Better Late Than Never

44

Zahra Ahmad stared at Ayman for a moment longer before she snapped her eyes in Ayra's direction.

For just a brief moment, disdain laced Zahra's gaze as she gave Ayra a quick look over. When the moment passed, Zahra's smile returned and it was as though the disdain was never there but Ayra had seen it and it broke her even further.

Zahra stretched out her hand. "Assalam Alaykum." You must be Ayra, she completed in her head. "I'm Zahra Ahmad," Her eyes moved to Ayman's. "Ayman's ex-wife."

Ayman flinched, hating the words with his whole being. Zahra, who didn't miss his flinch, slightly raised a brow, her smile shrinking and a hint of frostiness entering her gaze. Swallowing back the words that crept up her throat, she turned back to Ayra, still holding her hand out.

Ayra stared at the slender hand with beautiful fingers and all she could think about was Bella, her ex-husband's ex-lover. She pushed the thoughts away, killing the negative voices before they even got the chance to utter a word.

Although it hurt more than anything, she forced on a smile and put her hand in Zahra's. "Waalaykum Salam. It's nice to meet you, Zahra." It wasn't. "I'm Ayra Leilani Abdulaziz."

Ayman prayed for everything to be a nightmare that he was about to wake up from but he knew better.

Zahra cocked her head, doing it ever so slightly. "Ayra Abdulaziz? As in, the ex-wife of Ibrahim Fahad?"

Ayra forced herself to keep smiling as she nodded. "Yes, the ex-wife of Ibrahim Fahad. I'll be grateful if I'm not confined to that title, especially since months have passed since our divorce and he's married now."

Zahra nodded, her smile turning apologetic. "Right. I apologise." She let go of Ayra's hand. "It's lovely to meet –"

Ayman found his voice and it came out cold. "What on earth are you doing here?"

Zahra's smile dropped and Ayra shrunk into herself. She detested being in their middle and as though he knew it, Ayman moved until he was in front of her, shielding her from Zahra.

Zahra let out a light scoff. "That's cold, Ayman."

He was quite certain he didn't care. "That doesn't answer my question. What are you doing here?"

Zahra put her hands together. "I came to see you. I've tried to get across to you for a while now but it's been quite difficult. I had something to do here in Atlantica so I thought I'd pop in and say hi to you in person since every other attempt has proved futile."

Ayman's left hand twitched. "And you found your way here rather than staying in the main block?"

Zahra smiled and it was a smile he hated because it was one that let him know just how well she knew some sides of him. "You've had a thing for back offices and hidden spaces just to be away from the spotlight so I thought I should walk around the main block first before going in. It wasn't hard to guess that this was your turf as soon as I saw it and then you walked in so I followed."

Behind Ayman, Ayra took a shaky step back, wanting to be anywhere that wasn't there. All the words she'd practiced to say to him were gone and she knew there was no way she was confessing to him, not when Zahra smiled and spoke the way she did.

Pulling in a shaky breath, Ayra quietly said "Ayman, I'll be in my office."

Ayman turned around immediately, his heart sinking. "Ayra –"

She looked behind him, at Zahra who didn't fail to hide the disdain and triumph in her smile. Ayra told herself to get moving. "It was nice meeting you, Zahra."