***
The corner of my eye twitched as my gaze remained locked with his.
There wasn't the slightest trace of deceit behind those eyes. He was even frowning, as though to emphasise just how serious he was.
To me, however, it felt like an absurd joke.
I pressed my lips together before lowering my gaze.
"Is that so..."
He didn't question my sudden shift in demeanour. Perhaps he, too, realised how abrupt his confession had been.
The turmoil within me surged once more, and the relentless pounding of my heart began to ache.
I wasn't sure how I was supposed to feel about this.
Before the silence could become unbearable, the waiter arrived, carefully placing our meals upon the table.
The atmosphere had turned frigid.
I couldn't let it remain that way for the rest of the day.
He had put so much thought into this date.
I refused to ruin it.
I stole a small glance at him.
He was already eating, yet I noticed his expression darken ever so slightly. The quiet spark in his eyes had dimmed, and he ate with an almost absent-minded urgency.
Summoning every ounce of courage, I lifted my spoon and reached for a piece of meat from the shared platter.
It was the best piece.
The one I had wanted.
Yet, after a brief hesitation, I gently placed it onto his plate.
He paused, visibly caught off guard by my gesture, before lifting his gaze to meet mine.
Like a curious cat.
A smile found its way onto my lips. My brows softened as I murmured quietly,
"It's good... try it."
He paused, the spoon in his hand suspended mid-air.
Almost instantly, his lips curved into a broad, reassuring smile before he lowered his head.
His gums were visible, the smile stretching effortlessly across his face.
A wave of relief washed over me, followed by a quiet happiness that settled gently within my heart, like a soothing breeze after a storm.
Before I knew it, a smile had found its way onto my own lips.
He was smiling.
And I was relieved.
For some reason, he almost resembled the Haider I had known during my teenage years.
Although I had never actually seen him smile back then, it felt as though a forgotten memory had fluttered through the corners of my mind.
Somewhere along the way, I had fallen in love with his actions without ever realising it.
That radiant smile...
Those gentle gestures...
They meant far more to me than I had ever imagined.
His happiness, his quiet fondness- they had led me onto a path from which there was no turning back.
Within them lay care.
Within them lay meaning.
I thanked Allah for blessing me with this man as my husband.
Human beings were never blessed with the ability to read one another's hearts.
Instead, we were blessed with words.
Words that would allow me to understand him.
Words that would reveal the affection he held for me.
He was a solemn man.
A man of unwavering sincerity and steadfast faith.
Yet, at that very moment, I wasn't panicking.
I simply let the emotions settle within me.
It was relief.
It was comfort.
It was happiness.
In the vast ocean that was Haider, I had finally carved out a place where I belonged.
The shimmer beyond the glass reflected softly across his features, the deep sapphire glow making him appear even more breathtaking.
I couldn't help but smile.
He ate with such quiet delight after that.
...
He opened the car door for me, and I wordlessly took my seat.
My face still beamed with joy from the aquarium, as well as from the moments we had shared just before.
He, too, wore a fond expression as he began driving.
Our conversations were few, yet I had come to see them differently.
Every word we exchanged carried immense weight.
Rather than overwhelming one another with countless heartfelt words, it was better to let each one settle.
That way, we gave each other the time to process our thoughts before speaking again.
We were considerate of one another, each trying our best to choose the right words, knowing they would linger in the other's heart.
RING! RING!
Suddenly-
The phone inside my bag began to ring.
His gaze drifted towards my bag before returning to the road ahead.
I slipped my phone out and glanced at the caller ID.
My brows knitted into a puzzled frown.
The prolonged silence must have caught Haider's attention.
"What's wrong?" he asked.
"Nothing... It's just unusual for my brother to call at this hour."
Haider fell silent.
I stole a glance at him.
Out of nowhere, a bead of sweat trailed down his jaw, and an unmistakable unease settled over his features.
Wait a minute...
Was he... afraid of my brother?