Chapter 14: The crumbling marriage
Leyla packed a bag with trembling hands, her mind racing. The betrayal felt like a physical blow, and she couldn’t stay in the house a moment longer. She needed space, time to think, and most importantly, she needed to get away from the pain.
Dr. Sarah’s house became her refuge. Sarah welcomed her with open arms, offering a shoulder to cry on and a safe space to breathe.
“Stay as long as you need,” Sarah said, offering Leyla a comforting hug. “You don’t have to face this alone.”
Emmad, desperate to make things right, tried to visit Leyla every day. But Sarah, fiercely protective of her friend, refused to let him in.
“Leyla needs time and space,” Sarah told him firmly. “You’ve done enough.”
Emmad stood at the door, his heart breaking. “Please, just let me see her,” he pleaded.
But Sarah shook her head, standing her ground. “Not yet, Emmad. She’s not ready.”
[The Breaking Point]
Weeks passed, and Leyla’s life became a cycle of work and trying to hold herself together. One morning, she woke up feeling unusually nauseous. Dismissing it as stress, she went about her day, but the symptoms persisted.
Sarah, noticing her friend’s discomfort, handed her a pregnancy test one evening. “Maybe you should take this, just to be sure.”
Leyla’s hands trembled as she took the test into the bathroom. The minutes felt like hours, but when she finally looked at the result, her heart stopped. It was positive.
Tears streamed down her face as she walked out to Sarah, holding the test in her hand. “I’m pregnant,” she whispered, her voice cracking.
Sarah’s eyes widened, and she quickly wrapped Leyla in a tight hug. “It’s going to be okay,” she murmured, trying to soothe her.
But Leyla couldn’t contain her emotions any longer. She broke down, sobbing uncontrollably. “How can this happen now? With everything that’s going on…”
Sarah held her, whispering reassurances. But inside, Leyla felt her world crumbling once again. The future seemed more uncertain than ever, and the weight of it all was too much to bear.
[Emmad’s Desperation]
The next day, Emmad showed up at Sarah’s house again, his eyes bloodshot and weary. “Please, Sarah. I need to see her. I need to know she’s okay.”
Sarah hesitated, but Leyla’s cries from the night before echoed in her mind. She stepped aside, allowing Emmad to enter.
He found Leyla sitting on the couch, staring blankly at the wall. “Leyla,” he called softly, his heart aching at the sight of her.
She looked up, tears brimming in her eyes. “Emmad, I’m pregnant.”
Emmad’s breath caught in his throat. He crossed the room in an instant, kneeling before her and taking her hands in his. “Leyla, I’m so sorry for everything. Please believe me, I didn’t do anything with Maham. I don’t know why she’s lying, but we can face this together.”
Leyla shook her head, her tears falling freely. “How can I trust you, Emmad? Everything is falling apart.”
Emmad pulled her into his arms, holding her tightly. “We will get through this. I swear on everything I hold dear, we will find a way.”
As they held each other, both knew that the road ahead would be fraught with challenges. But with the new life growing inside her, Leyla felt a spark of hope, however faint. They had to fight for their future, for their family. And together, they would face whatever came their way.
YOU ARE READING
Forced Vows | Age gap | fictional characters |
RomanceLeyla Arzhang, a 27-year-old doctor, had always been her father's pride. But when she eloped with a man her family disapproved of, the scandal threatened to ruin their reputation. Her father, a respected doctor himself, was desperate to salvage thei...
