A man like khalid

11

Khalid sat at his desk, trying to focus on his work, but his mind kept drifting back to Nadeen. The memory of their kiss lingered, a soft, persistent echo in his thoughts. It had stirred something deep within him, something he wasn't ready to fully acknowledge. He sighed, pushing his laptop aside. The house felt too quiet without her laughter, her presence.

He found himself glancing at the clock, counting down the minutes until he could see her again. It was unnerving, this constant pull toward her. Her smile, her touch, the way her eyes seemed to see right through him—it all consumed his thoughts, leaving him restless and yearning for more.

Meanwhile, back at home, Nadeen was battling her own demons. The past few days had been a blur of shifting emotions—one moment she felt a tender connection to the life growing inside her, the next she was overwhelmed with resentment. The pregnancy, once a source of quiet joy, had become a painful reminder of Ishaq, of what had been forced upon her. The thought of it twisted her insides, filling her with a rage that she struggled to contain.

One moment she found herself absentmindedly caressing her belly, her thoughts drifting to what could have been under different circumstances. The next, she was consumed by an anger so intense she wanted to scream, to tear herself away from the prison of her thoughts. She felt trapped, suffocated by the weight of it all.

Khalid noticed the growing distance between them, the way she seemed to retreat further into herself each day. He tried to reach out, to break through the wall she was building, but every attempt was met with resistance.

One evening, he walked into the kitchen and found Nadeen sitting at the table, staring blankly at a bowl of soup. Her shoulders slumped, her eyes red and puffy from crying.

"Nadeen," he called softly, hesitant, not wanting to startle her. "Are you okay?"

She looked up slowly, her expression hollow. "Do I look okay, Khalid?" Her voice was strained, brittle. "I hate this. I hate everything about this."

Khalid's heart twisted at the pain in her voice. He took a step closer, but she recoiled, her body tense. "I'm trying to help, Nadeen. Please, let me in."

"Help?" she scoffed, her eyes flashing with anger. "How can you help? You don't know what it feels like. You don't understand!"

Khalid swallowed, struggling to keep his voice calm. "I know I can't fully understand, but I'm here for you. We're in this together."

Nadeen stood abruptly, the chair scraping loudly against the floor as it tipped over. "Together? How can you say that? This child isn't yours, Khalid! Every time I look at you, I feel guilty. Every time I feel this baby move, I'm reminded of him. Do you know how that feels?"

Her words sliced through him, but Khalid remained steady, refusing to back down. "I know it's hard, Nadeen. But yelling at me won't change what happened. We need to support each other."

She glared at him, her anger bubbling over into a hot, uncontrollable rage. "I don't need your support! I need my life back! I need to feel normal again!"

Without warning, she started hitting him on the chest, her fists pounding against him as she screamed out her pain. Khalid stood firm, letting her vent, absorbing her anger without flinching. After a few moments, her strength ebbed, and she collapsed into his arms, sobbing uncontrollably.

Khalid wrapped his arms around her, holding her tightly as she cried. "It's okay, Nadeen. Let it out. I'm here."

As he held her, feeling her body shake with the force of her sobs, his own heart ached for her. Slowly, her sobs subsided, her tears soaking into his shirt. She clung to him, her body limp with exhaustion.

"I'm sorry," she murmured, her voice muffled against his chest. "I didn't mean to... I'm just so angry."

"I know," Khalid replied softly, his voice gentle and soothing. "It's okay. We'll get through this."

♧♧♧
Meanwhile, across town, Zeenat was beginning to notice cracks in Ishaq's façade. She had found a woman's earring in his car, and when she asked him about it, he dismissed it as something a patient had dropped. But doubt gnawed at her, refusing to be silenced.

One evening, as she was doing the laundry, she found a piece of paper in Ishaq's pocket. It was a receipt for an expensive dinner at a restaurant she had never been to. Her heart sank, suspicion flaring into a painful certainty.

Zeenat sat at the kitchen table, the receipt clutched tightly in her hand, her mind racing. When Ishaq walked in, she didn't waste any time.

"Ishaq, whose earring was that in your car?"

Ishaq froze, caught off guard by the directness of her question. "I told you, it was a patient's. Why are you bringing this up again?"

"And this?" She held up the receipt, her hand trembling. "Who were you having dinner with?"

Ishaq's face paled, his composure cracking. He reached for the receipt, but Zeenat pulled back, refusing to let him off the hook. "Answer me, Ishaq. Are you seeing someone else?"

He stammered, searching for an excuse, but the guilt in his eyes was unmistakable. "Zeenat, it's not what you think."

"Then what is it?" she demanded, her voice quivering with a mixture of fear and fury. "Why are you lying to me?"

Ishaq couldn't meet her gaze. "It's complicated."

Zeenat's heart shattered at his words. She felt a wave of nausea, betrayal wrapping itself around her like a vise. "I can't believe this. How could you do this to me?"

"I'm sorry," Ishaq mumbled, his voice barely a whisper, his head hanging low.

"Sorry?" Zeenat's voice rose, trembling with emotion. "You're sorry? Do you even know what you've done?"

She turned away, tears streaming down her face, each one a testament to her broken trust. Ishaq reached out to her, but she recoiled, too hurt to allow him near.

Back at Khalid's house, Nadeen had fallen asleep in his arms, her breathing finally steady. Gently, he carried her to bed, tucking her in as if she were made of glass. He sat beside her, watching her sleep, his heart heavy with a mix of love and sorrow.

He realized then that his feelings for Nadeen were deeper than he had ever admitted, even to himself. He loved her, and he would do anything to protect her, to make her feel safe and loved.

In the quiet of the night, with only the sound of her soft breathing to keep him company, Khalid made a silent vow: he would be her rock, her safe haven. Together, they would find a way to heal, no matter how long it took. He leaned down, pressing a gentle kiss to her forehead before finally leaving her to rest.

I hope u are all enjoying this book don't forget to vote and comment.

I can't wait for ishaq and zeenat part.

Much love🤍
Firdausi 💕