Veil of Truth

Chapter 32

Zayd's POV

I was in the car, heading toward the airport, when my phone buzzed. Seeing Mom's name flash on the screen, I picked it up.

"Zayd, where are you right now?" Mom's voice was sharp, laced with urgency.

"What happened, Mom?" I asked, sensing something was wrong.

"Amina's mom is no more," she said, her words hitting me like a blow to the chest. My eyes widened in disbelief. "What?" I whispered, struggling to process it.

"How could you let Amina go alone?" she snapped, her voice rising with anger. But her words barely registered. All I could think about was Amina. Her mother had meant the world to her. The thought of how shattered she must be now made my chest tighten with worry.

"Mom, I'm sending a car for you and Layla. Come to the airport—I'll meet you there," I said quickly.

"Alright," she said before cutting the call.

I took a deep breath, trying to calm the storm in my mind. My hands gripped the steering wheel tightly. All I could do was hope—hope that she was okay, somehow holding herself together.

Soon, I reached the airport. My bodyguards flanked me as I strode toward my private jet. I boarded swiftly, taking a seat and leaning back, trying to steady my thoughts.

A few minutes later, a flight attendant approached me with a drink. I waved her off, unable to think about anything other than Amina.

Soon, Mom and Layla arrived and took their seats.

The moment Mom settled in, she turned to me, her voice sharp with anger. "What is this, Zayd? How could you let her go alone?" she demanded, her words cutting through me like a knife.

I couldn't respond. Shame weighed heavily on me, rendering me silent. How could I have done this to Amina? Her smiling face flashed in my mind, only to be replaced by the image of her tear-streaked face. The thought was unbearable, and I closed my eyes tightly, trying to block it out.

"What's wrong, Zayd?" Mom's voice softened slightly, but I still couldn't meet her gaze. "Nothing," I muttered, avoiding her questions.

"You didn't answer me!" she pressed, her frustration evident. "I was shocked to hear that Amina was there—and that too, alone!"

"Mom, I have a headache. I need some sleep," I said, desperate to escape her relentless questions.

"My daughter is there, in pain, and you want to rest?" she shot back, her voice filled with disbelief.

I sighed heavily, not knowing how to respond. Thankfully, she didn't say anything further, and the silence that followed was thick with unspoken words.

Impatience gnawed at me as I waited for us to reach our destination. My mind was a storm of thoughts, all of them centered on Amina. I needed to see her, to know she was okay.

At some point, lost in my thoughts of her, my eyes closed, and sleep claimed me.

When I opened my eyes, I saw Amina and her mother standing before me.

"Mama," I said, a smile spreading across my face at the sight of them.

Amina's head was lowered, her expression unreadable, while her mother smiled warmly at me. As they walked closer, her mother took my hand and placed Amina's hand in mine. My gaze shifted to Amina, whose eyes briefly met mine, then back to her mother, confusion flickering across my face.

"Take care of my daughter," her mother said softly, her voice carrying both warmth and a strange finality. I nodded, but before I could say anything, she turned and began walking away. She looked back at us one last time, smiling, before disappearing into thin air.