Against The Tide

96: Loyalty And Longing

Jameel leaned against his car, his eyes fixed on the house across the street. He'd been waiting for Najah to return, a familiar ache gnawing at his heart. He just couldn't accept that she was getting married to someone else. It was a bitter pill to swallow.

The sight of her delicate figure walking towards him stirred something deep within him. Was it longing? Anger? Jealousy?

Jameel had loved her deeply, but maybe he failed to show it to her adequately. She had been a very important part of his life, a piece of his soul.

He had convinced himself that he could move on from her, that he could respect her decision. But he just couldn't.  The thought of her with another man ignited a flame he thought had been long extinguished. It was not just about possession; it was about the profound connection they once shared. Before becoming his wife in every sense, she'd been his best friend, his confidante. It was as if he'd been okay with the fact that she wasn't with him or with any other man. Marrying someone else would be losing her completely and permanently.

As she approached him, he forced his expression into a mask of indifference. "You're back," he said, his tone flat, though his heart raced. He wanted to go straight to the point and tell her to not get married, but he knew better than to do that. He had lost the right now. "I've been waiting for you."

"Why are you waiting for me, please?" She asked, her words sharp and cutting. "Shouldn't you be back to your wife who just gave birth?"

He ignored her question, his gaze intense. "We need to talk."

Jameel watched as her eyes flickered with anger and confusion. He knew he was treading on dangerous ground, but he couldn't help himself. He had to know. He had to understand why she was doing what she was doing.

"I'm sorry, but I don't have anything to discuss with you."

Jameel huffed. If she didn't, he did. "Before we begin, where is your 'fiance'?" He asked, sarcasm dripping off his tone. "I thought since you don't have a car, he'd become your personal driver." Jameel actually felt bad that she didn't have a car but he knew she'd never accept anything from him.

"He's a busy man. He has better things to do than to drive me around all day."

"Why are you getting married to him?" Jameel asked the question he had been wanting to ask her since she arrived. "Because I'm certain it's not because you love him. You don't, and you know it."

The way Najah looked away, avoiding his gaze, confirmed his suspicions. She was indeed marrying him not because she loved him but because she wanted to spite him. Was this revenge? He suddenly felt a burning sensation in his chest.

"I'm getting married to him because he's a good man, and he cares about me. A lot."

Jameel chuckled, a bitter sound. "There, you said it. Not because you love him. I just want to tell you that marrying him would be the biggest mistake of your life. Why? Because you don't love him. You never will. At least not in the same way you loved me," he paused, his voice growing softer. "You still love me, Najah. You can deny it all you want, but it's the fact. Just the way I can't forget you, you can't forget me either. You just want to use that man to get back at me. And if he's truly a good man like you said, then he doesn't deserve to be used by you like that."

Jameel watched as her eyes filled with unshed tears. He knew, without a doubt, he had gone far, but he couldn't stop himself. He was consumed by possessiveness, a desperate desire to reclaim her. It was crystal clear to him now that he couldn't let her go. And he would do everything in his power to win her back, especially since he'd just confirmed that she had lingering feelings for him. How could she not? He was acutely aware of the depth of her love for him while they were married. She had been utterly smitten by him. How could such a love vanish over time? It was a flame that may smolder but never truly extinguish.