𝐙𝐀𝐈𝐃 𝐀𝐍𝐃 𝐌𝐀𝐑𝐘𝐀𝐌 ~ 𝐓𝐇𝐄𝐈𝐑 𝐒𝐓𝐎𝐑𝐘 ♡

31- Bella's Secret

ZAID KHALID

It was right before me and Amr stepped out to find Maryam.

Bella had come searching for me.

"Zaid, I need to talk to you, its important."

Her face had a sense of urgency that even Amr couldn't ignore. He patted me on the back and said "I'll wait for you."

I followed Bella as we walked outside the ballroom. We had reached our private living room. It was not the public one, the one that was shown as soon as you entered the house. It was where we had our family meetings, a place where even the servants were not allowed.

"Zaid, I-," she stuttered. She couldn't even look at my face.  Tears started falling on the floor. I didn't know what was going on.

"Bella," I said gently. "You know you can tell me anything, right?"

She wiped her tears and faced me. Her voice was shaking as she said,

"I'm pregnant."

I couldn't process it the first time.

"W- What??"  I asked, my eyes wide. She must be joking. No, it couldn't be.

The room fell silent. I felt like I had been punched in the gut. My mind was racing with questions, but I couldn't seem to form any coherent thoughts.

I looked at Bella, trying to process my emotions. She seemed scared and uncertain, but also determined.

"I'm pregnant, Zaid, whether you believe it or not," she said, her voice choked by tears. "Its George's and I haven't even told him yet. I don't know who to tell, actually. Sarah and our parents are gonna be so disappointed. I don't know what I was thinking! I know you would tell me what to do and even if you are disappointed in me, I just could not not tell you. I hated having secrets from you."

As she spoke, Bella's eyes welled up with tears. I could see the fear and uncertainty in her eyes. I felt a pang of sympathy for her, and I knew I had to be there for her.

Bella and I were a team ever since we were little. Sarah was much older than us so she always studied or kept herself shut in her room. I remember how me and Bella used to pretend she was Elsa and knock on Sarah's door singing, "Do you wanna build a snowman?" We used to go on scavenger hunts, have a midnight feast from the grand kitchen while everyone was asleep and told stories under the stars. And when there was a press meet or those fashion campaigns for Abba's designer stores, it was me and Bella who did weird faces and poked our noses at the cameras, as Sarah stood beside us, prune and proper. Then it was still the both of us who had to face the consequences of Baba's anger later.

But as I thought about George, I couldn't help but feel a surge of anger. How could he be so irresponsible? I knew my thoughts were right about this relationship in the first place.

"Bella, I need to talk to George," I said, trying to keep my anger in check.

Bella looked at me, tears still streaming down her face. "You don't have to, I will. But this is gonna ruin my career, Zaid. I am a model. My body will be ruined by time I have this baby. If George says no, I won't keep it."

I took a deep breath, trying to calm down. I felt like my anger was shifted from George and was rioting towards Bella.

"Are you out of your mind?" I asked, angrily. "Having a baby doesn't mean its the end of the world. This baby didn't do anything wrong and yet you're deciding to abandon it?

"But Zaid, I -,"

"This baby is a blessing from Allah SWT, Bella. Just because it was an accident doesn't mean its any different from the Noor or Eman. And if George doesn't like it, I'm gonna kill him, because you two are gonna get engaged right now, before our parents."

☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆

It turned out, I didn't needed to handle George. As soon as Bella told him, his eyes welled up in tears of joy and he hugged her. There was no kissing nonsense, as I stood guard. We focused on the main things first as we decided what shall happen next. Their having their engagement tonight, as I had brought out a ring from one of Abba's showrooms as quick as possible. And the wedding will take place in a month and their honeymoon, the next week.

Bella and George had hope in their eyes, and I, was praying hard to Allah to protect them both in marriage and their unborn child.

Maybe now, I might have hope for myself with me and Maryam as well.

I need to find her.