The Perks of Having a Nikah (A Muslim Love Story) *BACK 2023*

21.

If you haven't read the edited and changed version of Chapter 20, read it first before reading this chapter.

❝How often I forget about the Angels that rest on my shoulders and write, and write, and write...❞

Alia

Alia nods her head to the beat of the music as she puts her skinny jeans on over her Victoria's Secret lingerie. Adjusting her thong, she puts on a cashmere sweater and ties a lavender hijab in the way of a bun, still making sure her neck barely shows.

"I done did a lot of sh** just to live this here lifestyle." She raps along. "Came straight from the bottom to the top, my lifestyle." Snapping her fingers to the beat, Alia grabs her sparkling purple iPhone and looks at herself with a mischievous look in the mirror before blowing a kiss to her reflection. Sliding her high heeled boots on, she heads downstairs. Tonight was the night she'd get some. She was three months going on four and hadn't gotten anything since before she found out.

As usual, no one was home. Her mother died years ago, her father was out doing who knows what, and being the only child didn't help Alia with her loneliness. As she's about to go outside and wait for Zane, her phone rings. Without checking the name, she puts it to her ear. "Hello?"

"Alia." The all too familiar voice says through the phone.

"What is it now? I told you I was moving on. Why can't you just let me go?"

"Because I love you." He says and she rolls her eyes.

"I understand that, but you don't have what I want, Mahad. We've been through this. I need a guy with money who can hold me down, boo." She looks at her manicured nails, mentally noting she needs to go in soon to get them done again.

Erik and Alia have known each other for a long while and have been on and off since. He was good at intimacy but that was it, just intimacy. Did she have feelings for him? Yes. But not enough to stay with him. Alia was always about her luxury, and she knew Zane could give her that but Erik, not so much. He had money, but not like Zane and his family did. Of course Zane didn't know that she knew he was packed with cash and she wanted to keep it that way for now until she finally got him to fall madly in love with her. And she did like Zane, she really did. Who couldn't like such a sexy guy?

"Yet you're still talking to me."

"What are you on about?"

"Alia don't play me as a stupid guy, aight."

"Whatever, I don't have time for this. You and I have nothing going on." She shakes her head. "And shouldn't you be entertaining your other girl?" Since Alia and Erik haven't really been messing around, he took an interest in some cheerleader, who, in Alia's opinion, wasn't better than her, but to each their own.

Erik chuckles. "Who are you trying to convince? Me or yourself? And don't worry about her. She's just a distraction." And with that, he hangs up, leaving Alia with a slight shiver down her spine. What was she going to do? She couldn't have Erik ruining things for her.

A car horn distracts her thoughts and she throws on her thick jacket before grabbing her clutch and going outside to the sleek black car with a handsome Zane in it. "Well hello there, Handsome." She smiles at him, kissing his cheek before wiping her lipstick away from his face.

"Hey." He says blandly with a nod. The car ride is silent and when they reach their destination, Zane gets out of the car, walking fast to the passenger side to open the door for her. Always a gentleman. They head into the fancy restaurant as the valet parks the car. "Table reservation for two."

"Right this way." A pretty blonde motions them to follow her, smiling at Zane with flirtatious glances.

"Could you watch it with the looks? You look like you're about to pounce on him." Alia snaps.

The blonde says nothing but rolls her eyes and walks away after making sure they're seated. "Could you calm down with all that for once, please? We're not a couple, Alia."

"Yet." She smiles.

"Anyway. I invited you to dinner because we need to talk about everything. I'm not interested anymore and I really think we should distance ourselves from each other. Especially when I'm trying to become a better Muslim and what we were doing in the past is haram."

"Oh?" Alia fakes surprise. She wasn't religious, she just had to keep up appearances for her dad, but she had researched that topic too well and knew already. "So what are you trying to say, Zaney?"

"Just that I don't want to hurt your feelings, but I can't keep doing this with you."

"And that means?"

"I'm married to Yasmeen and she knows you keep trying to reach out to me and is very unhappy about the fact." Alia was happy about her unhappiness. She hasn't liked Yasmeen since day one. Especially when she saw how gorgeous she was under all those garments on that wedding day.

"When did you both get married?"

"It's been about four months."

"So around the same time I told you I was in love with you."

"Yeah." He says slightly awkwardly.

"Well I was first so she needs to get over it." She smiles, winking at him.

Zane is about to say something before a waitress comes to the table to ask them if they're ready to order. Zane orders for the both of them and the waitress smiles, slipping him a piece of paper before walking away. He acts as if he didn't notice, always so laid back about things, although he always has that charisma and slightly dangerous, mysterious allure to him.

"Just know," Zane turns his gaze back to her. "that nothing is going on between us."

"Right." She says with a giggle.

"I'm serious."

"Okay." She shrugs, trying to refrain from laughing. He didn't know it yet, but he would fall for her, and he would leave Yasmeen for her.

After dinner, he drops her off and as she's about to step out, Alia turns to him. "Before you go, I kind of need help with something. Think you can help me?"

"Sure I guess." He says coolly and follows her inside.

She bites her lip and tells him to go upstairs in two minutes. He nods and she rushes to her room, slipping her clothes off in the process, leaving only her lingerie. In the exact said time, Zane goes into the room to find it dark. He turns on the light to be met by an almost naked Alia.

"See anything you like, baby?" She purrs at him, leaning up to kiss him and meeting air. "What's wrong? Wanna play hard to get?"

Zane stops her before she can advance on him again. "Stop. Just stop. First of all, this is wrong in so many ways. I'm not committing Zina because of you. Secondly," He looks at nothing but her eyes. "I'm married. Thirdly, have some respect for yourself like I would like to have for you, please. We're not doing all this anymore, Alia. I'm done with it. I'm going to head out now. I'll see you soon. Sleep well. And please distance yourself."

And like that, he's gone, leaving Alia confused and wondering where she went wrong.