Unexpected But Mine

chapter 16

AAs the days passed after the conference, Javed couldn't shake off the bitterness that had settled within him. The sight of Emira and Shaheer together-how effortlessly they seemed to share their moments, their laughter, their bond-had left an unsettling feeling in his gut. Every time Javed thought about it, it felt like a reminder of his own failures, of things he hadn't done, of words left unsaid. But there was still one person he could try to fix things with-Alize.

After all, he had always been so preoccupied with his own ambitions, too busy to pay attention to the person who might have actually cared.

But something had shifted in him. Perhaps it was the feeling of helplessness that gnawed at him when he saw Shaheer and Emira's closeness, or maybe it was simply the recognition that he had messed up.

The day started like any other, the office bathed in golden morning light as Emira stepped in beside Shaheer, her usual nervous flutter hiding beneath a calm exterior.

The week had been busy - meetings piling over each other, reports that needed rechecking, and clients that simply couldn't make up their minds. Emira had her hands full, yet somehow her eyes sparkled with a different kind of excitement lately.

Shaheer noticed it first when she was supposed to be focused on typing minutes from a board meeting. Her fingers paused just slightly above the keyboard as she looked at her phone under the desk, sending off a quick message with a secretive smile tugging at her lips. Her face flushed when he caught her.

"Something interesting in the financial report?" he asked smoothly, without looking up from his screen.

Emira jumped a little. "Huh? Oh, yes-definitely... very... financial."
She looked down taking a deep breath trying to look normal.

Her mind went to the midst of last night when she was sitting with alize and she could not help but smile.

So..." Alize nudged her gently, "Shaheer's birthday. You're planning something, aren't you?"
Emira looked up, eyes blinking like she'd been caught in a secret.

"I mean, you've been... humming a lot these days," Alize teased, smiling. "That's your guilty giveaway."

A soft smile curved on Emira's lips as she lowered her gaze. "I just thought... maybe we could do something simple. Nothing big."

Alize leaned in, intrigued. "Go on."

"I saw this setup online... fairy lights, cushions, maybe in the garden," she said hesitantly,
"just a small dinner, his favorite food. I... don't really know how birthdays are usually celebrated."

Alize's smile faded into something more tender. "You've never celebrated your birthday?"
Emira shook her head slowly, her voice barely above a whisper.

"It was just another day."

Alize's heart pinched at her quiet confession, but she masked it with a cheerful tone, not wanting to make her feel sad. "Well, Shaheer's birthday is going to be the beginning of a new tradition, then. And what you're describing? Sounds perfect."

"You really think so?" Emira asked, her tone gentle, uncertain.

"Are you kidding?" Alize beamed.

"It's dreamy. Intimate. So him."
Encouraged, Emira reached for her notebook where she'd sketched a rough layout.

"I found a few recipes too. I don't know if I'll do justice to them... but I want to try. Vanilla almond cake, his favorite biryani. Maybe a few little things here and there..."

Alize looked over the ideas, her heart warming with each page. "You've really thought this through."

"I just want him to feel special," Emira said softly. "Like he's... loved."