Veil of Truth

Chapter 24

Amina's POV

I was busy in the kitchen, focusing on preparing dinner, when the doorbell rang. I instinctively turned to answer it, and saw Zayd, standing in the living room in casual clothes, and he stopped me with a firm voice.

"Wait, I'll get it," he said, his tone leaving no room for argument.

Caught off guard by his sudden command, I simply nodded and turned back to finish my work. Moments later, I heard Mom's voice at the door. Wiping my hands quickly, I walked over to greet her.

"Asalamu alaikum, Mom," I said, my voice warm.

"Walekum asalam, beta," she replied, stepping inside with a kind smile and pulling me into a hug. I hugged her back, feeling the familiar comfort of her presence.

We moved to the sofa, and Zayd followed us, sitting quietly while Mom spoke. She had come to congratulate Zayd on his recent success, but I excused myself to set the table for dinner. Once everything was ready, I called them to join me.

After the meal, Mom praised my cooking.

"Amina, the dinner was amazing, Mashallah," she said, her eyes glowing with appreciation.

"Jazakallah khair, Mom," I replied modestly, my cheeks warming. I had taken off my niqab earlier but kept my head covered, not wanting her to suspect anything unusual. Despite this, I felt Zayd's gaze on me throughout the evening. Strangely, his attention didn't make me uncomfortable-it was... different.

When we suggested that Mom stay the night, she hesitated at first but finally agreed. Only then did I realize the situation: if Mom stayed, she might notice that Zayd and I were not sharing a room. The thought made me nervous, but I couldn't say anything.

After some more conversation, Zayd excused himself and went to his room. Not long after, Mom looked at me with a teasing glint in her eyes.

"Okay, Amina, you should go and sleep. Zayd must be waiting for you," she said with a knowing smile.

Her words made my heart race. "No, Mom, it's fine," I said shyly, trying to brush it off.

She laughed softly. "Look at you, getting all flustered. But really, beta, you look tired. Go rest. I'm feeling sleepy too," she said with a yawn.

Reluctantly, I nodded. "Okay, Mom," I said and made my way to Zayd's room. I could feel her gaze following me as I walked away.

Once I reached his door, I hesitated for a moment before knocking gently. The door opened, and there he was, looking at me with his usual unreadable expression.

"Can I come in, please?" I asked hesitantly, already bracing for a rejection.

To my surprise, he didn't say anything, just stepped aside and gestured for me to enter. Without wasting a moment, I quickly walked in, nervously clasping my hands together.

Before he could speak, I rushed to explain, "Today, we'll have to share a room since Mom is here. I don't want her to suspect anything."

He raised an eyebrow but said nothing.

"And... I'll sleep on the couch," I added hurriedly, heading toward it.

He stood there silently for a moment, then, without a word, turned and walked back to the bed. Sitting down, he picked up his laptop and resumed working as if I wasn't even there.

I sighed and lay down on the couch. It was smaller than the one in the other room and far less comfortable. This was the second time we were sharing a room-not a bed, of course. I tried to settle in, but the couch was lumpy and awkward, making it impossible to find a good position.