ECHOES OF DEFIANCE

chapter 19

"Zain, **hayati'm**," I began softly, my voice wavering slightly. "Please calm down." My hand reached out tentatively toward him,. His posture was rigid, his eyes stormy, staring somewhere beyond me. I continued, swallowing my nerves. "Not everyone here knows we're married... if they did, no one would have approached me like that." I paused, searching his face for any sign of softening. "You know I love you, Zain. You're the only man I've ever loved. Most importantly, you're my husband."

His gaze snapped to mine at the word 'husband,' but his expression remained unreadable. My heart clenched—did I make it worse? My pulse raced as he stood, still silent. I stood up as well, my eyes beginning to fill with unshed tears. "Please, **hayati'm**," I whispered, my voice trembling as I tried to keep my emotions in check, not wanting to break down in front of him. I lowered my gaze, hoping he wouldn't see just how close I was to falling apart.

Suddenly, I felt a strong pull, and my body collided with his, the heat of his chest pressing against me. Startled, I looked up, before i could  react Zain's lips crashed onto mine in an unexpected, intense kiss. It was unlike anything I had ever felt. A rush of warmth flooded through me, tingling from my fingertips to the soles of my feet. The world seemed to melt away, leaving only us. His kiss was fierce yet tender, overwhelming and consuming every part of me. I could hardly think, let alone breathe, as I surrendered to the unfamiliar sensations that washed over me.

Then, just as abruptly as it began, Zain pulled away. His face was unreadable as he turned and walked towards the entrance without uttering a single word. I stood there, frozen, my lips still tingling from the kiss, too shocked to move. My legs felt weak, as though they could no longer support me. I sank back down onto the couch, my heart pounding erratically in my chest.

After a few minutes, I forced myself to stand, my limbs heavy. I walked back inside the venue, scanning the room for any sign of him, but Zain was nowhere to be found. Panic began to rise in my chest. Where had he gone? I spotted **Ya Usman** from across the room, and without hesitation, I rushed over to him.

"Where is he?" I asked, breathless, my voice barely above a whisper.

"He left," Ya Usman replied calmly, though his eyes held a hint of concern.

My heart sank. Mom and Amma had already left as well. With nothing else to do, I decided to head home. The night felt colder as I made my way to the parking lot, my thoughts racing back to the kiss, to Zain’s anger. What did it mean?

I reached my car, but before I could open the door, one of the girls from earlier—the same one who had been gossiping—approached me. She was speaking, but her words were just a blur. My mind was too clouded with everything that had happened. I was about to politely excuse myself when I felt someone grab my hand.

"Let's talk, please," a voice said, and before I could fully process, I looked up to see who it was. But I didn't get the chance.

There was a loud crash, and I turned to see Zain pressing **Suleiman** against my car, his fist landing a punch on Suleiman's jaw. "Stay the hell away from my wife," Zain growled, his voice low and dangerous. The shock on Suleiman's face was mirrored by **Lubna**, the gossip girl, who stood wide-eyed, watching the scene unfold in disbelief.

Zain’s eyes burned with fury, and his hand gripped Suleiman's kaftan tightly before shoving him away. He pressed the key to his car, and the doors unlocked with a sharp beep. "Get in," he commanded, his voice leaving no room for argument.

I didn’t hesitate. I walked to his car and slid into the passenger seat, my heart pounding, though not from fear. Zain got into the driver’s seat, but he didn’t say a word. The tension was thick between us, but it wasn’t hostile. It was something more—something deeper. He drove silently, his jaw clenched, his knuckles white as they gripped the steering wheel.

The drive felt like an eternity, though it was only a few minutes. When we arrived outside my house, Zain stopped the car. I hesitated before getting out. "Thank you," I whispered, my voice soft, almost shy.

He only nodded in response, still silent, watching me through the corner of his eye. He didn’t drive off until I was safely inside the gate.

Once inside, I let out a long breath I hadn’t realized I was holding. My fingers touched my lips, still tingling from that kiss. My mind replayed everything—the intensity of it, the way Zain had pulled me close, the way he had defended me without hesitation. I smiled softly to myself, my heart beating just a little faster at the memory.