38~Her worth #2
"Despite everything..." She whispered as tears slipped down her cheeks. "I couldn't hate you."
"I've only been pretending."
She wiped her face, steadied her breathing, and held the phone tighter.
The call connected almost immediately.
He answered without hesitation.
His breathing was uneven.
His voice... sluggish.
He was drunk.
"H...Hello... It's me, Hanan."
"Huh...?"
"Can you hear me? I know it's late... and maybe I'm saying this too late... but I don't care anymore."
"I love you."
"I still love you."
"And I'm sorry it took me this long to admit it."
"I should've told you at the hotel."
"I shouldn't have accepted Faruk's proposal."
"I wasn't thinking straight."
"But it's not too late."
"I can still call it off..."
The words poured out of her so quickly she barely paused to breathe.
Then...
Silence.
Her heartbeat thundered inside her chest.
"Najib... Please say something."
She pressed the phone harder against her ear.
"I need to hear your voice."
A quiet chuckle reached her ears.
Her lips almost curved into a smile... until he spoke.
"Hello... Habiba..."
"I can hear you."
"Miss Hanan..." Najib chuckled.
"There is no need to call anymore."
"I'm done chasing after you."
His words slurred together.
"Marry Faruk."
"Do whatever makes you happy."
"I won't stop you."
"I won't fight you anymore."
"I've accepted your decision... and I've accepted that perhaps we were never destined to be."
"Maybe not in this life... maybe in another, or the next."
"I just wish..."
The line went dead.
Hanan froze.
Her mind refused to process what she had just heard.
"No..."
A whisper escaped her trembling lips.
"No..."
She immediately dialed his number again.
Unreachable.
Again.
Unreachable.
Again.
Nothing.
Call after call.
Silence.
Until frustration finally consumed her.
She hurled the phone across the room.
It crashed against the floor.
Tears blurred her vision.
"So this is it?"
"You've really given up on us?"
She laughed bitterly through her tears.
"A few hours ago you were begging me not to leave."
"You were asking for one more chance."
"And now... You've become the one telling me to marry another man."
She covered her mouth to muffle the sob threatening to escape.
"Najib... Why?"
The tears came harder.
She buried her face in her knees, desperately trying to silence her cries before they woke the entire house.
The hours crawled by.
She never left the floor.
Her cheeks were stained with tears.
Her eyes were swollen.
"So... This is how our story ends."
A broken smile tugged at her lips.
"I suppose this is my punishment."
"I kept pushing you away..."
"I kept breaking your heart..."
"But..."
She closed her eyes as another tear escaped.
"I never imagined the day would come when you would tell me to marry someone else."
"I thought..."
"I thought you would tell me to stay."
"To choose you."
"To fight for us."
"But you didn't."
"So maybe... it's finally time for me to let go too and move on for good."
Her voice cracked into a whisper.
"I just pray that one day... my heart finally forgets how to love you."
"Snap out of these damn thoughts of him, will you?" Hanan muttered to herself, frowning as she resumed dusting powder across her face.
She had already taken her bath and changed into a beautifully printed Atampa dress, just as Nanny Ann had insisted.
"Wear something traditional. You're meeting them as your in laws for the first time."
Now she sat before her vanity mirror, carefully applying makeup to conceal the puffiness around her eyes.
Kajal, eyeliner, concealer, mascara... each layer hid all trace of the tears she shed the previous night. She finished by glossing her lips just as a cheerful knock sounded on the door.
"Your in laws are here!" Nanny Ann announced with a wide grin as she walked in.
She paused the moment her eyes landed on Hanan.
"Hanan... wow. You look absolutely beautiful. This light makeup suits you so well."
"Thank you." Hanan forced a smile.
"Not only Faruk, his mother and Aunty won't be able to take their eyes off you today." Nanny Ann teased.
"Well said, Nanny Ann."
Both women turned toward the doorway.
Faruk stood there, dressed elegantly, a large bouquet of red roses resting in his hands.
His eyes slowly traveled over Hanan before a smile spread across his face.
"I'll leave you two alone." Nanny Ann chuckled before quietly stepping out.
Faruk walked closer, unable to hide the admiration in his eyes.
"You look..." He shook his head with a smile. "Honestly, words fail me."
His gaze lingered on her face.
"I must be the luckiest man alive."
"Thank you." Hanan replied calmly, though the smile on her lips never reached her eyes.
"I brought these for you." He handed her the bouquet.
She accepted it, inhaling the sweet fragrance before setting it gently on the bed.
"They're beautiful."
"I'm glad you like them."
A brief silence settled between them before Hanan spoke.
"I heard you want us to relocate abroad."
"Yes."
He smiled.
"I'm already looking for a house in Los Angeles."
"But... why? Our families are here."
"It's for the best, Baby." He gently slipped an arm around her waist and pulled her close. "I don't want anyone interfering in our marriage."
She knew exactly who he meant.
Najib.
Faruk lifted her hand to kiss it.
Then his smile disappeared.
"Wait..."
His brows furrowed.
"Where's your ring?"
"My... ring?" Hanan repeated, startled.
"The proposal ring I gave you last night."
He glanced at her empty finger.
"You're not wearing it."
Hanan's heart skipped.
The image of herself throwing the ring across the hotel toilet flashed through her mind.
"I... I..."
"You lost it?" He asked, disappointment clouding his face as he slowly let go of her waist.
"I'm sorry." She lowered her gaze. "I think I left it at the hotel. I'll go back later and look for it."
Faruk sighed.
"And you think it'll still be there? The cleaners must've taken it. Hanan... that ring was expensive and it meant a lot."
"I'm really sorry."
He rubbed his forehead before forcing a smile.
"Let's just go downstairs. Mom and my aunt are waiting. They're eager to meet you."
"Okay."
As he walked ahead, guilt tightened around her chest.
Why did you throw the ring?
You let your emotions get the better of you... and now you've created another problem for yourself.
Hand in hand, they stepped out of the room.
Just as they reached the staircase...
"Hanan."
She looked up.
"Amina?"
She stood there quietly.
"Can we talk? Alone?"
Faruk glanced between them before nodding.
"I'll be downstairs."
He kissed Hanan's knuckles. "Don't keep Mom waiting."
"I won't." She sighed.
Once he disappeared downstairs, Hanan led Amina back into her room.
Amina looked around with a nostalgic smile.
"This room reminds me of the first day you arrived at our house."
"You were so surprised when I showed you your room."
Hanan gave a faint smile.
"I remember."
She wasn't in the mood for memories.
"What brings you here?"
Amina reached into her handbag.
"I came to return this."
She placed the lost ring in Hanan's palm.
"This morning the hotel called. They said I left a ring in Room 50. The moment they described it, I knew it had to be yours."
Hanan stared silently at it.
"I almost told them to throw it away..."
Amina smiled sadly.
"But then I remembered it was your engagement ring."
"Thank you." Hanan smiled.
"No problem." Amina smiled back watching Hanan wearing the ring.
"I should head downstairs now, my guests are waiting."