Chapter 4 - Episode _ 1 "The new city of Ismailia and with it a new destiny."

It was their first night in the new city—a night full of anticipation, mystery, and feelings no one had known before. Adel, the diligent young man living alone in his house, found himself a new role in the lives of the two women who carried their secrets with them—Nelly and Naomi. The house next to his became their new refuge, a place unknown to anyone else, a sanctuary that protected their privacy and gave them a chance to rebuild their lives away from the city’s prying eyes.

A gentle friendship began to grow between them and Adel, one built on respect and mutual support; he stood by them, provided them with a home, and ensured they felt safe in a strange world. That evening, Adel sat alone in his room, contemplating the two women whom fate had brought into his life, rediscovering himself through them. He was unmarried, and no one had ever entered his heart with such depth before. The night became his companion, carrying his thoughts and observing them in the silence of his room, recalling the beautiful moments of their presence.

His gaze lingered more on Naomi than Nelly. He admired her enchanting smile, the sweetness in her words, the carefully measured shyness painted across her cheeks—a shyness that only enhanced her beauty, making it shine brighter. Her slender, graceful form showed no sign of her pregnancy yet, no hint of the coming dangers or the hidden pain that the days would bring. The same was true of Nelly, who also bore her burdens quietly. Both women had endured so much in silence, carrying their pain and pasts, moving cautiously toward a new life.

Adel’s thoughts raced, crashing like turbulent waves: Could I marry Naomi? She seems beautiful, kind, and from a distant town… it would be easy. I could confess my true feelings… it’s as if I have been dreaming of her for a long time. How did this happen? How could I fall for someone so quickly? I’ve never felt this way before… Every day I meet beautiful girls, escort them home, but my heart has never stirred for any of them like this. She… she’s different from everyone else, unique, extraordinary. What if I tell her? Or would that be madness? Madness… but a beautiful madness, sweet like the perfume of the night… Yes, I will do it. Even if she refuses, I will insist on my feelings… I deserve this, I deserve someone like her.

Adel pulled the blanket over himself, lay back on the bed, and let his eyes drift into dreams—dreams of Naomi, who had captivated him from the first glance, with her delicate gestures, her smile, and the hidden warmth within her. He sank into a deep sleep, his heart open, his spirit filled with a new hope: the hope that this encounter might mark the beginning of a new life, a life brimming with love, warmth, and perhaps even the impossible made possible.

And he became a captive—captive to her passion, to her affection, to her willing consent that had bewitched both his heart and mind—while Naomi and Nelly settled into their new home, a quiet refuge where no one in this strange city knew anything about them. The two women appeared at ease, their faces radiating the joy that restored a long-lost confidence in themselves after years of pain and disappointment, after a life held hostage by secrets and a harsh past.

Yet it was clear that Naomi was not just a fleeting presence in Adel’s life; she had silently, subtly planned to ensnare him in her web, drawing him toward her with her clever mind and magnetic charm. Every glance, every gesture, every word was calculated with precision, reflecting her mastery in capturing his heart and mind. Nelly, meanwhile, showed the weariness of their long journey, slipping quietly into her room to rest, while Naomi sat calmly, thinking and plotting, crafting her strategy to win Adel’s heart. She wove her thoughts like silk threads, whispering to herself: “Adel… a good name. He seems to like me already; his gaze was sharp, as if examining me closely. That’s exactly what I wanted… the plan is working. Let’s see what he does next. He still has my number; maybe he’ll call in the morning, or perhaps he’ll come…”

Naomi entered her room and closed the door behind her. She wasn’t just shutting a door—she was closing a chapter of her old life, a page filled with pain and betrayal. She wasn’t simply entering a room; she was stepping into a new world, into dreams she had never known before: dreams of keeping the child she had yet to give birth to, dreams of a new life, a new love that could erase the betrayals and pain she had suffered with Samah and Ghada.

Nelly, meanwhile, lay under the covers, her hand gently caressing her belly. She smiled softly, whispering in a hushed tone: “Can you hear me, little one? I’ve left the town and come here to protect you… our life here will be happy, and I long to see you.” She gazed at her still-flat belly and smiled gently, telling herself: “You’re still so tiny… my belly hasn’t shown yet… but what will happen when you arrive? Let time take its course… All I want to say now is that I’m happy I could protect your life.”

She pulled the blanket up to her neck, closed her eyes for a moment, and whispered again in a dreamy voice: “Will I have a new life here? A new love? I think I can love again… Yes, this time I will love, protect, and live.”

That night, in the stillness of their new home, amidst the warmth of the rooms and the rustling of the wind outside, the two women felt the past recede. And the future—uncertain though it might be—held within it a promise of hope and a new life worth waiting for.