Forced Vows | Age gap | fictional characters |

Chapter 1: Unfolding plans

Chapter 1: Unfolding Plans

Leyla Arzhang moved swiftly through the bustling corridors of the hospital, her white coat billowing behind her. The rhythmic beeping of monitors and the faint scent of antiseptic were her constant companions in this world of healing and urgency. At 27, she had earned the respect of her colleagues and the admiration of her patients. Yet today, a sense of unease gnawed at her, a premonition of something looming on the horizon.

"Leyla, wait up!" Dr. Sarah Khan called out, jogging to catch up with her. Sarah was a fellow doctor and one of Leyla's closest friends in the hospital. Her warm smile was a beacon of comfort in the often hectic environment.

"Sarah, what's up?" Leyla asked, pausing by the nurses' station.

"Have you heard?" Sarah's eyes sparkled with excitement. "Your father is throwing you a huge birthday party tonight. The whole hospital is talking about it!"

Leyla's heart sank. A party? Her father had mentioned nothing about it. The last thing she wanted was to be the center of a grand celebration, especially one orchestrated by her father, Dr. Arzhang, whose influence was felt throughout the medical community.

"You're kidding, right?" Leyla managed to ask, trying to keep her tone light.

Sarah shook her head, her grin widening. "Nope, it's all set. Apparently, it's going to be quite the event. You must be excited!"

"Yeah, thrilled," Leyla muttered, her mind already racing with the implications. There was no escaping her father's plans. She would have to face whatever he had arranged, no matter how much she dreaded it.

---

The evening arrived too quickly, and Leyla found herself standing in front of her bedroom mirror, dressed in a delicate lace gown of pale blue. The reflection staring back at her was that of a young woman caught between duty and desire, between the expectations of her family and her own yearning for freedom.

Taking a deep breath, she descended the grand staircase of their home, the soft music and chatter of guests growing louder with each step. Her father's voice was the first to greet her.

"Leyla, my dear," he called out, his face breaking into a proud smile as he approached. "دا د زیږون ورځ دې مبارک شه، لورې."(Happy birthday, My dear)

(Thank you, father) "مننه، پلاره," she replied, her voice steady but her heart heavy.

The evening unfolded in a blur of polite conversations and forced smiles. Leyla moved through the crowd like an automaton, her mind elsewhere. It was then that her father approached her with a familiar name on his lips.

"Leyla, I'd like you to meet someone very special," Dr. Arzhang announced, guiding her toward a distinguished-looking man who stood apart from the throng of guests. "This is Emmad Noorani, an old family friend."

Emmad Noorani was a man of commanding presence, his dark hair streaked with silver and eyes that seemed to hold the wisdom of years. He extended his hand, a small smile playing on his lips.

"Happy birthday, Leyla," he said, his voice deep and resonant. "It's a pleasure to finally meet you."

"Thank you, Mr. Noorani," she replied, her voice catching slightly. "I've heard so much about you."

"Emmad, please," he corrected gently. "Your father has spoken highly of you as well. A doctor at such a young age—quite impressive."

She nodded, feeling the weight of the evening pressing on her. Her mind wasn't responding to the conversation as she was in the fight that she had with her boyfriend Osman the other night and the fact that they haven't talked to each other since then and how much she wanted to invite him to her birthday party but wanted him to join as a friend and not a boyfriend because Osman is of a different cast and her father doesn't like that, that's when they fought with each other and didn't talk to each other since then.

As the night progressed, Leyla found herself drawn into deeper conversation with Emmad. His stories of business ventures and travels were a welcome distraction from the expectations surrounding her. Despite the formal setting, there was an honesty in his words that she found intriguing.

"You seem distant, Leyla," Emmad observed at one point, his gaze searching hers. "Is everything alright?"

She hesitated, then decided to be truthful. "It's been a challenging time," she admitted softly. "This party... it's more for my father than for me."

Emmad nodded, a look of understanding in his eyes. "I can see that. Sometimes, we do things to please others, even at the expense of our own happiness."

His words struck a chord within her. Here was a man who seemed to see through the façade she had carefully constructed. It was both unsettling and oddly comforting.

As the night drew to a close, Leyla's mind was a whirlwind of conflicting emotions. The initial resentment she felt toward Emmad began to soften, replaced by a tentative curiosity. Could there be more to this arrangement than mere duty and obligation?

"Thank you for your company tonight," she said as they stood by the grand entrance, the guests slowly trickling out.

"The pleasure was mine, Leyla," Emmad replied, his eyes lingering on hers. "I hope we can speak again soon."

She nodded, a small smile curving her lips. "I would like that."

As she watched him leave, a flicker of hope ignited within her. Perhaps, amidst the ashes of her father's plans and her own despair, there was a chance for something genuine to grow. And perhaps, just perhaps, the man she had met tonight was not merely an instrument of her father's will, but a partner in navigating the uncertain path ahead.