "You should rest a little more"

"I am resting," he shrugged, a mischievous twinkle in his eyes. "Just the sight of you is so soothing that it rejuvenates me. You look exceptionally beautiful today," he added, unable to resist complimenting her once again. And why shouldn't he?

"Goodness, you're incredibly cheesy," she scrunched up her face, feigning annoyance.

"I'm not" he rolled his eyes, observing her wavy hair, some strands clipped back, shimmering like cascading water falling upon her back as she arranged the tray to be taken back to the kitchen.

"You are" She affirmed, nonchalant in her response.

"Whatever helps you sleep at night" he mumbled, feeling a tad offended that his genuine feelings were being brushed aside, but... only on the facade.

Never had he felt happier, his heart leaping with joy, for there was something different about her aura today—something more open and inviting. She had seemingly adorned herself for some reason, her light pink dress radiating a dazzling glow, nearly blinding him. Her cascading hair was partly pulled back with an enchanting bow, and her lips wore a delicate hint of lip tint. Goodness, she looked absolutely stunning, and he was a weak man, he had to summon every ounce of self-control not to pull her close and...

"You" she uttered suddenly, catching him off-guard, he hadn't intended to but quite didn't understand why she suddenly mentioned him.

"Hm?" He questioned, confused.

She rose from the bed, tray in hand, giving him a fleeting glance. "You help me sleep at night," she concluded.

His heart would suddenly burst, it really would, "W-who's the cheesy one now?" he tried to retort, but he despised how his words stumbled, leaving him sounding rather flustered.

"Still you," she responded, skilfully handling the tray and stepping out of the room.

What was happening? If he pondered further, was his illness the reason behind this sudden change in her demeanor? If that was indeed the case, he wished to remain unwell forever.