CHAPTER FOUR – Unraveling Hearts
Angel tried to focus on the sound of the rain tapping against her window, but her mind refused to stay still. It kept replaying Zahid's face at dinner, his calm arrogance, the way his eyes followed every move Simeon made, every word he spoke.
She had expected awkwardness, but not the way Zahid made her feel seen again… and not in the good way. He looked at her like she'd betrayed him, like she owed him something she no longer had to give.
Simeon had been polite through the meal, even charming. But beneath the surface, she'd felt the tension, two men quietly measuring each other, one full of control, the other full of pride. She didn't like how much it bothered her that Zahid still had that effect on her.
She sighed, setting her cup down. The ring on her finger glinted in the soft light. Maybe she was overthinking. Maybe this was just her guilt twisting old wounds.
"Angel," Simeon's voice called from the hallway.
She turned as he walked in, jacket in hand, smile easy and confident. "You've been quiet since last night."
"It's been a long week," she murmured.
He leaned down and kissed her cheek. "I've been thinking. Maybe it's time we stop waiting."
"Waiting for what?"
"For the wedding." He smiled wider. "You said yes already. Why not make it official soon?"
Her throat tightened. "Simeon, we just got engaged."
"I know, but life's short. Besides," he said, brushing his thumb against her hand, "I've been looking at properties in Florence. There's one with a vineyard, big enough for the kids to play in. We could sell this old place and start fresh."
Angel's stomach turned. She stared at him, trying to picture herself walking away from everything she'd built, her home, her memories, even her ghosts. Maybe that was what scared her most.
Simeon's voice softened. "You've carried too much pain here. Maybe Italy is what you need. What we need."
She forced a smile. "We'll talk about it later, okay?"
He nodded and left for work, humming as if the world already agreed with him.
When the door closed, Angel sank onto the couch, pressing her palms to her eyes. She knew Simeon was good to her, steady, safe. But safety didn't mean peace. Not when her heart still flinched at a voice that said her name like a prayer she didn't deserve.
---
Zahid stood in front of the hotel window, looking down at the city spread out beneath him. The gray London sky reflected in his eyes, cold, unreadable.
His bodyguard, Kareem, entered quietly. "Sir, the report you requested."
Zahid took the folder without turning around. He flipped through the pages, each one cutting a little deeper than he expected.
Angelina O'Hara. Age: 29. Occupation: Interior designer. Residence: Surrey. Two children. No record of marriage.
He paused, his jaw tightening. "No husband?"
Kareem shook his head. "None. Birth certificates list no father."
Zahid exhaled slowly, the air sharp in his lungs. "So she raised them alone."
"Yes, Excellency."
He closed the file, staring out into the rain again. For five years, he'd kept his distance. He had to. His country had been unstable, his position uncertain. Enemies had been hunting for any weakness they could exploit, and Angel had always been his one true weakness.
If they had known about her, about the children…
He clenched his fists. "I should have protected her," he muttered.
Kareem hesitated. "Would you like me to continue monitoring her?"
Zahid turned, his expression darkening. "No. Not yet."
He walked to the small bar, poured himself a glass of water, and stared at the condensation sliding down the glass. "She's engaged now. To Forrest." He spat the name like it tasted sour. "An ambitious man. He'll try to take her somewhere far, Italy, perhaps."
Kareem frowned. "Should we intervene?"
A muscle twitched in Zahid's jaw. "No. Let's see how far she's willing to go."
---
That night, Angel lay awake, staring at the ceiling. She thought of Simeon's easy confidence, his plans, his warmth… and then Zahid's silence, his eyes burning with something she couldn't name.
Her mind went back to their last night together, the whispered promises, the call that changed everything, the goodbye she never got.
She remembered the morning sickness, the fear, the tiny heartbeat she heard in that hospital room. The first time Malik wrapped his fingers around hers. The way Mara's eyes reminded her too much of someone she'd lost.
She'd built her life from the ashes Zahid left behind. And now, he was back to stir it all up again.
"Not again," she whispered, turning away from the window. But her heart betrayed her with a dull ache that refused to fade.
---
Across the city, Zahid sat alone in the dim hotel lounge, his untouched drink beside him. He should've left for the palace two days ago, but something anchored him here.
Maybe it was unfinished business. Maybe it was her.
He thought of her smile when she greeted him, the tremor in her voice when she said his name. The look in her eyes when he mentioned the children. He hadn't meant to sound cold, but the pain had come too fast, too deep.
For five years, he had buried her memory beneath duty and politics. But now, seeing her again, the walls were cracking.
Kareem appeared at his side again. "Your flight to Qasra is confirmed, Your Highness."
Zahid's eyes didn't move from the window. "Cancel it."
"Sir?"
He looked up, his voice calm but final. "I'll be staying in England for a while."
Kareem bowed slightly. "Understood."
When he was alone again, Zahid allowed himself one last thought before turning off the lights.
If destiny had decided to bring her back into his world, then he wasn't leaving until he knew why.