Page 34 of A Million Shades Of Love and Betrayal

She nodded, still a bit dazed but appreciating the distraction. "That sounds good," she said, her voice barely above a whisper.

I made my way to the kitchen, the familiar routine of cooking helping to ground me in the moment. As I gathered ingredients and started preparing a light meal, my mind kept drifting back to the conversation we'd just had. Thinking about a future with Yasmin, one that included kids, felt more real and possible than ever before.

It wasn't long before the smell of sautéing vegetables and spices filled the air. I glanced over my shoulder to see Yasmin watching me from the doorway, a small smile playing on her lips. "Something smells good," she said, her voice a bit steadier now.

I grinned at her. "I thought you might like some stir-fry. Quick, easy, and delicious."

She laughed the sound like music to my ears. "You're beginning to know me too well."

I finished cooking and plated the food, setting it down on the dining table. We sat across from each other, and as we ate, the earlier tension slowly melted away. We talked about the hotel, and about anything else that came to mind. It felt easy and natural like it always did with Yasmin.

After we finished eating, I glanced at the clock and realized I needed to head to work soon. "I've got to talk to Roman," I said, standing up and stretching. "But I'll be back later, okay?"

Yasmin nodded, standing up as well. She walked over to me and wrapped her arms around my waist, resting her head against my chest. "Thanks for lunch," she said softly. "And for... everything else."

I kissed the top of her head, feeling a surge of affection for this incredible woman. "Anytime, Flower. Anytime."

-25-

Yasmin

I sat across from my Amirah at my favorite corner cafe. The sun streamed through the large windows, casting a warm glow on the table between us. I pushed a stray lock of hair behind my ear, fiddling with the edge of my napkin as I gathered my thoughts. Lunch with Amirah was becoming a tradition, a small refuge from the chaos that seemed to follow me everywhere. Today, however, was anything but ordinary. I just didn’t know it yet.

“You wouldn’t believe what happened at the meeting with Dad, Rafael, and Roman,” I began, my voice barely above a whisper. I glanced around making sure no one was eavesdropping before leaning in closer. “Ethan was also there, and it was... intense.”

Amirah’s eyes widened with curiosity. She set her fork down and gave me her full attention. “Tell me everything.”

I took a deep breath and launched into the story. “I’m sure you must have heard by now that Dad was considering going into business with Ethan. Shocking, I know. Dad told me he wanted me to take over this new project since it was originally my idea, so he asked me to meet with him and Ethan the next day.”

“Wait, Dad’s finally going with your idea?”

I smiled. “I’m as shocked as you are.”

“It’s about time,” she laughed. “He should have done it years ago.”

“You might be right, but everything happens for a reason.”

Amirah nodded, urging me to continue.

“Rafael went with me and when we got there, we saw Roman. Things seemed fishy from there, but I didn’t question it. It turns out it was all a part of his elaborate plan, and he made them compete to see who deserved his money. Then Dad dropped the bombshell: he told them who I was.”

Amirah’s eyebrows shot up. “He told them about your real identity? That you’re not just Yasmin but his daughter?”

I nodded, the memory of their shocked faces still vivid in my mind. “Exactly. I told Roman myself just in case and Rafael already knew, but Ethan... well, he just stared at me like he was trying to figure out a puzzle. It was surreal.”

Amirah let out a low whistle. “Wow. I knew something like this would happen eventually, but hearing it is different. What did he say?”

“What could he say? Dad made it a point to tell him Rafael and I were engaged. It’s like he wanted all the shock to kill him.”

Amirah’s expression shifted from surprise to amusement. “That sounds like something he would do.”

I sighed, feeling the tension knot in my shoulders. “He fumbled his presentation so badly I almost felt sorry for him. We didn’t announce a winner, but he lost.”

Amirah reached across the table and squeezed my hand. “There’s no reason for you to feel sympathy for him. He dug his grave when he treated you like shit. I say he deserves everything that’s coming to him.”

I nodded, my appetite waning despite the delicious food in front of us. “I know. That’s not even what I’m worried about. What if he does something in retaliation? What then?”

For the past two days, that’s all I could think about. I wanted revenge and wouldn’t stop until I got it, but I wasn’t eager to find out what cruel thing Ethan had planned for me. There was no way he’d take this lying down and not knowing made this so much harder than it had to be. We lapsed into a comfortable silence, each lost in our thoughts. I was just about to order another serving of fries when the door to the cafe opened, and I saw Cheryl and Ava walk in. Their eyes locked onto mine immediately.

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