Epiphany

14:

- Hadia - 

"That's weird." I said to myself as I sat down at my desk. I had just returned from Mustafa's office, and something about him had been different today. He seemed distracted—off, almost as if his mind wasn't really here. 

He was usually so sharp, so present. But today, his attention kept drifting. He'd glance at his phone, tap his pen on the desk, then go quiet for a long while. I couldn't figure out why.

I tried to focus on my work, but it was difficult when I kept thinking about Mustafa. I had no idea what was going on with him, and it was starting to bug me. What was going on in his head?

I picked up my phone, hoping that a little scrolling would help distract me from the thought. But as soon as I unlocked it, a headline immediately caught my eye. I froze, staring at the screen.

"CEO of Ibrahim Industry, Mustafa Ibrahim and Naya Ali to get engaged."

I blinked at the words, unsure if I was reading it right. My mind scrambled to make sense of it. My heart skipped a beat, and for a second, I thought I might be imagining things. But no, the news was everywhere. The engagement of Mustafa and Naya was all over the headlines.

My first instinct was to reach out to him, but I paused. What would I even say? Congratulations? But did I really mean it? I wasn't sure.

I clicked on the article to read more. According to the details, they were already planning a grand engagement ceremony. I could practically hear the excitement in the words, and I felt an uncomfortable pang in my chest.

Mustafa had been clear that the marriage to me was just a contract. Still, seeing it all laid out like this, seeing it validated for the world to see, made something twist uncomfortably inside me.

I set the phone down, trying to shake off the uneasy feeling that had settled in my stomach. I needed to go to him, to at least acknowledge it.

I stood up and walked toward his office, my hands clammy, my thoughts a tangled mess. I knocked lightly on the door and opened it, stepping inside. Mustafa looked up at me from his desk, his expression blank, though I could tell there was something off about him, his shoulders were tense, and his jaw was set tight.

"I just saw the news," I said, my voice a little quieter than usual. "Congratulations, Mr. Mustafa."

His eyes flickered toward me, but he didn't respond right away. He just nodded, the slightest movement, before turning his gaze back to his laptop.

"Thanks," he said in a tone that was cold, almost detached.

The silence between us stretched on, thick and uncomfortable. I stood there for a moment, trying to think of something to say, but the words wouldn't come. It was clear that he wasn't interested in any kind of small talk. Not today.

I forced a smile, hoping it would cover up the knot tightening in my chest. "I guess this is happening," I said, trying to sound casual.

"Yeah," he replied, still not looking at me. "It's just business."

I nodded, my heart sinking. I wasn't sure if he was saying that for my sake, or if he actually believed it. "I understand," I said, my voice a little more distant now. "It's your life. You can marry whoever you want."

The words felt heavy as they left my lips, but I didn't allow myself to dwell on them. I'd told myself from the beginning that this was a contract—nothing more. I had no right to feel anything more than indifferent. Yet, as I stood there in front of him, it all felt real. And the truth was, I wasn't sure if I was ready for that.

Mustafa glanced at me again, his eyes hard, as if he could sense my discomfort. "Exactly," he said, his voice sharp, cutting through the air between us. "Our marriage is a contract. Don't forget that."

The words stung. It wasn't the first time he had reminded me of that, but for some reason, it felt different today. Cold, almost cruel. I swallowed the lump in my throat, doing my best not to let it show.

"I won't," I said, my voice as steady as I could make it. "I never did."

There was no point in pretending this wasn't what it was. A business arrangement. Nothing more. And he was right, he could marry anyone he wanted, whenever he wanted. It was none of my business.

"Good," he muttered, turning his attention back to his laptop, dismissing me as if I were just another part of his day. I stood there for another beat, unsure of whether to say anything else. But I didn't. I just turned and walked out of the office, the door closing softly behind me.

I made my way back to my desk, trying to push the feeling of unease out of my mind. It was all so simple, wasn't it? He had made it clear that he was only marrying Naya, and once the year was up, our marriage would end. I had no right to feel upset about it, and yet... I did. I couldn't explain it, but something about the way he'd acted today had made it all feel much more real.

I sat down at my desk and tried to focus, but my mind kept drifting back to the news. To Naya. To him.

It wasn't my place to feel anything. It wasn't my place to care. And yet, I did.

- 
"Hey, you good?" Sofia's voice cut through the haze of my thoughts, pulling me back to the present. I looked up from the tea I'd been stirring absentmindedly for who knows how long.

"Yeah, just thinking about some things," I said, offering her a small smile. Sofia raised an eyebrow, sliding into the seat across from me. "Thinking about 'things,' huh? Must be some pretty deep things if you're zoning out during lunch. Spill it."

I hesitated, not sure how much I wanted to share, or how much I even could. "It's just... have you ever felt like you were overthinking someone? Like, they're taking up space in your head for no reason? And you know you shouldn't care, but somehow you do?"

She tilted her head, studying me with a curious expression. "Oh, those kinds of thoughts. Let me guess, someone who doesn't deserve to be thought about, huh?" "Maybe," I said, shrugging nonchalantly, though my stomach twisted uncomfortably.

Sofia smirked, leaning forward with her elbows on the table. "Listen, if they've already left you behind in some way, you have to stop carrying them with you. You get me? No point wasting mental energy on someone who's not wasting theirs on you."

Her words landed harder than I expected. They made sense, but they also stung, as if she'd unknowingly put a mirror in front of me. "You're probably right," I replied, my tone light enough to mask the weight behind it.

"I know I am," she quipped. "You're way too smart and strong to be hung up on... whoever this is. Focus on yourself, Hadia. The right people will see your worth."

I gave her a tight smile, nodding as she turned the conversation to something lighter. But even as we talked about other things, her words echoed in my mind.

I knew she was right. It was just a contract, a temporary arrangement. I had to stop thinking about him, stop letting him occupy space in my thoughts.

Because when the year was over, we'd go our separate ways. Just like we'd agreed.

And that was all there was to it.
_________________________________

What will happen now?