Enamor

3. The Night of Independence

The Third chapter
_______
In her walk, a cadence of liberty he admires,
A soul unbound, igniting passion's fires.
Her independence, a canvas vast and wide,
Where his adoration and her freedom coincide.
In every step, she claims the world,
her own dance of pride.
_______

Under the dim glow of the streetlight, the tension between Haider and Edan was a living thing, almost visible in the charged air. The night's usual sounds were muted, overshadowed by the drama unfolding at the hotel's entrance.

"You're blinded by jealousy, Edan," Haider hissed, his grip on Edan's collar tightening. "She's her own person, not a prize to be won."
Edan's eyes flashed with anger. "And you're playing the saint? I see the way you look at her, the way you're always 'there' for her. Don't play dumb with me!"
Haider, unflinching, met Edan's gaze. "you seriously think that just because she came to this party with me, there's something between us?" he shot back, his voice steady.

They stood nose to nose, the air between them crackling with their mutual disdain. "You and your insecurities," Haider taunted, a smirk playing on his lips.
Edan, driven by a surge of rage, lunged at Haider, grabbing his collar in a tight grip. He aimed a punch, but Haider deftly dodged and grabbed Edan's collar in return.
"She's my woman. Why wouldn't I be insecure when all she's doing is going out with you?" Edan spat out, his hold tightening.
"We are business partners, of course we will have to meet. If you hadn't deceived her, she would've brought you along," Haider retorted, pushing Edan back with a forceful shove.
Edan regained his balance and struck Haider across the face. Haider returned the blow, his fist connecting with Edan's jaw. "I know she's cheating on me...," Edan gasped, pausing to catch his breath. "When I'm done with you, I will deal her."

Haider's response was swift; he charged at Edan, lifting him off the street. "Don't you dare lay a finger on her. Keep your insecurities away from her," he barked.
"Why do you care? She's my..." Edan's words were cut off as Haider yanked him closer.
"You don't have to keep reminding me," Haider's voice was a low rumble, each word laced with a dangerous promise as he hissed at him, his fingers digging into Edan's collar. "If there was even the slightest hint of something between us, I wouldn't hesitate. I wouldn't give a second thought to anyone else, and I'd claim her as my own," he declared, his eyes burning with an intensity that made Edan falter.
"If she were to choose me, if she were to become mine," Haider continued, pulling Edan closer until they were mere inches apart, "the very first thing I'd do is bury you alive, REMEMBER THAT" His words hung in the air, heavy with the threat of violence.
Edan, struggling against the weight of Haider's grip, could feel the raw emotion emanating from him. The air was thick with their animosity, the tension so tangible it was as if the night itself was holding its breath.
Just then, a soft voice pierced the standoff. "Enough!" Saadia's figure emerged from the shadows, her presence like a sudden calm in the storm. "This isn't you, Haider," she said, her hand reaching out to gently touch his arm. "And you, Edan, know better than to let jealousy consume you."
The two men, caught in the gravity of her words, slowly released their hold on each other. Saadia stood between them, her gaze unwavering. "There's no need for threats or violence. We're all adults here, and we can resolve this without resorting to such... barbarity."
The three of them turned and walked into the hotel, leaving the streetlight to flicker over the empty space where the confrontation had taken place.