CONNECTED HEARTS

29: Call Of A Lifetime

Adyan's pov

Work has been suffocating me lately. After yesterday's mess with Humaira, I tried calling Kaltoom, but she wasn't picking up. I figured she was still upset, and honestly, I couldn't blame her. My plan was to visit her the next day and clear things up face-to-face. But life clearly had other plans for me.

The office had turned into a battlefield. Zayn the businessman my father had been desperate to finalize a deal with was waiting. At first, he came across as friendly, even charming. But at our second meeting, he revealed his real self: demanding, unyielding, and impossible to please. His sudden switch-up had me on edge, and his endless demands tested my patience in ways I didn't think possible.

That morning, I skipped breakfast just to prepare for him, only to be met with his arrogance. The only reason I didn't walk out was because my father wanted this deal sealed. Zayn arriving late didn't even shock me at this point, but it did nothing for my already foul mood. By the time the meeting was over, I had a pounding headache and a deep craving for silence.

Just when I was about to zone out completely, my phone rang, Sara. For once, I was grateful. Talking to her was like a breather after hours of suffocating pressure. The call didn't solve my problems, but it gave me a moment of calm, and in that chaos, that was enough.

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Kaltoom's POV

Today dragged like never before. My period came, and the idea of dragging myself to school? Absolutely not. At first, I felt relieved to skip, but regret crept in fast being stuck at home was worse.

Ammi had gone out to congratulate her friend on the arrival of her grandchild. Of course, she had to mention that the girl was my age a subtle jab, like always. Her dramatic flair was exhausting. Thank God she didn't drag me along; I didn't have the energy. With Farouk nowhere to be seen and Abee away on a business trip, the house was empty. Too quiet.

It was just me and Shatu, who was too busy deep-cleaning the store room to notice my sulking. I curled up under the dolphin blanket Farouk once bought me it was ridiculously soft, my safe space and started flipping through channels. Nothing caught my eye. Amani and Laila were probably still stuck in class, so reaching out to them wasn't an option.

I tried scrolling through the pink app, watching reels, but even that got boring quickly. I was restless. So restless that, against all my better judgment, I picked up my phone and dialed Adyan's number. He was the only option left. My heart jumped when he picked up almost immediately.

The start was awkward, our silence heavy, until Adyan broke it.

"You shouldn't be upset about Humaira. She's just someone I know by chance," he said casually, like it was nothing.

Something inside me snapped, and before I could stop myself, I blurted, "Soon I'll receive an invitation card with your name and hers."

Mortification. I wanted to bury myself alive. My period hormones were absolutely betraying me.

Then came his response calm, steady, cutting through the silence: "Or she could receive one with our names on it."

I froze. My chest tightened. Was he... serious?

His voice dropped, hurt laced in every word. "But I can't marry you by force, right? Do you even know how much I love you? You treat me like a friend, nothing more. I was expecting... something after we came back from China. After I opened up to you. But you think it was a joke when I said I loved you?"

His words hit me like a punch, straight to the heart.

"Do you mean what you just said?" I whispered, my voice trembling.

"Of course, I love you, Kaltoom," he replied instantly. "I need you. I don't want to rush, but I need you to love me back. I'll wait for the day you finally admit it. Until then, no girl will ever have a place in my heart." His tone sharpened slightly, and I knew he was talking about Humaira.

Then, as if that wasn't enough to leave me speechless, he added, "And to prove it to you, I'll ask my dad to meet with yours. I want you to belong to me soon... I really need you. But only with your permission. I promise you won't regret it. I'll give you time to think if you want."

I didn't let him finish. The words tumbled out before I could stop them: "Adyan, you can ask your dad to meet Abee."

For a second, even I couldn't believe what I had just said. My heart was racing. Was this real?

Because the truth was, I couldn't say no. Not after everything. Seeing him with Humaira had awakened something ugly in me, jealousy. A sharp, stinging kind I had never felt before. And I hated how much it burned. But it made one thing crystal clear: I didn't want her to have him. She was sly, the way she looked at him made me uneasy. Not this time.

"Adyan, I also like you a lot, okay?" I confessed, my voice shaky but determined. "I realize it more every day. And I'd love for you to meet Abee so we can... so we can get married." My last words came out as a whisper, but I knew he heard me.

I could hear him exhale, relief pouring through the line. "I love you, Kaltoom. I love you so much," he said softly, and my body shivered at the weight of his voice.

I hugged my phone close to my chest, grinning like an idiot. I had no idea boredom would lead me here.

The rest of the call blurred into sweet chaos. Adyan talked about potential dates, our families meeting, the future. I tried to soak it all in, though my mind was spinning wedding, family gatherings, building a life with him. It all felt unreal, like I was trapped in a dream I never wanted to wake up from.

Before we hung up, his tone softened again. "I'll talk to my dad and arrange the meeting with Abee soon."

I nodded instinctively, even though he couldn't see me. "Okay," I breathed out.

We whispered a few more sweet nothings, reluctant to hang up, and when the call finally ended, I sat frozen in place.

My mind caught up, and a squeal escaped before I could stop it. I clutched my blanket tighter, smiling like the happiest fool alive.

Because it just happened. I had agreed to marry Adyan Salman the boy who had been mine in my heart long before he ever knew.

And this time, I wasn't letting him go.

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