Chapter 19, 2 Stories
Anaya woke up around 10 a.m., her eyes slowly fluttering open as the soft light filled the room. She sat up lazily, stretching slightly—only to catch sight of Zayd, kneeling in prayer on the mat by the window.
The moment her gaze landed on him, memories of the night they had just shared rushed back, making her cheeks burn with shyness.
Panicking slightly, she quickly sank back under the covers, hiding herself beneath the duvet.
But Zayd noticed. He caught her flustered movement, and a small amused smile tugged at his lips as he rounded up his prayer.
When he finished, he walked over to her side of the bed, leaned in close, and whispered gently, "Soulmate…"
Anaya didn't respond.
"Don't be shy, please, Anaya," he said again, his tone teasing but soft.
Reluctantly, she peeked out from under the covers, her voice quiet. "I'm not shy," she said quickly, trying to sit up and compose herself.
"I made your breakfast," he said with a smirk. "Should I feed you?"
"I need to bathe and get ready for work," she replied, already slipping her hands out from under the covers and reaching for her phone. Her every move was calculated—avoiding his eyes, avoiding the moment.
"Can you believe it's already 10 a.m.?" she mumbled, standing up hastily. She wanted to be anywhere but here. Today, work seemed like the perfect excuse to escape his presence and the lingering tension of their first night together.
But Zayd didn't let her go that easily.
He reached for her hands.
"Your presentation isn't until 1 p.m.," he murmured. "Please, have breakfast."
He kissed her knuckles after that, catching Anaya by surprise. As she looked down at her hand, her eyes widened.
"Zayd, is this real?" she asked excitedly.
She couldn't believe it—Zayd had slipped a diamond ring onto her finger. It was stunning, elegant, and clearly expensive. Her heart fluttered as she hugged him, and he hugged her back, gently kissing her forehead before letting her go.
"Doesn't it look good on my hand?" Anaya asked, still admiring the ring.
"It does, Anaya," Zayd replied with a soft smile.
But then she paused, a question forming in her mind. How could he afford something like this? It looked like a high-end diamond ring.
As she looked at him, ready to ask, Zayd answered as if he had read her thoughts.
"My mom gave it to me, to give to my future wife," he told her.
"And you kept it all this time?" she asked, almost in awe. "Is your mom…?"
"Yes, Anaya," he replied gently. "My mom is a very rich and wealthy woman."
In the end, they fed each other softly before getting ready for work together.
"I pray you barge your first project today, Anaya," Zayd said, holding her gaze.
"I hope so too. And thank you again for the gift," she replied, her voice laced with hope and happiness.
___
Rayyan and Zeenat arrived at the office, unaware of the surprise waiting for them. As they headed toward Rayyan's office, they were taken by surprise when a staff member approached.
"Sir, Zeenat—Mr. Abbas is asking for you. The board is already seated in the conference room."
Rayyan became nervous, and Zeenat tried to calm him down.
"Go. Maybe it's something good," she said.
"Yes, but you're coming with me," Rayyan replied.
She followed him to the conference room. Together, they walked to the top floor, exchanged brief greetings with the board members, and stepped into the large glass-walled room.
Inside sat the company's executives, including his father, Mr. Abbas, who looked calm yet serious. After a brief silence, Mr. Abbas stood up.
"We called this meeting today to announce a decision that has been under consideration for some time now," he began, his eyes resting on Rayyan.
"Rayyan Abbas Ahmed, your dedication, leadership, and contributions to this company have not gone unnoticed. With my gradual transition out of daily operations, it's time the future is placed in the right hands."
He paused. Rayyan had always been good with everyone. His only challenge used to be Zeenat, but now their relationship was flourishing—just as Mr. Abbas had hoped.
A few board members smiled knowingly.
Mr. Abbas continued, "Effective immediately, Rayyan Abbas will serve as the new Chief Executive Officer of Ahmed Global Enterprises."
___
Not two hours after Mr. Abbas handed Rayyan the CEO role, he was seated in his new office, the space now assigned to him. His father would now take on an advisory role, stepping back and only offering guidance from time to time.
Zeenat walked into Rayyan's new office. They had barely spoken since he took over as CEO—he had been too busy with congratulatory visits and well-wishes. Whenever they did speak, it was brief. Later, Mr. Abbas called him for advice, and even Zeenat had only briefly congratulated him. But now that he was free, things were different.
Rayyan sat at his desk, a cake in front of him. When he saw Zeenat enter, he stood up, excitement clear on his face.
"Zeenat, you're here!" he said.
She quickly walked toward him. "Congratulations, Rayyan," she said warmly, hugging him. He returned the hug, and they held each other for a moment before releasing.
"May Allah help you lead the best way," Zeenat prayed softly.
Rayyan kissed her forehead, catching her off guard. She blushed, her cheeks turning red from the unexpected gesture. He smiled at her, stepping back slightly.
"So now you finally get what you wanted," Zeenat said, raising an eyebrow. "Your top priority, isn't it?" she asked playfully.
Rayyan smiled back, a knowing look in his eyes. "How did you know?" he asked, his voice teasing.
Zeenat shrugged slightly. "I often heard you say that when you become CEO one day... in fact, I heard it a lot. And besides, didn't you say we should find out each other's likes and dislikes as we spend time together?"
Rayyan chuckled, nodding. "Yes, you're right, Zeenat. But it's not my only priority... it's my second."
Zeenat raised an eyebrow, curious. "What's your first priority, then?" she asked.
Rayyan didn't answer her immediately. Instead, he cut into the cake in front of him. The message on it read, "Congratulations." His attention now shifted entirely to the cake.
"Wow, who brought you this?" Zeenat asked, her eyes on the cake.
"My mom asked it to be delivered to me since she isn't here to congratulate me personally," Rayyan replied with a smile.
"Wow, your mom," Zeenat said. "That reminds me, you've never really linked us, Rayyan. Can you call her so we can talk, so I can greet her?"
Rayyan paused for a moment, looking at her before smiling. He went back to cutting the cake.
"Not now, Zeenat, but some other time," Rayyan said.
"Why not, Rayyan? I hope everything is...?" Zeenat started to ask, but she was cut off when Rayyan fed her a bite of the cake.
"Thank you for everything, Zeenat," Rayyan said sincerely.
She smiled and picked up a piece of the cake to feed him. They ended up feeding each other the cake until it was finished, saving the rest for Anaya. And also Rayyan particularly didn't like eating too much sugar at once, so it was put in the fridge for later.
Just before Zeenat left, Rayyan called her back.
"So today, I want us to go on a date, Zeenat," he said, his voice full of anticipation. "Please, would you go on a date with me?"
Zeenat smiled shyly at his words, her heart fluttering. She slowly nodded her head. After all, why not? she thought.