The call ended soon after, and Maryam sat there in silence, staring at her phone. The weight of her father's decision pressed down on her, making it hard to breathe. The thought of a meeting with Adam and his family felt surreal, like something out of a story she wasn't a part of.
Her mind drifted to her mother, Laila, who had passed away a decade ago. Would she have agreed with her father? Would she have fought for Maryam's right to choose?
The sound of the adhan for maghrib echoed in the distance, signaling it was time for iftar. Maryam wiped her eyes and stood up, clutching her phone tightly. She had no idea how she was going to navigate this.
The call from Aziz lingered in Maryam's mind throughout iftar. She sat at the far end of the table, silently pushing her food around on her plate. Fatima glanced at her several times, her brows furrowed with concern, but Maryam avoided eye contact. She couldn't bring herself to explain again-at least not here. Not with the lively chatter and the clatter of plates filling the room.
"You're not eating, Maryam," Fatima said softly, leaning closer.
I'm not hungry," Maryam replied with a faint smile that didn't reach her eyes.
Amr, seated across from them, noticed the exchange. "Are you okay, Maryam?" he asked, his usually jovial tone tempered by a hint of worry.
Maryam nodded, forcing another small smile. "I'm fine, Amr. Just tired."
But she wasn't fine. Aziz's words echoed in her head, the weight of her father's decision pressing down on her. The thought of meeting Adam and his family after graduation made her feel like...like...cornered.
After iftar, they all headed to the mosque for Taraweeh. Maryam was grateful for the distraction, hoping the prayer would offer her some clarity, or at the very least, a reprieve from the storm brewing inside her.
As she stepped into the women's section with Fatima, she noticed Zainab Malik standing near the entrance, speaking to another woman. Maryam's heart sank. Anger surged within her, but she quickly swallowed it down, schooling her expression into one of calm neutrality.
Zainab's sharp eyes caught hers, and she broke away from her conversation, approaching Maryam with a warm smile.
"Maryam," Zainab greeted, her voice dripping with polite charm. "How lovely to see you again."
Maryam nodded, her tone measured. "Assalamu Alaikum."
Zainab's smile didn't waver. "Wa Alaikum Assalam. I hope you're doing well. I heard you'll be graduating soon. Congratulations in advance."
"Thank you," Maryam replied, her voice steady despite the turmoil bubbling beneath the surface.
Zainab paused for a moment, her gaze flickering to Fatima, who stood silently beside Maryam, watching the interaction carefully.
"I won't keep you long," Zainab continued. "I just wanted to let you know that we've spoken to your family. They're very pleased about the idea of you meeting Adam."
Maryam clenched her hands at her sides, her nails digging into her palms. "I see," she said, her voice barely above a whisper.
"You'll find that Adam is a wonderful young man," Zainab added, her tone almost rehearsed. "I think you two will have much in common."
Maryam offered a tight nod, unwilling to say anything more. She felt utterly powerless.
"Excuse me," she said abruptly, turning to Fatima. "Shall we go in?"
YOU ARE READING
𝐙𝐀𝐈𝐃 𝐀𝐍𝐃 𝐌𝐀𝐑𝐘𝐀𝐌 ~ 𝐓𝐇𝐄𝐈𝐑 𝐒𝐓𝐎𝐑𝐘 ♡
Romance"Do you care anything for me, Maryam?" He asked, his eyes were looking into mine so deeply and earnestly that I just can't bring myself to look away. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ When 𝐙𝐀𝐈𝐃 𝐊𝐇𝐀𝐋𝐈𝐃, the youngest and heir of the prestigious...
