CONNECTED HEARTS

36: Beyond Appearance

Kaltoom sighed inwardly, her mind racing with thoughts of Adyan and the kiss they'd shared. She had been dodging him for hours, yet somehow he kept finding his way into her line of sight. The mansion wasn't that big, not when the person you were avoiding seemed to exist in every corner of your thoughts.

She busied herself with trivial tasks adjusting pillows, pretending to scroll through her phone, helping the nurse,anything to distract herself. But every so often, she caught glimpses of Adyan. His calm movements. His quiet presence. His eyes, lingering just a second too long. She avoided his gaze like it could ignite her heart all over again.

The air after Isha prayer was calm, the kind of silence that made her thoughts too loud. Laila's laughter echoed through the hallway as she floated out of the room, glowing with joy from Jalal's call. Kaltoom smiled to herself; love looked good on her friend.

Left alone with her thoughts, she didn't hear him until his voice cut softly through the quiet.

"As-salamu alaykum."

That voice. That deep, velvety tone that never failed to find its way to her heartbeat. Kaltoom froze, keeping her gaze low as if avoiding his eyes could protect her from her own emotions. The scent of his perfume..warm, musky, familiar! wrapped around her like a whisper, pulling her back to that moment. The kiss she couldn't forget, the one that now lived rent-free in her every thought.

The silence between them was heavy, almost sacred. She counted seconds in her head, trying to calm her racing pulse. Then, his voice came again, gentle, measured.

"Are you sure you won't go home? I mean... you and Laila can go. Khairiyya and I can stay the night."

His tone was soft, but she could sense an undercurrent concern, maybe something else. Her fingers fidgeted with the ring he'd given her in China, a nervous habit she couldn't seem to drop. She didn't answer immediately.

Why did he want her to leave? To keep her away from Afeeyah?
The thought stung.

"No way," she thought fiercely, her heart rebelling against logic. "I'm not going anywhere."

Adyan exhaled slowly before speaking again. "About earlier..." His voice trailed off, uncertain. "I shouldn't have crossed that line. I'm sorry if I made you uncomfortable."

Kaltoom's chest tightened at the apology. Of all the things she expected, this wasn't one. She found her voice, though it trembled a little.
"I'm not upset," she said quickly. "It's okay."

"Really?" he asked, amusement lacing his tone, the corners of his mouth lifting into that teasing smirk she hated to love.

Kaltoom nodded, looking away, cheeks burning.
And then his voice dropped lower.
"Does that mean I can do it again?"

She blinked up at him, heart hammering like a trapped bird. Her breath caught. His face was close.. too close. His eyes, intense. The air between them shimmered with something neither of them dared name.

But before words could betray her, Laila's voice sliced through the tension.
"Did I just interrupt something? Were you two about to kiss?"

Kaltoom's face flamed crimson. "Seriously, Laila?" she muttered under her breath, wishing the floor would swallow her whole.

Adyan's response was immediate he pulled a light tug on Laila's ear as she yelped in protest, laughter bubbling out despite the tension. Kaltoom couldn't help the quiet chuckle that escaped her lips. Justice served.

When the laughter faded, silence filled the room again. Kaltoom's gaze drifted toward Afeeyah's sleeping form. There was something about her face soft, serene, yet hauntingly familiar. Like Khalid. The resemblance made her chest ache with something she couldn't name.