36~Love me. #2
"Why is he staring at me like that?"
She looked up once more.
He still hasn't blinked.
His eyes remained fixed on her.
A small smile tugged at her lips.
"So... You want a staring contest, huh?"
She chuckled inwardly.
"Trying to intimidate me with those dark eyes?"
"Oh, I'm ready tonight."
"Bring it on."
Lifting her chin, she met his gaze head on.
Seconds slipped by.
Neither of them surrendered.
But gradually...
She began to feel warm beneath his unwavering stare.
Because it no longer felt like he was simply looking at her.
His gaze no longer felt like an ordinary stare.
His eyes were doing far more than actions ever could.
It was as though he could see straight through her, past every wall she had carefully built around her heart.
His eyes slowly wandered over her face before drifting lower, lingering just enough to make her pulse quicken.
Heat crept up her neck.
For the first time in a long while, Hanan became painfully aware of herself.
The way he looked at her made her feel exposed... almost as though he was undressing her.
As though he was stripping away every layer of confidence she had walked into the hall with.
Unable to bear it any longer, she rose from her seat, intending to move elsewhere.
"Habiba!"
She turned at the sound of Amina's voice.
"There you are!" Amina smiled as she approached hee, balancing a plate of barbecue in one hand and a bowl of hot sauce in the other.
"Where are you going?"
"I brought your food."
"Thank you." Hanan smiled, reaching out to take the plate.
But before either of them realized what had happened...
"Oh!"
The bowl slipped from Amina's hand.
SPLASH!
The hot sauce spilled directly onto the front of Hanan's white dress.
"Oh my God!" Amina gasped, horror filling her face.
"Habiba, I'm so sorry!"
Without thinking, she grabbed a stack of napkins and hurriedly began wiping the stain.
Unfortunately, every swipe only spread the bright red sauce farther across the white fabric.
"Amina..." Hanan caught her wrist gently.
"It's okay."
"Please stop."
"I'll handle it."
Amina froze.
By then, the damage had already been done.
The once elegant white dress was covered with ugly reddish stains.
She stared at it helplessly.
"Habiba... I'm so, so sorry."
"What do we do now?"
Hanan looked down at the ruined dress before letting out a small sigh.
"It was an accident."
"Don't blame yourself."
She attempted a reassuring smile despite knowing the dress was beyond saving.
"Is there a restroom nearby?"
"Maybe I can rinse some of it off."
Amina immediately shook her head.
"Come with me."
"I booked one of the hotel rooms earlier while getting ready."
"You can clean up there."
"Let's go."
Without wasting another second, the two of them hurried upstairs.
The moment they entered the room, Hanan rushed straight into the bathroom.
She soaked the stained part of her dress under running water, gently rubbing the fabric with soap.
But no matter how hard she tried...
The stain refused to disappear.
Instead, it spread even more.
Soon, the lower half of her dress was completely soaked.
She stared at herself in the mirror and sighed.
"What a disaster..."
A knock sounded on the bathroom door.
"Habiba?"
Amina's worried voice came through.
"How is it?"
Hanan opened the door slightly and gave her a helpless smile.
"It's hopeless."
"I figured." Amina bit her lip feeling guilty.
"This happened because of me."
"I'll fix it... I'll buy you another dress."
Hanan immediately shook her head.
"Amina, don't worry about it."
"I can manage."
"No."
Amina's voice became firm.
"You can't go back downstairs looking like this."
"Wait here."
"Please."
"I'll be back in a few minutes."
Before Hanan could protest again, Amina hurried out of the room, determined to find a replacement.
"Ya Najib." Amina whispered, glancing around to make sure no one was listening. "She's in Room 50."
"She's alone."
Najib frowned. "Was ruining her dress really necessary?"
The image of the hot sauce splashing across Hanan's white dress still irritated him.
Amina rolled her eyes. "You think I enjoyed doing that?"
"I felt terrible."
"But I couldn't think of any other way to get you two alone."
She folded her arms.
"So instead of complaining, you should be thanking me."
Najib sighed before a faint smile tugged at his lips. "Fair enough."
"Thank you, Mimi."
He paused.
"But strangely... I'm nervous."
Amina stared at him in disbelief. "Nervous?"
"Gosh, Ya Najib!"
She lightly smacked his arm.
"Don't tell me you're planning to waste my efforts... I even argued with Grandma, you know how angry she was when she found out I was hosting this party when we just lost daddy, it's so insensitive of me, yet I did so just to reunite you both... So please don't make me regret it."
Her expression softened.
"This is your chance."
"Go and fight for your wife."
"Whether you have to swallow your pride..."
"Kneel..."
"Cry..."
"Or beg..."
"Do it."
"I don't care."
"But don't come back without trying your best."
Najib let out a quiet laugh."You sound more desperate than I am. I'll do everything I can." His smile slowly faded into determination.
"I won't give up on her again."
"Good." Amina nodded firmly. "Now stop talking and go. I wish you the best."
"Thanks Mimi." He gave her one last smile before walking away.
The closer he got to Room fifty... The heavier his footsteps became.
For the first time in a long time...
Najib wasn't confident.
Business meetings.
Boardrooms.
Negotiations.
Those never made him nervous.
But the thought of facing one woman...
Made his heartbeat wildly uneven.
He stopped outside the room and drew a deep breath.
"You can do this." He muttered to himself.
Gathering what little courage he had left, he pushed the slightly opened door.
The room was quiet.
Hanan sat alone on the edge of the bed, her head lowered as she stared at the ruined dress spread across her lap.
She looked so lost in thought that she didn't notice him immediately.
He stepped inside and quietly closed the door behind him.
The soft click made her look up.
The instant their eyes met, she sprang to her feet.
"What are you doing here?"
Her voice sounded surprised.
Najib didn't answer.
Instead...
He simply walked toward her.
"I came to talk about what I asked you the last time."
His voice was quiet, almost cautious.
Hanan let out a dry laugh. "A second chance?"
"Yes." He nodded.
"I know I don't deserve one... but I'm begging you, Habibti. Please... give me a second chance."
She stared at him for a long moment before shaking her head.
"Why?"
Her laugh was hollow.
"Tell me, Najib... why should I risk my life with you again?"
"Why should I willingly walk back into the same fire that almost destroyed me?"
He swallowed hard. "Because I've changed. I know words aren't enough, but..."
"I hate you." She frowned.
The whisper stopped him mid sentence.
He looked at her in silence.
"No..." He took a slow step toward her.
"You don't."
His eyes searched hers.
"Your actions have told me otherwise."
"You risked your life to save me at the beach."
"You stayed beside me when I collapsed during the funeral."
"You took care of me when you could've walked away."
"You worried about my scar..."
"And..." A smile tugged at the corner of his lips. "You wanted to kiss me."
"Oh, for goodness sake..." She groaned, dragging a hand across her face.
"I'm leaving."
She turned sharply.
"Habiba."
His hand caught her wrist.
She immediately jerked free. "Don't touch me!"
Her voice was sharp enough to make him freeze.
"Don't walk out on me, Habiba." He voiced out.
She walked a few steps away before spinning back to face him.
"Or what?!"
She marched toward him until only a breath separated them.
"What happens if I walk away?"
"Will you punish me again?"
Her voice trembled.
"Will you handcuff my feet on a block of ice again?"
"Or will it be on a burning coal this time?"
"Or have you found something even worse than these?"
Her lower lip quivered.
She bit it, desperately trying to stop the tears threatening to fall.
Najib's face crumbled. "Habiba... I'm sorry."
"I know no apology can erase what I did."
"But please... I regret every single day."
"I was stupid."
"I hurt you."
"I never wanted..."
"You never wanted to?" She laughed bitterly, cutting him off.
"No."
"I may have forgiven what you did..."
"But I can never forget what you said."
Her eyes glistened.
"A sex tool."
She forced the words out.
"Do you remember saying that?"
Silence.
"That sentence killed me in so many ways... I remember asking you that day if that was all I meant to you."
"And do you remember your answer?"
A tear escaped despite her efforts to hold it back.
"You asked me..."
"What else should I think of you?"
"You called me a leech."
"You said I was nothing more than someone you slept with."
Her voice cracked.
"Tell me... What kind of husband says those words to his wife?"
Najib lowered his head.
Ashamed.
Broken.
"I'm sorry..."
"No." She shook her head.
"You're sorry only because you lost me and found me as a different person, not as Habiba... Not because you understood what you did to me."
She laughed through her tears.
"When you looked at me downstairs..."
"The way you openly stared at me, I saw it."
"It reminded me of these cruel words of yours."
"I asked myself..."
"Does he only still see my body?"
"Is that all you want?"
"To sleep with me?"
"To have me back in your bed satisfying your desires again?"
"No." Najib's reply came instantly.
His voice was rough with emotion.
"No, Habibti."
"I was immature."
"I was arrogant."
"I was cruel."
"I was a fool."
"You were not a fool." She shook her head.
"You were clever, clever enough to deceive your whole family."
"You pretended to be hosting a friend... Meanwhile, she was your mistress, Zaitun, who comfortably lived under the same roof."