CONNECTED HEARTS

33:A Brothers Blessing

Kaltoom's POV

I'm still reeling from the storm of emotions swirling inside me, especially after Adyan left this evening. My chest feels heavy and light at the same time, like my heart is both racing and floating. I've never experienced anything like this before.

Yes, I admitted it. I admitted to Adyan that I like him, a lot. Love, actually. I don't even know how he pulled it out of me, but he did. Maybe I do know... because he knows exactly how to get through to me.

It all started this afternoon. He'd said we'd have an important discussion when he came over in the evening. Being the overconfident me, I'd laughed and told him, "Bring it on. I'm ready for whatever you've got." I even told Ammi he was coming and carefully prepared dinner, setting the table like something out of a Pinterest board. The plan was to eat together after "the talk." But dinner sat untouched, my appetite vanished, because the conversation was more than I ever expected.

He looked me in the eyes and asked, one last time, if I was ready to spend my life with him. He reminded me that he loved me, that I was the woman of his dreams, that he wanted eternity with me. And yes, he sprinkled in all the romantic clichés men like him seem born rehearsing. Normally I'd roll my eyes. But when Adyan says it, in that deep, manly voice of his... it hits different.

Honestly, who was I kidding? I was long gone already.

Adyan was dressed in a dark blue kaftan and matching cap, looking every bit like an Arabian prince who stepped out of a fairytale. The aura, the status, the confidence... it was overwhelming. Add the fact that he gave me an out, saying he wouldn't force me if I had even a second's doubt? That only pulled me in deeper.

Because the truth is, I wasn't doubting. I was melting.

I realized it in all the little things: how his picture is my WhatsApp wallpaper, how my chest tightens when we argue, how I crave his voice more than sleep sometimes. He gives me butterflies. And before I could stop myself, the words slipped out:

"Adyan... I love you."

The second I said it, he was on his knees, holding my left hand, those intense eyes locking me in place. My heart skipped so many beats I thought I might actually faint. His hand was warm, grounding, yet it sent a strange electricity racing through me. For the first time, I was certain: this was what I wanted. He was what I wanted.

Then, of course, my daydream got cut short by Khalid. Typical.

He tapped my shoulder, his voice laced with suspicion. "Why are you smiling like that? It's creepy." He plopped down on the sofa opposite me, eyeing me like I was guilty of a crime.

I didn't answer. My smile refused to fade, and my silence was giving me away.

"You're still smiling that way," he pressed, raising a brow.

"Leave me alone, Khalid," I muttered, hiding my face behind my phone like a child. Except I wasn't even typing anything. My thumbs hovered, useless, as my mind spun.

Khalid, being Khalid, snatched the phone from my hands. I jumped up, panicking, but it was too late. His eyes flickered across the screen, catching enough to confirm what I'd been hiding.

"Oh?" he smirked. "So Abee is no longer the love of your life, it's this Adyyy? Interesting." He tugged my ear like we were five again.

In that moment, I wanted the ground to swallow me whole. I never hid things from him... except this.

He finally gave back my phone, then tugged me down beside him on the three-seater sofa. His voice was quieter now. "You're sure he's the one you want?"

My throat tightened. I fiddled with the ring on my pinky, staring at my lap. "I don't know, Khali... but I know he's a good person. And he likes me."

He tilted my chin up until I had to meet his eyes. His smile was soft, reassuring. "It's alright not to always be sure. But I know this much he's a great guy. He'll make you happy. And if he ever messes up, I'll be the first to knock sense into him."

Tears blurred my vision. I hugged Khalid tightly, hiding my face in his chest. He patted my back gently. "Shhh... you're doing the right thing," he murmured.

I needed those words more than I realized.

"Thank you, Khalid," I whispered, my voice trembling with gratitude.

Having his approval felt like a blessing. A huge weight lifted off me. If Khalid believed in Adyan, then I could breathe easier. It was like getting the green light I didn't even know I'd been waiting for.

Then, true to his personality, he ruined the emotional moment with: "Do you want some ice cream?"

I laughed through my tears. "Hell yes."

Minutes later, we were in his car, windows rolled down, music low, the evening sun painting the city gold. It was a simple moment, but it felt perfect. The proposal, the confession, the tears they all blurred together in the background.

Right then, it was just me, Khalid, and the promise of ice cream. And for the first time in days, everything felt right with the world.

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